Lesson Plan

Narrative Remix Plan

Students will identify a personal limiting self-story and, through reframing techniques, rewrite it into a growth-oriented narrative to build confidence and resilience.

Limiting self-stories hold students back by reinforcing negative self-talk. This lesson empowers students with reframing skills and agency, helping them develop a positive mindset and stronger self-belief.

Audience

6th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Guided reflection, modeling reframing, independent writing, peer affirmation.

Materials

Rewrite Your Script Slides, Old vs. New Story Pages, Affirmation Share, and Personal Narrative Remix Script

Prep

Teacher Preparation

10 minutes

Review the Rewrite Your Script Slides and the Personal Narrative Remix Script.
Print or copy enough Old vs. New Story Pages for each student.
Prepare affirmation prompt cards for the Affirmation Share.
Familiarize yourself with examples of limiting vs. growth-oriented narratives.

Step 1

Identify Limiting Story

5 minutes

Introduce the concept of self-talk and limiting stories.
Read aloud a sample limiting self-story from the Personal Narrative Remix Script.
Ask students to think of one negative belief they hold (e.g., “I’m not good at sports”).
Invite volunteers to share their limiting story aloud.

Step 2

Teach Reframing

8 minutes

Display key reframing steps on the Rewrite Your Script Slides:
- Recognize the negative thought.
- Challenge evidence for and against it.
- Replace it with a balanced, growth-oriented thought.
Model reframing the sample story step by step.
Check for understanding with 2–3 quick student questions.

Step 3

Write New Narrative

10 minutes

Distribute Old vs. New Story Pages.
In the “Old Story” column, students write their own limiting belief.
In the “New Story” column, students apply the reframing steps to craft a positive narrative.
Circulate to offer guidance, using prompts from the Personal Narrative Remix Script.

Step 4

Share Affirmations

7 minutes

Pair students and have them exchange their new narratives.
Each partner writes a supportive affirmation or feedback on the Affirmation Share card.
Return cards to original authors; students read affirmations aloud.
Conclude with a brief whole-class reflection on how reframing felt and why it matters.

Slide Deck

Rewrite Your Script

In this lesson, we'll explore how our inner voice shapes what we believe about ourselves and learn steps to turn a limiting self-story into a powerful, growth-oriented narrative.

Welcome students! Today we learn how to "rewrite our script"—change negative self-talk into a growth story. Introduce the activity and connect to real experiences.

What Is Self-Talk?

• Self-talk = the inner voice or thoughts we tell ourselves.
• Can be positive ("I can do this!") or negative ("I’m not good at this").

Think of one thing you say to yourself when something is hard.

Define key term and engage students by asking for examples of things they say to themselves.

Step 1: Recognize the Negative Thought

Notice when a thought holds you back.
Write it down exactly as you think or say it.

Example: “I always mess up presentations.”

Walk through this first reframing step, point to examples on slide.

Step 2: Challenge the Evidence

Ask: What proof supports this thought?
Ask: What proof does NOT support it?
Weigh both sides to find a balanced view.

Model challenging evidence by asking class for examples. Emphasize balanced thinking.

Step 3: Create a Growth-Oriented Narrative

Take what you learned from Step 2.
Rewrite the thought into a positive, realistic statement.
Use “I can” or “I will” language.

Example: “I’ve practiced presentations and I improve each time.”

Explain how to form a new story. Encourage specific, action-oriented language.

Example: Before & After

Old Story: “I’m terrible at soccer; I’ll never get better.”

New Story: “I’ve been practicing every week and I learn new skills each time I play.”

Show before/after example. Ask students to spot the reframing steps in action.

Your Turn: Write Your New Story

• Grab your Old vs. New Story Pages.
• In the “Old Story” column, write your limiting self-talk.
• In the “New Story” column, apply the three reframing steps to craft a growth story.

Guide students to get their journals and begin.

Next Up: Share Affirmations

• After writing, pair up to exchange new stories.
• Give each other supportive feedback using affirmation cards.
• We’ll finish with a class reflection on how reframing felt.

Prepare transition to affirmation share. Remind students this part builds confidence further.

Journal

Old vs. New Story Pages

Old Story (Limiting Belief)

Write down your negative self-talk exactly as you think or say it. Be honest and detailed.

New Story (Growth-Oriented Narrative)

Use the three reframing steps to transform your old story:

Recognize the negative thought.
Challenge evidence for and against it.
Create a balanced, “I can” or “I will” statement.

