Lesson Plan
Your Inner Ally Lesson Plan
Students will define self-compassion, explore its three components, and deepen understanding through a guided self-compassion video, then create a personal self-care plan to support kindness toward themselves during stress.
Integrating a short video demonstrates self-compassion in action, builds engagement, and provides a concrete example for students to analyze and apply in developing resilience.
Audience
8th Grade
Time
45 minutes
Approach
Discussion, media reflection, group scenarios, personal journaling
Materials
Journal Notebooks, Pens or Pencils, Self-Compassion Scenario Cards, Self-Care Strategy Handout, 5-Minute Meditation: When You're Not Feeling Your Best, Chart Paper and Markers, and Timer
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
- Print and cut out Self-Compassion Scenario Cards.
- Make copies of Self-Care Strategy Handout.
- Queue up 5-Minute Meditation: When You're Not Feeling Your Best and test audio/video playback.
- Set up chart paper and markers at each group station.
- Review SEL competency standards for self-awareness and self-management.
Step 1
Introduction to Self-Compassion
5 minutes
- Ask: “What does ‘self-care’ mean to you?” and record responses.
- Provide student-friendly definition: treating yourself kindly during stress.
- Accommodations: Display sentence starters on the board for ELL or struggling writers.
Step 2
Explain the Three Elements & Video Reflection
12 minutes
- Present Kristin Neff’s three components: self-kindness, common humanity, mindfulness.
- Capture student ideas on chart paper under each element.
- Show 5-Minute Meditation: When You're Not Feeling Your Best (5:33).
- Discussion prompts:
- Which moments in the video demonstrated self-kindness, common humanity, or mindfulness?
- How did the narrator show compassion toward themselves?
- Which element resonated most with you and why?
- Accommodations: Provide guided question cards; partner ELLs with fluent peers.
Step 3
Scenario-Based Group Activity
15 minutes
- Divide students into groups of 3–4.
- Distribute Self-Compassion Scenario Cards.
- Groups identify which element of self-compassion applies and suggest a self-care response.
- Groups record their ideas on chart paper and prepare to share.
- Accommodations: Assign roles (reader, recorder, reporter) and provide printed prompts as needed.
Step 4
Individual Self-Care Plan Reflection
10 minutes
- Hand out Self-Care Strategy Handout.
- Students journal a personal self-care plan using handout prompts.
- Accommodations: Offer a quiet corner; allow verbal responses or drawing for diverse learners.
- Assessment: Teacher circulates to review journals and check for understanding.
Step 5
Closure and Exit Ticket
3 minutes
- Invite students to share one self-care action they’ll practice this week.
- Distribute exit tickets for students to write their commitment.
- Collect exit tickets as a formative assessment of engagement and understanding.
- Accommodations: Allow private submission for students who prefer not to share aloud.
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Slide Deck
Your Inner Ally
Self-Compassion & Self-Care
45-Minute Lesson for 8th Grade
Building kindness toward yourself during stress leads to emotional well-being.
Welcome students and set a positive tone. Explain that today’s lesson is all about being your own supporter and caring for yourself the way you care for friends. Mention that self-compassion reduces stress and builds resilience.
What Is Self-Care?
• Ask: “What does ‘self-care’ mean to you?”
• Record student responses
• Definition: Self-care is any action that helps you recharge and feel supported during stress.
Begin by asking students to share quick thoughts. Record responses on the board. Then introduce a working definition.
What Is Self-Compassion?
• Treating yourself with kindness when you experience setbacks or difficulties
• Offering yourself the same warmth and care you give to a friend
• Backed by research (Kristin Neff) to reduce anxiety and boost resilience
Highlight that self-care is part of a larger idea—self-compassion. Explain the difference briefly.
Element 1: Self-Kindness
• Definition: Being gentle and understanding with yourself rather than critical or judgmental
• Example: Talking to yourself in a supportive way after a poor test grade
Discuss self-kindness. Invite students to think of a time they spoke kindly to a friend, then flip it to themselves.
Element 2: Common Humanity
• Definition: Realizing that everyone struggles sometimes—You’re not alone in your challenges
• Example: Reminding yourself that classmates also feel nervous before presentations
Explain that recognizing our shared experiences helps us feel less isolated. Use a quick show of hands: who’s felt pressure this week?
