Lesson Plan
Cultivating Reflective Habits
Students will be able to identify personal strengths and areas for growth through self-reflection and articulate how self-reflection contributes to personal development.
Practicing self-reflection is a vital life skill that empowers students to understand themselves better, make informed decisions, and continuously grow. It helps them take ownership of their learning and behavior, fostering resilience and self-awareness.
Audience
6th Grade Students
Time
55 minutes
Approach
Through guided discussion, interactive slides, and a creative portfolio project.
Materials
Whiteboard or projector, The Art of Looking Within, Markers or pens, Notebooks or loose-leaf paper, My 'Growth Journey' Portfolio, Art supplies (optional, for portfolio decoration), and Self-Reflection Portfolio Assessment
Prep
Prepare Materials
15 minutes
- Review the Lesson Plan: Cultivating Reflective Habits and all generated materials to familiarize yourself with the content.
* Ensure projector/whiteboard is ready for the Slide Deck: The Art of Looking Within.
* Print or prepare digital copies of the Project Guide: My 'Growth Journey' Portfolio and Rubric: Self-Reflection Portfolio Assessment.
* Gather any optional art supplies for portfolio decoration.
Step 1
Introduction: What are Superpowers?
10 minutes
- Begin by asking students: "If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?"
* Transition to discussing 'inner superpowers' and introduce self-reflection as a superpower for personal growth. Use Slide 1-3 of The Art of Looking Within.
* Briefly explain the lesson's objective: to learn about and practice self-reflection.
Step 2
Exploring Self-Reflection
15 minutes
- Present the definition and importance of self-reflection using Slide 4-7 of The Art of Looking Within.
* Facilitate a short discussion: "When have you thought about your own actions or feelings? What did you learn?"
* Introduce the idea of strengths and areas for growth. Have students brainstorm a few personal examples silently in their notebooks.
Step 3
Introducing the 'Growth Journey' Portfolio
15 minutes
- Explain the Project: My 'Growth Journey' Portfolio as a way to practice ongoing self-reflection. Use Slide 8-9 of The Art of Looking Within.
* Distribute the project guide and briefly go over the expectations and components.
* Highlight the role of the Rubric: Self-Reflection Portfolio Assessment in evaluating their work.
Step 4
Initial Portfolio Brainstorm & Q&A
10 minutes
- Give students a few minutes to start brainstorming ideas for their portfolio's first entry (e.g., a recent learning experience, a challenge they overcame).
* Circulate around the room, offering guidance and answering questions. Use Slide 10 of The Art of Looking Within.
* Reinforce that the portfolio is a personal journey and there's no 'right' or 'wrong' answer, just honest reflection.
Step 5
Wrap-up and Next Steps
5 minutes
- Reiterate the importance of self-reflection for their growth journey.
* Assign the first portfolio entry as homework or announce when they will work on it next. Use Slide 11-12 of The Art of Looking Within.
* Ask students to share one new thing they learned about self-reflection.
Slide Deck
Self-Reflection Superpowers!
What superpower would you choose?
Imagine having a superpower that helps you learn and grow every single day. Sounds pretty amazing, right?
Welcome students and introduce the concept of superpowers. Ask them to think about what superpower they'd want. This sets a fun, engaging tone.
Your Inner Superpower: Self-Reflection
It's not about flying or invisibility...
It's about looking within to understand yourself better!
It helps you:
* Understand your feelings
* Learn from your experiences
* Make better choices
Introduce self-reflection as an 'inner superpower.' Explain that it's not about flying, but about understanding yourself.
Today's Mission
We're going to unlock our self-reflection superpowers!
Our Goal: To learn how to reflect on our learning and behavior, and understand why it's so important for our growth.
Briefly state the goal of today's lesson: to explore and start practicing this 'superpower'.
What is Self-Reflection?
It's like hitting the 'pause' button and asking yourself:
* "What just happened?"
* "How did I feel?"
* "What did I do well?"
* "What could I do differently next time?"
Define self-reflection in simple terms and ask students to think about times they've already done it.
Why Is It Important?
Self-reflection helps you:
* Know Yourself Better: Understand your strengths and what you need to work on.
* Grow from Mistakes: Learn valuable lessons from challenges.
* Set Goals: Figure out what you want to achieve.
* Improve Your Skills: Become better at school, sports, and life!
Emphasize the benefits of self-reflection.
Reflection in Action!
Imagine you had a big test.
Without reflection: You just get your score and move on.
With reflection: You ask:
* "What topics did I understand well?"
* "Where did I struggle?"
* "How can I prepare better next time?"
See the difference? You learn and grow!
Provide a simple example to make it relatable.
Your Experiences?
Think about a time you thought about your own actions or feelings.
What did you learn from it?
(Share with a partner or the class)
Prompt a quick share to see if students can connect to the idea.
Your 'Growth Journey' Portfolio
To become a self-reflection superhero, we need practice!
You're going to create a "Growth Journey" Portfolio. It's a collection of your reflections over time.
Think of it as your superhero training journal!
Introduce the portfolio project as a practical way to apply self-reflection.
What's In My Portfolio?
Your portfolio will include:
* Reflections: About your learning, challenges, and successes.
* Goals: What you want to improve.
* Evidence of Growth: Examples of how you've applied what you've learned.
