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Strengths Beyond School

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Lesson Plan

Strengths Everywhere Plan

Students will identify one way to apply a personal strength at home and one with friends.

Understanding and utilizing personal strengths outside of an academic setting helps students build confidence, improve relationships, and develop a more holistic sense of self. This lesson empowers students to see their value in all aspects of their lives.

Audience

6th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Through brainstorming and mapping, students will connect personal strengths to real-world contexts.

Materials

Prep

Teacher Preparation

15 minutes

Step 1

Do Now: Where Are You Your Best Self?

5 minutes

  • Project the first slide of My Strengths Universe Slides.
  • Ask students to reflect: "Where do you feel like you are your best self? What strengths do you use there?" (e.g., at home, with a sports team, playing a game, helping a neighbor).
  • Facilitate a brief share-out, encouraging students to name specific strengths they use.

Step 2

Brainstorm Settings and Strengths

7 minutes

  • Transition to the next slide of My Strengths Universe Slides.
  • Lead a class brainstorm of different settings outside of school (e.g., home, with friends, in a club, at a park, with family, helping in the community).
  • Then, brainstorm a list of personal strengths (e.g., kind, creative, problem-solver, leader, listener, funny, organized, brave).
  • Record these on the board or a digital document for all students to see.

Step 3

Map Strengths to Settings

10 minutes

  • Distribute the Strengths in Settings Map worksheet.
  • Explain the activity: Students will choose one personal strength and then think of three different settings where they can apply that strength, detailing how it would look in each setting.
  • Circulate and assist students as they work, encouraging them to think deeply about how their strengths transfer across different contexts. Remind them that a strength might look different depending on the setting (Context).

Step 4

Commit to Using a Strength

8 minutes

  • Gather student attention and transition to the final slide of My Strengths Universe Slides.
  • Distribute the My Home Strength Mission journal prompt.
  • Instruct students to commit to using one strength at home and one with friends, writing about how they will do it.
  • Encourage students to share their commitments with a partner or the whole class if time allows, reinforcing the idea of Self-awareness and Relationships.
  • Collect the journals as an exit ticket.
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Slide Deck

Where do you feel like your BEST self?

What strengths do you use there?

Welcome students and introduce the idea of thinking about where they shine. Encourage diverse examples and help them identify strengths within those examples.

Strengths Everywhere!

Where do your strengths live?

  • Settings: Where do you spend your time outside of school? (e.g., home, with friends, sports, clubs, family gatherings)
  • Strengths: What are you good at? What positive qualities do you have? (e.g., kind, creative, problem-solver, leader, listener, funny, organized, brave)

Facilitate a brainstorm. Write down student suggestions for 'settings' and 'strengths' on the board or a shared digital document. Emphasize that strengths are not just academic.

Mapping Your Strengths

How does ONE strength show up in DIFFERENT places?

  • Choose ONE personal strength.
  • Think of THREE different settings.
  • Describe how that strength looks in each setting.

Explain the 'Strengths in Settings Map' activity. Remind students to pick ONE strength and map it to THREE different places. Circulate to offer support and guidance, ensuring they understand the concept of 'Context'—how a strength might look different in various situations.

Your Strength Mission

How will you use your strengths this week?

  • Choose one strength for home.
  • Choose one strength for friends.
  • Write down your plan!

Introduce the 'My Home Strength Mission' journal. The goal is for students to make a personal commitment. Highlight the importance of Self-awareness and how applying strengths can build stronger Relationships. This serves as a cool-down/exit ticket.

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Worksheet

Strengths in Settings Map

My Chosen Strength:


Setting 1: At Home

How does my chosen strength look when I use it at home?





Setting 2: With Friends

How does my chosen strength look when I use it with my friends?





Setting 3: In the Community (or another setting of your choice!)

How does my chosen strength look when I use it in my community (or another setting)?





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Journal

My Strength Mission: Beyond School

It's great to know your strengths! Now, let's put them into action.

Mission 1: At Home

Think about one strength you have. How will you intentionally use this strength at home this week? Give a specific example.

My strength:


How I will use it at home:





Mission 2: With Friends

Now, think about another strength (or the same one!). How will you use this strength when you are with your friends this week? Give a specific example.

My strength:


How I will use it with friends:





Reflection

Why do you think it's important to use your strengths outside of school?










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