Element 3: Mindfulness
• Definition: Paying attention to your feelings without judging them or pushing them away
• Example: Noticing tension in your shoulders and taking a deep breath instead of saying “I’m weak”
Clarify that mindfulness means observing feelings without overreacting. Invite a brief moment of noticing breath.
Reflect on the guided meditation using these prompts:
• Which moments in the video demonstrated self-kindness, common humanity, or mindfulness?
• How did the meditation guide you to treat yourself kindly?
• Which element resonated most with you and why?
Play the video for the class. After watching, guide students through the reflection prompts. Encourage volunteers to share and record key insights on chart paper.
Scenario-Based Group Activity
- Form groups of 3–4 students
- Distribute Self-Compassion Scenario Cards
- Identify which element of self-compassion fits the scenario
- Suggest a self-care response for that scenario
- Record ideas on chart paper and prepare to share (5 minutes per scenario)
Provide clear instructions and assign groups of 3–4. Circulate to support struggling readers.
Personal Self-Care Plan Reflection
• Hand out Self-Care Strategy Handout
• Journal: List 2–3 self-care actions you’ll use when stressed
• Describe how each action connects to self-kindness, common humanity, or mindfulness
• Teacher circulates to check for understanding
Guide students through journal prompts. Offer support at the quiet corner for anyone who needs help expressing ideas.
Closure & Exit Ticket
• Share one self-care action you’ll practice this week (volunteer)
• Complete exit ticket: Write down your commitment and drop it in the box
• Use submissions to gauge understanding and next steps
Invite volunteers to share (optional). Collect exit tickets as students leave.
Worksheet
Self-Compassion Scenarios Worksheet
Instructions: Read each scenario below. For each one, identify which element of self-compassion it illustrates (self-kindness, common humanity, or mindfulness) and then describe a self-care response you could use in that situation.
Scenario 1
You studied hard for a math quiz but still didn’t get the grade you wanted. You feel disappointed and frustrated.
Element of Self-Compassion: ___________________________
Self-Care Response:
Scenario 2
Your best friend is upset and you’re trying to help them, but you’re also feeling stressed about an upcoming project deadline.
Element of Self-Compassion: ___________________________
Self-Care Response:
Scenario 3
You notice your heart racing and negative thoughts swirling after you send a text you think might have sounded rude.
Element of Self-Compassion: ___________________________
Self-Care Response:
Scenario 4
You feel alone because you think no one else in your class is struggling with public speaking nerves.
Element of Self-Compassion: ___________________________
Self-Care Response:
Scenario 5
You messed up a group presentation and now you can’t stop replaying the mistakes in your mind.
Element of Self-Compassion: ___________________________
Self-Care Response:
When you’ve finished, keep these cards for reference during our group activity. You’ll use them to discuss real-life examples and share your ideas with classmates.
Next Step: In your group, pick one scenario and role-play your self-care response. Then be ready to explain why you chose that particular element of self-compassion.
Worksheet
Self-Care Strategy Handout
Use this handout to build your personal self-care plan. For each action, identify which element of self-compassion it connects to (self-kindness, common humanity, or mindfulness) and describe how you’ll use it when you feel stressed or upset.
Self-Care Action 1
Name of Action: ____________________________________________
Element of Self-Compassion (circle one):
• Self-Kindness • Common Humanity • Mindfulness
Why this action helps me:
When and how I will do this (e.g., after school, before a test, during a break):
Self-Care Action 2
Name of Action: ____________________________________________
Element of Self-Compassion (circle one):
• Self-Kindness • Common Humanity • Mindfulness
Why this action helps me:
When and how I will do this:
Self-Care Action 3
Name of Action: ____________________________________________
Element of Self-Compassion (circle one):
• Self-Kindness • Common Humanity • Mindfulness
Why this action helps me:
When and how I will do this:
Reflection
- Which element of self-compassion do you feel you practice most often? Why?
- Which element would you like to strengthen this week? How will you remind yourself to practice it daily?
Warm Up
Self-Care Quick Write
Instructions
Take 5 minutes in your journal to answer the questions below. Be honest and thoughtful—this is for you!
1. Describe a recent time you felt stressed or upset.
2. How did you respond in that moment?
3. Reflect: Was your response an act of self-compassion (self-kindness, common humanity, or mindfulness)? Why or why not?
4. Choose one self-care action you could try next time to show yourself more kindness. Describe the action and which element of self-compassion it connects to.
When time is up, be ready to share one insight with a partner.