Lesson Plan
Mirror Moments Guide
Students will identify and list three personal strengths and explain how each strength supports their success in school, fostering self-awareness and a growth mindset.
Recognizing personal strengths builds students’ confidence, promotes a positive self-image, and equips them with a growth mindset to tackle academic challenges.
Audience
5th Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Through guided reflection, modeling, and peer sharing
Prep
Preparation
5 minutes
- Print one copy of the Strengths Star Sheet for each student
- Load the Reflect & Shine Slides on your classroom device
- Review the Mirror Moments Script to guide timing and prompts
- Clear an open space in the classroom for the “Stand Up If...” activity
Step 1
Warm-Up: Identity Poll
5 minutes
- Display Slide 1 of the Reflect & Shine Slides
- Read a series of prompts (e.g., “Stand up if you enjoy problem-solving.”) following the Stand Up If... Activity
- Ask students to notice classmates’ varied strengths as they stand or stay seated
Step 2
Mini-Lesson on Strengths
7 minutes
- Show Slides 2–3 on the Reflect & Shine Slides to define “strengths” and explain growth mindset connections
- Provide 2–3 concrete examples of academic, creative, and interpersonal strengths
- Model listing three strengths and explaining their impact using lines from the Mirror Moments Script
Step 3
Individual Reflection
8 minutes
- Distribute the Strengths Star Sheet
- Instruct students to write three personal strengths and describe how each helps them succeed in school
- Circulate the room to offer support and prompt deeper thinking
Step 4
Peer Share-Out Circle
8 minutes
- Arrange students in a circle
- Invite volunteers to share one strength and its school impact
- After each share, peers offer a quick positive acknowledgement (e.g., “That’s awesome!”)
- Continue until 4–5 students have shared, ensuring a range of strengths
Step 5
Wrap-Up and Reflection
2 minutes
- Summarize common strengths heard during share-out
- Encourage students to use their identified strengths in upcoming tasks
- Remind them that recognizing strengths is the first step toward growth
Slide Deck
Warm-Up: Identity Poll
Stand up if…
• You enjoy problem-solving.
• You like writing stories.
• You work well in groups.
• You ask questions when you’re curious.
• You stick with a task until it’s done.
Introduce the identity poll by displaying statements on the slide. For each statement, ask students to stand if it’s true for them. Encourage observation of classmates’ strengths.
What Are Strengths?
• Strengths are the skills and qualities you’re good at.
• Everyone has different strengths.
• Recognizing and using your strengths helps you learn and grow (growth mindset).
Explain that strengths are personal qualities or skills that help us succeed. Connect strengths to a growth mindset: using them helps us grow and learn new things.
Examples of Strengths
Academic Strengths:
• Problem-solving
• Reading comprehension
Creative Strengths:
• Drawing or art
• Imaginative storytelling
Interpersonal Strengths:
• Teamwork
• Active listening
Share examples of different types of strengths. Then model your own list: “I am good at perseverance, creativity, and listening. These help me keep going on hard tasks, come up with new ideas, and understand others.”
Your Reflection: Mirror Moments
On your sheet, list three strengths and explain how each helps you in school:
- _______ helps me…
- _______ helps me…
- _______ helps me…
Distribute the Strengths Star Sheet. Ask students to write three personal strengths and describe how each helps them succeed in school. Circulate and support as needed.
Share-Out Circle
• Volunteer to share one strength and how it helps you.
• Peers, respond with a quick positive acknowledgment.
• Let’s celebrate our strengths together!
Arrange students in a circle. Invite volunteers to share one strength and its impact. After each share, classmates give quick positive acknowledgements (e.g., “That’s awesome!”). Aim for 4–5 shares.
Wrap-Up & Next Steps
• We heard many great strengths today!
• Think about how to use your strengths in new challenges.
• Keep reflecting on and growing your strengths.
Summarize the strengths you heard today. Remind students to use their strengths in future tasks. Encourage continuous reflection on strengths.
Worksheet
Strengths Star Sheet
Use this sheet to discover and celebrate three of your personal strengths. For each star below:
- Write one strength (a skill or quality you’re proud of).
- Describe how that strength helps you succeed in school.
★ Strength 1 ★
Write your strength here:
How this strength helps me in school:
★ Strength 2 ★
Write your strength here:
How this strength helps me in school:
★ Strength 3 ★
Write your strength here:
How this strength helps me in school:
Tip: Keep this sheet in your binder or desk. Revisit your strengths whenever you face a challenge to remind yourself of what you can do!
Activity
Stand Up If... Activity
Purpose: Energize students, build classroom community, and help them notice and celebrate each other’s strengths.
Time: 5 minutes
Materials:
- Open space in the classroom (desks pushed to the sides)
- List of prepared “Stand up if…” statements (see Sample Prompts)
Instructions
- Ask students to find a spot in the open space, standing behind their chairs.
- Explain: “I will read a statement beginning with ‘Stand up if…’. If the statement is true for you, stand up. If it isn’t, stay seated.”
