Effort Stars Sticker Chart
Name: ____________________________
Place a star sticker each time you try your best!
| Star 1 | Star 2 | Star 3 | Star 4 | Star 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
When all five stars are on your chart, celebrate your hard work and keep exploring new challenges!
Lesson Plan
Effort Explorers Lesson Plan
Students will learn what it means to put forth effort and will practice trying their best through interactive songs, a read-aloud, a sticker chart activity, and a simple challenge game.
Building early perseverance skills helps Pre-K students develop confidence and resilience when facing new tasks. Recognizing effort fosters a growth mindset and encourages children to keep trying.
Audience
Pre-K Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive songs, story read-aloud, sticker activity, and simple challenge game
Materials
- Little Engine That Could Read-Aloud Script, - Effort Stars Sticker Chart, - Persistence Challenge Cards, - Effort Explorers Reward Tokens, - Small star stickers, and - One six-sided dice
Prep
Prepare Materials
5 minutes
- Review the Little Engine That Could Read-Aloud Script
- Print and cut out the Persistence Challenge Cards
- Make copies of the Effort Stars Sticker Chart for each child
- Gather small star stickers and a six-sided dice
- Prepare the Effort Explorers Reward Tokens
Step 1
Warm-Up: Effort Song
5 minutes
- Gather students in a circle and introduce the idea of effort: “What does trying your best mean?”
- Teach a simple call-and-response “I Can Try” song to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle”
- Encourage actions (clap, stomp) on key words
- Differentiation: Provide visual lyric cards for children who need extra support
Step 2
Story Time: The Little Engine That Could
7 minutes
- Show the cover of the story and ask, “Do you think the train can make it over the hill?”
- Read the Little Engine That Could Read-Aloud Script, emphasizing “I think I can” each time
- Pause to ask comprehension questions and highlight effort words: try, believe, keep going
- Differentiation: Use picture cards and act out the engine’s movements for visual learners
Step 3
Effort Activity: Sticker Chart
8 minutes
- Introduce the Effort Stars Sticker Chart and explain how to earn a star for trying hard at small tasks
- Model one sample task (e.g., stacking blocks) and place a star on your chart when you finish
- Invite each child to complete a mini challenge and place their star
- Differentiation: Offer hand-over-hand assistance or simplified tasks for those needing extra guidance
Step 4
Game: Persistence Dice Challenge
7 minutes
- Show the Persistence Challenge Cards face-down alongside a dice
- Each child rolls the dice, picks the matching card, and reads the simple challenge (e.g., “Hold a plank for 5 seconds”)
- Children attempt the challenge while peers cheer; award Effort Explorers Reward Tokens for trying
- Differentiation: Adjust challenge difficulty or provide modeling before each attempt
Step 5
Cool-Down & Reflection
3 minutes
- Gather back in a circle and ask: “What did you try your hardest on today?”
- Invite 1–2 children to share and show their stickers and tokens
- Reinforce the mantra “I can try!” and celebrate all efforts
- Differentiation: Use one-on-one prompting or pointing to visuals for children who need support
Slide Deck
Effort Explorers
Putting Forth Effort
Pre-K Group Session
30 Minutes
Welcome the class and introduce the session. Explain that today we will become "Effort Explorers" and learn how trying our best helps us grow.
Lesson Objectives
• Understand what it means to put forth effort
• Practice trying our best through songs, stories, and games
• Celebrate our efforts with stickers and tokens
Read aloud the objectives so everyone knows what we’ll do today. Use simple language and point to the bullets as you say them.
Materials
• Little Engine That Could Read-Aloud Script
• Effort Stars Sticker Chart
• Persistence Challenge Cards
• Effort Explorers Reward Tokens
• Small star stickers
• One six-sided dice
Show and review all materials. Encourage children to point to or touch each item as you name it.
Warm-Up: Effort Song
Call: “I can try, I can try”
Response: “You can try, you can try”
(To the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle”)
“I think I can, I think I can,
I give it effort, yes I can!
Clap your hands and stomp your feet,
Trying our best feels so neat!
I think I can, I think I can,
I give it effort, yes I can!”
Teach the "I Can Try" song with call-and-response. Model clapping and stomping. Invite children to join in and show the actions.
Story Time: The Little Engine That Could
Do you think the train can make it over the hill?
Let’s read and find out! Remember to say “I think I can” with me every time.
Ask the cover question before reading. Emphasize “I think I can” each time it appears. Pause to ask children how the engine might feel.
Activity: Effort Stars Sticker Chart
- Complete a simple task (e.g., stack 3 blocks)
- Earn a star sticker for trying hard
- Place the star on your chart
Let’s see those stars shine!
