Lesson Plan
Safety Superpower Activation
Students will identify personal strengths and resources to build proactive safety plans and normalize seeking support in challenging situations.
Understanding personal strengths and resources is crucial for developing resilience and coping mechanisms. This lesson helps students feel empowered to manage difficult emotions and situations by recognizing their inherent capabilities and knowing when and how to seek help.
Audience
8th Grade Class
Time
50 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, individual reflection, and group activity.
Materials
Unlocking Your Inner Hero (slide-deck), My Personal Resource Map (activity), Strength Spotter Guide (worksheet), and Real-Life Hero Stories (discussion)
Prep
Review Materials
15 minutes
- Review the Safety Superpower Activation Lesson Plan and all linked materials: Unlocking Your Inner Hero Slide Deck, My Personal Resource Map Activity, Strength Spotter Guide Worksheet, and Real-Life Hero Stories Discussion.
- Ensure projectors/screens are set up for the slide deck.
- Print copies of the Strength Spotter Guide Worksheet for each student.
- Prepare chart paper or a whiteboard for brainstorming during the discussion section.
Step 1
Introduction: What's Your Safety Superpower? (10 minutes)
10 minutes
- Begin with the Unlocking Your Inner Hero Slide Deck to introduce the concept of 'safety superpowers' and why identifying personal strengths is important for safety and well-being.
- Facilitate a brief class discussion using Slide 2's prompt: "What do you think makes someone a 'hero' in their own life?"
Step 2
Identifying Personal Strengths (15 minutes)
15 minutes
- Distribute the Strength Spotter Guide Worksheet.
- Guide students through the worksheet, encouraging them to reflect on their unique strengths, qualities, and resources.
- Explain that these can be anything from being a good listener, having a sense of humor, being organized, or having supportive friends/family.
- Allow time for individual completion.
Step 3
My Personal Resource Map Activity (15 minutes)
15 minutes
- Introduce the My Personal Resource Map Activity.
- Instruct students to create a visual map or list of people, places, and activities that make them feel safe, supported, and strong.
- Emphasize that these are their external "superpower tools" and support systems.
- Circulate to provide support and encourage creative thinking.
Step 4
Real-Life Hero Stories Discussion & Wrap-up (10 minutes)
10 minutes
- Transition to the Real-Life Hero Stories Discussion.
- Facilitate a brief class discussion about how identifying strengths and resources can help in real-life challenging situations. Use prompts from the discussion guide.
- Conclude by reinforcing the idea that everyone has a unique "safety superpower" and that knowing your strengths and resources is a powerful tool for navigating life.
- Encourage students to keep their resource maps handy and to update them as they grow.
Slide Deck
What's Your Safety Superpower?
Discovering Your Inner Hero for Safety & Well-being
Sometimes, life throws challenges our way. But guess what? You already have amazing strengths and resources to navigate them! This lesson is all about uncovering your unique 'safety superpowers'.
Welcome students and introduce the exciting topic of the day. Connect the idea of superheroes to personal strengths and safety.
What Makes a Hero?
Beyond Capes and Masks: Real-Life Heroes
- What does it mean to be a 'hero' in your own life?
- What qualities do heroes have?
- How can these qualities help us feel safe and strong?
Prompt students to think about what makes real-life heroes, not just fictional ones. Guide a brief discussion to link these qualities to everyday actions and personal characteristics.
Your Personal Superpowers
You Already Have Them!
- Strengths: Talents, positive qualities, things you're good at.
- Resources: People, places, or activities that help you feel safe and supported.
These are your 'safety superpowers'!
Introduce the idea that everyone has strengths, and these strengths are like personal superpowers that can help them. Give a few simple examples relevant to 8th graders.
Superpower Activation!
Time to Identify YOUR Superpowers!
Today, we're going to explore:
- Your unique personal strengths.
- Your network of support (people, places, activities).
Get ready to unleash your inner hero!
Explain that the next part of the lesson will involve identifying their own superpowers. Set the stage for the worksheet and activity.
