Unit- Building Self Esteem in the 6th Grade

What Am I really like?

Session One
Topic: Self-esteem/ Personal Assessment
Level: 6th grade
ASCA Domains- Academic
Personal/Social Development
Lesson Objective: To provide the students the opportunity to evaluate themselves in term
of 40 different adjectives and to discuss with others.
Materials: A self-evaluation worksheet for each student and writing utensil.
Time: 30-35 minutes
Beginning:
Welcome the students to the group. The counselor will have the student to introduce
themselves and tell something about themselves. The students will be introduced the rules of the
groups. The counselor will discuss why we have rules and why they are important. Each student
will give examples of the rules and the counselor will give examples of how one could break
these rules. The students will brainstorm and develop a name for the group. The students will
complete a consensuagram with the following three questions Do you acknowledge your
talents, Do you set goals and work to achieve them, Do you spend time with people who you

like and care about you. The counselor will have the students to complete the survey and share
something they learn about themselves
Middle:
The students will transition by discussing the by discussing the possibilities of needing a little
extra help to achieve these goals. Discuss the power of positive thoughts. *Ask the students to
discuss how they feel about themselves.*Ask for volunteers to share parts of their evaluation.
End:
The counselor will close by asking the students if they would have evaluated themselves a year
as they did today? The students will ask how they would evaluate themselves a year ago as they
did today. Students are asked how did they feel abut sharing their self-appraisal items.
Closure:
In a go-around discuss an adjective that you work to change and tell why.
LEAP: Ask the students:
1. How did it feel to identify something positive about you?
2. What did you can be some positive things about
3. Do you think it is easy for us to say positive things about ourselves?
4. What do you think would help us say positive things about ourselves and others more
often?

What Am I really like?

Session Two
Topic: Self-esteem/ Personal Assessment
Level: 6th grade
ASCA Domains- Academic
Personal/Social Development
Lesson Objective: To provide the students with opportunities to evaluate themselves in
terms of a self-appraisal and to discuss with others.
Materials: A self-appraisal inventory and writing utensil.
Time: 30-35 minutes
Beginning:
The counselor will welcome back the group. Students will be reminded the purpose group
and review the rules. Ask the students how they feel today (with thumbs up, down or to the side).
Begin with about how it is important to like themselves and review the meaning of positive selfesteem again. Students will tell what the learned from last session and discuss the two adjectives
about them they would like to improve. The counselor will pass out copies of the funsheet to
each student. Then she will describe the instrument and discuss how to complete the
items.*Students are asked when completing the inventory did it make them reflect.
Middle:
The students will tell something that they have in common with their partner. *Students
are asked what have been the most important things you learned about yourself and your group
members. *Students are asked what are the main themes and topics of their inventory results.
The student will volunteer and tell what the results tell you about yourself.

End:
Tell the students to give a brief synopsis of the discussion held in the group. The student
will tell what the most important things they learned about their partner and how they felt as they
gave and received comments with their partners.
Closure: The students will do a go-around and tell one thing they learned in their selfevaluation.
LEAP: Ask the students:
1. What is one positive thing themselves?
2. What is one thing that you would like to change?
3. In the future how will you work on changes this making this increasing positive selfesteem?

First Impressions: Should They Count?

Session Three
Topic: Self-esteem/ Personal Assessment
Level: 6th grade
ASCA Domains- Academic
Personal/Social Development
Lesson Objective: Materials: For students to realize that first impressions given others may
sometimes be more important than other times.
Materials: Should First Impressions Count Funsheet
Time: 30-35 minutes
Beginning:
The counselor will welcome everyone back to the group. Students will be reminded why
they are in the group and review the rules. Ask the students how they feel today (with thumbs up,
down or to the side).The students will discuss what topic of their inventory did they discuss with
a friend or family member. The counselor transition the group by asking the students to think
about how it must feel to be rejected for a job, extracurricular activity or club because of first
impression. The counselor will explain that these things describe what it is to be rejected.
Middle:
The counselor will describe how a person is can be perceived as hes too fat, shes too
young, you cant teach from a wheel chair, he has a bad case of acne, she has a physical
deformity, hes too short, hes tool old and shes not pretty. Each student will give a
report orally of the groups discussion. Close by give examples of first impressions over which
we have no control and examples of first impressions over which we do have control.
End:

