Develop Positive Self-Concept With Friends: SEL Lesson for Kindergarten

Wonderful sounds are coming from the jungle! The kindergartners’ animal friends show each other the interesting sounds they can make. Ellie Elephant trumpets so sensationally, Chippy Cheetah snarls so fiercely, Miska Monkey chatters so cheerfully, and Leonard Lion roars so magnificently. All of them can make such remarkable sounds, except for Jareef Giraffe.

In this lesson’s story, "Jareef’s Everyday Sound," Jareef Giraffe feels bad about herself because she can’t make an exceptional sound like her friends. At least, that’s what she thought. Miska Monkey and the others tell her that her quiet and calm sound is so comforting that it makes them feel good about themselves. Jareef’s feelings about herself then improve, thanks to her most treasured friends.

Through this heartwarming story and interactive flannel board figures, this evidence-based SEL lesson reinforces that friends are a factor in self-concept formation. It illustrates how their feedback and acceptance profoundly impact the way one views oneself.

To explain this further, an insightful class discussion facilitated by guide questions comes after the story. Here, kindergarten students answer questions that exercise their critical thinking skills, encouraging them to make the connection between friends and self-concept.

Finally, kindergartners end the lesson with a fun activity encouraging them to spend the day helping their friends feel good about themselves. Before they go home, they are also asked to notice how their idea of themselves improves.

By engaging in this lesson, kindergartners learn how meaningful their friends are in the formation of their self-concept. They begin to understand that how they respond to certain situations, such as rejection, failure, or acceptance, is a product of how their friends influence their view of life and themselves.

This kind of self-awareness allows kindergartners to determine their response to the factors that affect their sense of self. It helps them take control of their behavior and be intentional in interacting positively with others.