(Check out the My 'Growth Journey' Portfolio guide for all the details!)
Explain what the portfolio will contain. Refer to the project guide.
Starting Your Journey
Let's brainstorm!
What's one recent experience (at school, home, or with friends) where you could practice self-reflection?
* A challenging assignment?
* A time you helped someone?
* A new skill you tried?
(You'll start working on your first entry soon!)
Guide students to start brainstorming their first entry.
Keep Reflecting, Superheroes!
Self-reflection is a skill that gets stronger with practice.
The more you reflect, the better you'll understand yourself and the world around you.
Review the main takeaway and encourage continued practice.
Your Next Mission:
Your homework is to complete the first entry in your My 'Growth Journey' Portfolio!
Remember: Every reflection helps you grow!
Assign the first portfolio entry as homework and provide a closing thought.
Project Guide
My 'Growth Journey' Portfolio: Unlocking Your Self-Reflection Superpower!
Project Objective
This project will help you develop your self-reflection superpower! By regularly reflecting on your learning, actions, and feelings, you will better understand yourself, identify your strengths, recognize areas for growth, and make more thoughtful decisions.
What is the 'Growth Journey' Portfolio?
Think of this portfolio as your personal journal for growth. It's a collection of your thoughts, experiences, and reflections over time. It's a place where you can celebrate your successes and learn from your challenges. This isn't just about collecting papers; it's about collecting insights into who you are and who you are becoming.
Portfolio Components
Your 'Growth Journey' Portfolio will be made up of several entries. Each entry will focus on a specific experience or period of time. You can choose to create your portfolio in a physical binder, a dedicated notebook, or a digital document (e.g., Google Doc, presentation slides). Be creative! You can include drawings, photos, or other creative expressions along with your writing.
Each Portfolio Entry Must Include:
1. The Experience (What Happened?)
- Date: When did this experience occur?
- Situation Description: Briefly describe the situation or event you are reflecting on. (e.g., a challenging math problem, a group project, a disagreement with a friend, learning a new skill in P.E.)
2. Your Feelings & Thoughts (How Did I Feel/Think?)
- Emotions: How did you feel during and after the experience? (e.g., frustrated, proud, confused, excited, nervous). Why did you feel that way?
- Thoughts: What were you thinking at the time?
3. Your Actions & Learning (What Did I Do? What Did I Learn?)
- Your Role: What actions did you take? What did you say or do?
- Strengths Identified: What did you do well in this situation? What strengths did you use or discover?
- Areas for Growth: What could you have done differently? What did you realize you need to work on or improve?
- Lessons Learned: What did you learn about yourself, others, or the situation?
4. Future Application (What Will I Do Next Time?)
- Next Steps/Goals: Based on your reflection, what is one specific thing you will try to do or think differently if a similar situation arises in the future? What is a goal you can set for yourself based on this learning?
Getting Started: Your First Entry
For your first portfolio entry, choose one recent experience from school, home, or with friends that made you feel something strong (positive or negative) or taught you something new. Follow the steps above to complete your reflection.
Assessment
Your 'Growth Journey' Portfolio will be assessed using the Rubric: Self-Reflection Portfolio Assessment. Make sure to review the rubric to understand how your reflections will be evaluated.
Rubric
Self-Reflection Portfolio Assessment Rubric
Student Name: ________________________
Project: My 'Growth Journey' Portfolio
This rubric will be used to assess your self-reflection portfolio entries. Focus on demonstrating thoughtful, honest reflection and a clear understanding of your personal growth journey.
| Criteria | 4 - Exceeds Expectations | 3 - Meets Expectations | 2 - Developing | 1 - Beginning | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Description of Experience | Provides a vivid, detailed, and clear description of the situation or event. | Clearly describes the situation or event. | Provides a basic description of the situation or event, some details may be missing. | Description is brief or unclear, making it difficult to understand the context. | |
| 2. Feelings & Thoughts | Articulates a deep understanding of emotions and thoughts, explaining why they were felt/thought. | Clearly states feelings and thoughts related to the experience. | States some feelings and thoughts, but explanation of why is limited. | Few or no feelings and thoughts are expressed. | |
| 3. Actions & Learning | Identifies specific actions taken, thoughtfully analyzes strengths, and clearly articulates comprehensive lessons learned and areas for growth. | Identifies actions, recognizes personal strengths, and describes clear lessons learned and areas for growth. | Identifies some actions, lists basic strengths, and vaguely describes lessons or areas for growth. | Provides minimal detail on actions, struggles to identify strengths, or offers vague/irrelevant lessons. | |
| 4. Future Application (Goals) | Sets clear, specific, and actionable goals for future behavior/thinking, directly linked to insights from reflection. | Sets clear and relevant goals for future behavior/thinking based on reflection. | States a general goal, but it may lack specificity or a clear link to the reflection. | Goal is missing or entirely unrelated to the reflection. | |
| 5. Effort & Presentation | Portfolio entry is exceptionally well-organized, neat, creative, and shows significant effort. | Portfolio entry is organized, legible, and shows good effort. | Portfolio entry is somewhat organized and legible, but could use more effort in presentation. | Portfolio entry is disorganized, difficult to read, and shows minimal effort. | |
| Total Score |
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