The counselor will show photographs of people of examples of stereotypes. (*What are
stereotypes?) (*What are examples of stereotypes?)The students will give examples of
stereotypes. The students describes how first impression used to get us to be conforming people
rather than non-conforming or thinking people. The counselor which would you prefer for
themselves and others around them- to be conforming or a thinking person. The group will
discuss and tell why.
Closure: The students will tell give an example of whats a stereotype.
LEAP: Ask the students:
1. How do you feel when you first meet someone?
2. What did this activity teach when you first meeting a person?
3. What did you learn in this lesson that you will do in the future when meeting someone?

I Like ME

Group Counseling Session Four

Self-Esteem/Personal Assessment
ASCA Domains- Academic
Personal/Social Development
Level: Grades 6
Time: 30-35 minutes
Jana Stokes
Topic: Myself Bingo
Materials: Crayons/Markers, Bingo Board and Bell or Horn
Lesson Objective: To build self-esteem by encouraging students to choose positive (descriptive)
adjectives pertaining to themselves.
Beginning:
The counselor will welcome everyone back to the group. Students will be reminded why
they are in the group and review the rules. Ask the students how they feel today (with thumbs up,
down or to the side). The session will begin with how linking the collage with impressions and
bring back and discussing how first impression can effects ones self-esteem. Todays discussion
is how it is important to like yourself. Emphasize it is important to like yourself and you may ask
do you like what you see when they look in the mirror. State to the students that beauty is the
inside also. Self-esteem is all about how much people value them, the pride they feel in
themselves, and how worthwhile they feel. Self-esteem is important because feeling good about
yourself can affect how you act. A person who has high self-esteem will make friends easily, is
more in control of his or her behavior, and will enjoy life more.
Middle:

The students will create their own bingo game. After the class comes up with 15 words,
have the students each choose 8 words of the words that describe themselves write one in each
square of their Bingo Boards. They must select 8 different words. Then cut up all words and
place them in a container. Next, draw the words out of the hat one at a time and have the students
place an X on the word board as they are called out. As someone scores a Bingo (3 across, down
or diagonally with exception to free space), have the student share the descriptive word about
himself or herself with the class. Keep playing until time permits. Each student will write 16
adjectives describing him or her in each square. *Some of the words the students can use are
loving, friendly, smart, kind, caring, fun, helpful and more. Explain to the students that words
that one describes cannot always been found in the mirror; they are sometimes beautiful things
inside.
End:
Do a go around asking everyone to share the one positive descriptive word that best
describes him or her.
Closure:
Students will tell one reason why it is important to have a good self esteem.
LEAP: Ask the students:
1. What did you learn from this lesson?
2. What steps are you willing to take immediately to change your perception of yourself?
3. How will you use what you have learned today in the future?

The Self-Disclosing T-Shirt

Session Five
Topic: Self-esteem/ Personal Assessment

Level: 6th grade

ASCA Domains- Academic
Personal/Social Development
Lesson Objective: The purpose of this activity is to help students to self-disclosure about
themselves and to help others become better acquainted with them. The structure provides a
similar disclosing method for each participant, thus producing a reassuring and identify-building
kind of experience.
Materials: Permanent Marker or Paint
Time: 30-35 minutes
Jana Stokes
Beginning: The counselor will welcome everyone back to the group. Students will be reminded
why they are in the group and review the rules. Ask the students how they feel today (with
thumbs up, down or to the side). Ask each class member to draw a t-shirt covered by one inch
and have them draw on the front of the t-shirt dividing it into six parts, beginning with the
vertical line down the middle and two horizontal lines drawn equally apart in the square, lead
them through each area by giving the following directions: In the upper right hand corner draw a
picture of an unpleasant experience. In the upper left hand middle area draw a symbol depicting
a time when you had a pleasant experience in school.
Middle: Divide into partners and discuss results. Another person can share a particular symbols
of ones own choice. In a go-around process may share one symbol and tell about it. The student
can discuss what was the easiest or most difficult to discuss symbol on their shirt.