Show the blank sticker chart. Model earning a star by stacking blocks. Hand out charts and stickers. Guide each child through their mini challenge.
Game: Persistence Dice Challenge
• Roll the dice
• Pick the matching Persistence Challenge Card
• Try the challenge (e.g., hold a plank for 5 seconds)
• Earn an Effort Explorers Reward Token for trying
Cheer for your friends!
Demonstrate rolling the dice and picking a challenge card. Read one card aloud and model the challenge. Encourage cheering and reward tokens for every attempt.
Cool-Down & Reflection
• What did you try your hardest on today?
• Show your sticker chart and tokens
Remember: “I can try!”
Gather children in a circle. Prompt reflection: have each child share one thing they tried hard at. Praise all efforts and close with our mantra.
Script
Little Engine Read-Aloud Script
Purpose: Read with expression, pause for questions, and emphasize our effort phrase “I think I can!”
Before You Begin
• Hold the book so every child can see the cover.
• Encourage children to use their talking voices.
Page 1 (Cover)
Teacher (show cover): “Friends, look at this! What do you see on our book cover?”
(Pause for answers: train, mountain, big hill.)
Teacher: “Yes, it’s a train full of toys climbing a big hill. Do you think this little train can make it to the top?”
Children: (chorus response) “I think it can!”
Teacher: “Excellent—let’s find out together and say our phrase every time we see effort!”
Page 2
Teacher (turn page; show the train waiting): “Oh no! The train is stuck at the bottom of a steep mountain. It has lots of toys to deliver to boys and girls. Can the train pull all those cars up?”
Children: “I think I can!”
Teacher (point to the train’s face): “How does the train look? (Pause.) She looks worried but ready to try!”
Page 3
Teacher (turn page; show engine trying): “The little engine huffed and she puffed. She pulled and she pushed, but—“
Teacher (pause for effect): “She stopped. Do you think she’s going to give up?”
Children: “No!”
Teacher: “Let’s help her: I think I can, I think I can!”
*(Lead children in repeating “I think I can” with big actions—pump your arm!)
Page 4
Teacher (turn page; show more effort): “The little engine tried again and again. She pant-ed, she grunt-ed, she kept going…”
Teacher (emphasize): “She said quietly to herself…”
Children (whisper together): “I think I can.”
Teacher: “She didn’t stop—she kept on trying!”
Page 5
Teacher (turn page; show halfway up): “Look, she’s partway up the hill! But oh—she’s so tired.”
Teacher: “What should she say to keep herself going?”
Children: “I think I can!”
Teacher: “Yes! Let’s all cheer when she makes it!”
Page 6
Teacher (turn page; top of the hill): “Hooray! She made it! The little engine reached the top of the mountain!”
Teacher (invite shouting): “Let’s give her a big cheer: Hooray for the little engine who kept trying!”
Wrap-Up Questions
- “How did our little engine show effort?”
- “What phrase did she say when things got hard?”
- “When you try something hard, what can you say to yourself?”
Closing
Teacher: “Whenever something feels tricky, remember to say, ‘I think I can!’ You are all little engines who can keep going!” Celebrate with a round of applause and lead into the sticker activity.
Activity
Game
Persistence Challenge Cards
Roll the dice and pick the card with the matching number. Then try the challenge and cheer on your friends!
| Dice Roll | Challenge |
|---|---|
| 1 | Stack 3 blocks without them falling |
| 2 | Hop on one foot 4 times |
| 3 | Jump in place 5 times |
| 4 | Balance on one foot for 3 seconds |
| 5 | Turn in a full circle twice, then stand tall |
| 6 | Touch your toes 5 times without bending your knees |
When you finish, earn an Effort Explorers Reward Token for giving it your best!
Activity
Effort Explorers Reward Tokens
Cut out each token below. Give one to a child whenever they show great effort!
⭐️ ★️ ⭐️ ★️ ⭐️ ★️ ⭐️ ★️ ⭐️ ★️ ⭐️ ★️
| ★ Great Effort! ★ | ★ Great Effort! ★ | ★ Great Effort! ★ | ★ Great Effort! ★ |
|---|---|---|---|
| ★ Great Effort! ★ | ★ Great Effort! ★ | ★ Great Effort! ★ | ★ Great Effort! ★ |
| ★ Great Effort! ★ | ★ Great Effort! ★ | ★ Great Effort! ★ | ★ Great Effort! ★ |
Once cut, store extras in a jar or pouch.
Use these Effort Explorers Reward Tokens to celebrate every try!
Cool Down
Effort Reflection
Name: ____________________________
-
What did you try your hardest on today?
-
How did it feel when you kept trying?
-
What will you say to yourself next time something feels hard?