Cool Down

Script

Personal Narrative Remix Script

Segment 1: Identify Limiting Story (5 minutes)

Teacher (T): "Good morning, everyone! Today we’re going to explore how our inner voice—or self-talk—can sometimes hold us back by telling us negative stories. Our goal is to spot those limiting stories and rewrite them into something positive and empowering."

T: "First, let’s look at our first slide."
(Advance to slide 1 on Rewrite Your Script Slides.)

T: "This slide says: ‘In this lesson, we’ll explore how our inner voice shapes what we believe about ourselves and learn steps to turn a limiting self-story into a powerful, growth-oriented narrative.’ That means we’ll practice changing the story our brain tells us when we say things like ‘I can’t do this.’"

T: "Now, I’m going to read a sample limiting self-story."
(Advance to a slide or read aloud directly.)
T (reading): “I always mess up presentations and everyone thinks I’m not good at speaking.”

T: "Take a moment and think: what’s one negative belief you’ve told yourself? It might be about sports, schoolwork, making friends, or something else. I’ll give you 20 seconds to think."
(Pause, count silently.)

T: "Turn to a partner and share your limiting story. Keep it short—just one sentence. Go!"
(30 seconds for sharing.)

T: "Thanks for sharing. Who’d like to volunteer and say their limiting story out loud?"
(Invite 2–3 volunteers. If needed prompt: “You could say something like, ‘I’m not good at math,’ or ‘I’m always the last picked for teams.’”)

Segment 2: Teach Reframing (8 minutes)

T: "Great work. Now let’s learn how to reframe—that means change our story. Look at this slide."
(Advance to slide: “Step 1: Recognize the Negative Thought.”)

T: "Step 1: Recognize the negative thought. That means notice exactly what you’re thinking and write it down word for word. Example: ‘I always mess up presentations.’"

(Advance to next slide: “Step 2: Challenge the Evidence.”)

T: "Step 2: Challenge the evidence. Ask two questions:

What proof supports this thought?
What proof does NOT support it?"

T: "For example, if I think, ‘I always mess up presentations,’ I might ask: ‘Have I ever given a presentation that went well?’ Let’s brainstorm proof for and against that thought. What’s one example that supports it?"
(Collect 1–2 responses.)

T: "And what’s one example that shows it’s not always true?"
(Collect 1–2 responses.)

(Advance to slide: “Step 3: Create a Growth-Oriented Narrative.”)

T: "Step 3: Create a growth-oriented narrative. Use what you learned in Step 2 to rewrite your thought into something positive and realistic, using ‘I can’ or ‘I will’ language. For example: ‘I’ve practiced presentations and I improve each time.’"

T: "Let’s try a quick check. Turn to your partner and share one sentence that challenges or balances your negative thought. Ready? You have 30 seconds."
(30 seconds.)

T: "Nice work!"

Segment 3: Write New Narrative (10 minutes)

T: "Now it’s your turn to write. Please take an Old vs. New Story Pages sheet."
(Hand out journals.)

T: "In the left column, write your limiting self-story exactly as you think it. In the right column, use the three reframing steps to craft your new, growth-oriented story. Remember to:

Recognize the thought.
Challenge evidence for and against it.
Write an ‘I can’ or ‘I will’ statement that feels realistic."

T: "I’ll give you 8 minutes to work. If you need help, raise your hand or ask me questions like, ‘What evidence shows I can do this?’"

(Circulate, offering prompts such as: “What’s one fact that disagrees with your old story?” or “How can you turn that thought into an ‘I can’ statement?”.)
(After 8 minutes, wrap up with 1 minute warning.)

T: "Okay, wrap up your writing in one minute!"

Segment 4: Share Affirmations (7 minutes)

T: "Great job, everyone! Now find a partner and exchange your new story pages. Take turns reading each other’s growth narratives."
(Students pair up.)

T: "Use the Affirmation Share card to:

Write two strengths you admire in your partner’s new story.
Offer a supportive message.
Ask a next-step question.
Suggest one concrete action they can take to build on this narrative."

T: "You have 4 minutes. Go ahead!"
(Students work.)

T: "Time’s up! Please return the cards to your partner."

T: "Let’s finish with a quick whole-class reflection."

T: "How did it feel to give affirmations?"
(Pause for 2–3 responses.)

T: "And how did it feel to receive them?"
(Pause for responses.)

T: "Why do you think sharing positive feedback is important when we reframe our stories?"
(Collect 2–3 ideas.)

T: "Those are wonderful thoughts. Remember, the stories we tell ourselves matter. By practicing reframing and supporting each other, we can build confidence and resilience. Well done today!"

Personal Narrative Remix

Shelli Andrews