Self-concept is like a castle within oneself, holding the treasures one values dearly, such as validation from family, friends, and oneself. It also contains tended cracks, which challenge one’s idea of oneself but ultimately serve to make it stronger. One can build it beautifully with stunning tapestries of positive ideas about oneself; however, it can also be built weakly if its foundation is mostly from negative thoughts and actions.
Self-concept plays a greater role in life than one realizes, in that each stone used to build it contributes to how one thinks, behaves, and feels, heavily influencing one’s decision-making and self-management. It is important for kindergarten students to understand its influence on themselves, so they can better direct their thoughts and behavior. More importantly, it can help them become more intentional and determined to improve physically, intellectually, socially, and emotionally.
"Self-concept plays a greater role in life than one realizes, in that each stone used to build it contributes to how one thinks, behaves, and feels, heavily influencing one’s decision-making and self-management."
This lesson begins with an interactive puppet show where Picks-It Raccoon and Nix-It Panda engage the young students. They are back in the classroom to help prepare kindergartners for their next adventure—onto the Land of Physical in the Kingdom of Positive Action. In their puppet play, Picks-It and Nix-It instruct the students to participate in an activity that helps prove they understand what self-concept is, how it is formed, and why it is important. Together as a class, they look back on everything they have learned.
In the activity, kindergartners are handed their "All About Me" booklets, which contain their completed activity sheets. They answer questions about the definition, formation, and influential factors that lead to their feelings about themselves. The goal of this activity is to help students remember the lesson concepts in Unit 1, which can be useful for them in the following units.
This evidence-based SEL lesson uses interaction and creativity to help students learn and retain the lesson concepts in their memories. With the fun puppet play, the students are engaged and attentive from the start of the lesson. The interactive activity also helps students enjoy their participation and remember everything they have learned.
By understanding what self-concept is, how it is formed, and why it is important, kindergartners develop a significant level of self-awareness. Self-awareness is one of the core competencies of social-emotional learning. With it, they become more aware and analytical of their thoughts, actions, and feelings, which can encourage them to make positive changes in their lives. Self-awareness is a strength that delivers individuals to a positive lifestyle.
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