Activity
My Personal Resource Map: Your Support Network Superpower
Every superhero has a team, right? You do too! Your personal resource map is a visual guide to all the people, places, and activities that make you feel safe, supported, and strong. These are your external "safety superpowers" and support systems.
Instructions:
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In the center: Draw a picture of yourself or write your name in a bold way.
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Around the center: Think about different categories of support. You can use the suggestions below or come up with your own:
- People: Who are the trusted adults, friends, or family members you can talk to? (e.g., parent, guardian, teacher, coach, counselor, sibling, best friend)
- Places: Where do you feel safe and calm? (e.g., your room, a park, the library, a community center, a grandparent's house)
- Activities: What activities help you de-stress, feel happy, or regain control? (e.g., listening to music, playing sports, drawing, reading, writing, spending time with pets)
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Draw and Connect: Draw symbols, words, or small pictures for each person, place, or activity. Draw lines connecting them to you in the center. The closer or stronger the connection, the thicker or bolder the line can be!
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Add Details: Next to each item, briefly write why they are a resource for you. (e.g., "Mom - always listens," "Park - peaceful and helps me think," "Playing guitar - makes me feel calm").
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Color and Customize: Make your map colorful and unique to you! This is your superpower map!
< and to finish the action.
Worksheet
Strength Spotter Guide: Uncovering Your Inner Superpowers
Everyone has unique strengths and positive qualities that make them who they are. These are your inner "safety superpowers" – traits that help you face challenges, connect with others, and stay resilient. Let's uncover yours!
Part 1: My Personal Strengths
Think about what makes you, you. What are you good at? What positive qualities do you possess? Don't be shy – this is about recognizing your awesomeness!
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List three things you are good at (these can be skills, hobbies, or even personality traits).
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What is one positive quality that friends or family would use to describe you? (e.g., kind, funny, creative, persistent, honest).
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Think of a time you faced a challenge and overcame it. What personal strength did you use to get through it?
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What makes you feel proud of yourself?
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If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why? Now, think about how this relates to a strength you already have!
Part 2: Superpower in Action
How do your strengths help you in everyday life and when facing difficult situations?
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How does being a good listener (or another strength you identified) help you resolve conflicts or support your friends?
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If you were feeling overwhelmed or stressed, which of your strengths would you rely on to help you cope?
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How can recognizing your strengths make you feel safer and more confident?
Discussion
Real-Life Hero Stories: Discussing Emotional Expression and Support
This discussion helps us understand the benefits of expressing our emotions in healthy ways and how seeking support is a sign of strength. We all have moments when we need to be our own heroes or rely on our support systems.
Discussion Prompts:
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"What are some healthy ways people express their emotions?"
- Facilitator Note: Encourage a variety of answers, from talking to someone, writing in a journal, exercising, creating art, or listening to music. List responses on the whiteboard/chart paper.
- Facilitator Note: Encourage a variety of answers, from talking to someone, writing in a journal, exercising, creating art, or listening to music. List responses on the whiteboard/chart paper.
-
"Why is it important to have different ways to express how we feel?"
- Facilitator Note: Guide students to consider that different emotions might benefit from different expressions, and what works for one person might not work for another. Also, sometimes one way isn't available, so having options is good.
- Facilitator Note: Guide students to consider that different emotions might benefit from different expressions, and what works for one person might not work for another. Also, sometimes one way isn't available, so having options is good.
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"Have you ever felt better after sharing your feelings or doing something that helped you express them? What was it like?"
- Facilitator Note: This prompt aims to connect the concept to personal experience and reinforce the positive outcomes of healthy emotional expression. Emphasize that it's okay if they haven't yet found their preferred ways, and that's what this lesson is helping them explore.
- Facilitator Note: This prompt aims to connect the concept to personal experience and reinforce the positive outcomes of healthy emotional expression. Emphasize that it's okay if they haven't yet found their preferred ways, and that's what this lesson is helping them explore.
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"How does expressing emotions in a healthy way contribute to your overall 'safety superpower'?"
- Facilitator Note: Bring the discussion back to the core theme of the lesson. Help students understand that emotional regulation and healthy expression are key components of personal well-being and a form of self-care and resilience.