- Read one statement at a time. After each, pause and invite students to look around and notice who stood up—this highlights shared strengths and unique qualities.
- After a few seconds of observation, instruct everyone to return to their seats or original spot before reading the next prompt.
- Continue with 5–7 statements, varying the types of strengths highlighted.
Sample Prompts
• Stand up if you enjoy problem-solving.
• Stand up if you like writing stories or poems.
• Stand up if you ask questions when you’re curious.
• Stand up if you work well in groups.
• Stand up if you stick with a task until it’s done.
• Stand up if you enjoy helping classmates.
• Stand up if you’re good at drawing or creating art.
Teacher Tips
- Model Participation: Take turns standing yourself to show enthusiasm and to normalize vulnerability.
- Celebrate Diversity: After each prompt, point out how many students stood up and emphasize that different strengths make the class stronger.
- Keep It Positive: Choose prompts that highlight constructive skills and qualities—avoid statements that could make students feel left out.
- Watch the Clock: This warm-up should take about 5 minutes. Move briskly from one statement to the next to maintain energy.
- Connect to Reflection: Remind students that these stands-up moments are clues to their personal strengths, which they’ll explore further in the lesson.
Script
Mirror Moments Script
1. Warm-Up: Identity Poll (5 minutes)
Teacher: "Good morning, friends! Today we’re going to explore our personal strengths—those things we’re really good at—and celebrate them. To start, we’ll do a fun activity called Stand Up If… When you hear a statement that is true for you, stand up. If it’s not true, stay seated. Ready? Here we go!"
Teacher: "Stand up if you enjoy problem-solving."
Pause 5 seconds, then
Teacher: "Great! Take a look around—so many problem solvers among us! Please sit back down."
Teacher: "Stand up if you like writing stories or poems."
Pause, then
Teacher: "Wonderful—writers in the room! Have a seat."
Teacher: "Stand up if you work well in groups."
Pause, then
Teacher: "Awesome teamwork—thank you, everyone. Sit down."
Teacher: "Stand up if you ask questions when you’re curious."
Pause, then
Teacher: "Curious minds! Thank you—take your seat."
Teacher: "Stand up if you stick with a task until it’s done."
Pause, then
Teacher: "Perseverance is powerful. Sit back down."
Teacher: "Nice job, everyone. Notice how each of us stood up at different times—that’s because we all have different strengths! Let’s keep these strengths in mind as we learn more today."
2. Mini-Lesson on Strengths (7 minutes)
Teacher: "Now, what exactly is a strength? Raise your hand if you have an idea or have heard the word before."
Invite 2–3 students to share.
Teacher: "Those are great thoughts! A strength is a skill or quality you’re good at. Everyone’s strengths are unique. When we use our strengths, we learn better and grow—that’s what we call a growth mindset."
Teacher: "Here are some examples of strengths:"
- Academic strengths like problem-solving or reading comprehension
- Creative strengths like drawing or imaginative storytelling
- Interpersonal strengths like teamwork or active listening
Teacher: "Watch me model this. I am good at perseverance, creativity, and active listening.
• Perseverance helps me keep trying on hard tasks instead of giving up.
• Creativity helps me come up with new ideas and solutions.
• Active listening helps me understand others and follow directions carefully."
Teacher: "See how each strength supports something I do at work or in life? You’ll do the same for your schoolwork today."
3. Individual Reflection (8 minutes)
Teacher: "It’s your turn! I’m passing out your Strengths Star Sheet. On this sheet, write three of your personal strengths. Then, next to each one, explain how it helps you succeed in school. Take about eight minutes, and I’ll walk around to help if you need ideas."
Teacher circulates, offering prompts:
– "Can you think of a time when that strength helped you?"
– "How does that skill make a class assignment easier or more fun?"
– "Great word choice—‘resilience’ is a wonderful strength word!"
Give a 2-minute warning.
Teacher: "Two minutes left—wrap up your last strength and check your explanations."
4. Peer Share-Out Circle (8 minutes)
Teacher: "Okay, friends, eyes up here! Let’s arrange our chairs in a circle. We’ll share one strength and its impact with each other. After each person shares, we’ll respond with a quick positive comment like ‘That’s awesome!’ or ‘I love that!’ Remember, only one person shares at a time, and we listen respectfully."
Teacher models sharing:
Teacher: "I’ll go first. One of my strengths is creativity. It helps me think of new ways to explain ideas so everyone understands."
Teacher: "Who would like to share next?"
Select a volunteer. After they share:
Teacher: "Thank you, [Name]! That’s awesome!"
Repeat until 4–5 students have shared, ensuring a variety of strengths.
Teacher: "Thank you all for sharing. I loved hearing how different strengths help each of you!"
5. Wrap-Up & Reflection (2 minutes)
Teacher: "Let’s review some strengths we heard today… problem-solving, active listening, creativity, perseverance… what else?"
Quickly name any additional strengths students mention.
Teacher: "Remember, knowing your strengths helps you tackle new challenges with confidence. Keep your Strengths Star Sheet in your binder or desk and look at it whenever you need a boost. Great work today, everyone!"