End: Discuss with the students that the teacher could change over a time period. Students can
tell what experience they would like to change. After initial self-disclosing process, encourage all
members to look for common themes that seem to run through the shared symbols.
Closure: Tell what a unique part of oneself that can be a sustaining throughout life.
LEAP: Ask the students:
1. How did it make you feel making the t-shirt?
2. How did it make you feel identifying the negative events and making positive events?
3. How will you use what you have learned today in the future?

The Honoree

Session Six
Topic: Self-esteem/ Personal Assessment

Level: 6th grade

ASCA Domains- Academic
Personal/Social Development
Lesson Objective: To build self-esteem and feeling successfulness through using structured
imagination.
Materials: Blank certificates (one for each student) and pens.
Time: 30-35 minutes
Beginning:
The counselor will welcome everyone back to the group. Students will be reminded why
they are in the group and review the rules. Ask the students how they feel today (with thumbs up,
down or to the side). The students will bring their shirts from last week. They will discuss their
new symbols and tell what they mean to them. The new lesson will begin with a discussion of
concerning imagery and how powerful it can be influencing a person. A good example is how
athletes use imagery before a contest to help them be more competitive. They visualize
themselves being successful in their specific sport, and more. Have students close their eyes
Middle:
The counselor will tell the students to imagine they are standing in a dark room. Close
your eyes. You cant see anythingits very quiet and relaxingYou begin to feel around andn
find a wall.You continue to feel around and discover a microphone.Hes talking about
you!....Hes telling all the good things about youListen to what he is saying (pause)Now the
man at the microphone.He talkin about you! He tellin all the good things about you.Listen
to what he is saying (pause)Now the man at the microphone audience is cheering WILDLY
and calling your name..You smile and bowYou feel very proudslowly you walk off stage

and back into the dark roomIts very quiet again.While youre in the dark room, you think
about how proud you are of yourself.When you are ready, slowly open your eyes.
End:
End with a review statement on the power of imagery and how it can increase
successfulness and build ones self-esteem. Suggest that from now on when they leave the last
session of the group they look in the mirror and see themselves that they work at seeing a
successful and confident person.
Closure:
Tell what you could think about that is positive building your self-esteem. Each student
will tell how they view themselves in a positive way. The students will complete the
consensuagram with the following questions Do you acknowledge your talents, Do you set
goals and work achieve them, and Do you spend time with people who you like and care about
you. The interning counselor and students will reflect their before and after answers.

LEAP: Ask the students:

1. What did you get the most out of in your self-esteem experience?
2. What will you are feeling bad and your self-esteem is low?
3. How do you feel about the pre-consensusagram and the post consensusagram?
4. Tell what adjective you used on your honoree certificate and how it will help you
throughout your life.

Lesson/Session
The lesson facilitated to the students was session/lesson 4 of the buiding self-esteem unit. In the
lesson the students created their own Self-Esteem Bingo Games. The student enjoyed taking
charge of their own feeling and describing themselves.

The students were escorted by the interning counselor to the counselor suite. The school has a
no-tolerance for students to be in the hallway. The students and the counselor had to review the
rules. With previous session, the group had problems disrespecting one another. Examples and
rules were reviewed in the beginning part of the group. The group discussed the last sessions
LEAP. The counselor asked did they meet someone new or did they see someone who they were
unfamiliar with. The counselor asked did they think of stereotypes. The students also gave
examples of good impressions they had when meeting someone new. Discussing the leap from
last week took about 10 minutes.
The interning counselor and students begins the lesson the importance of self-esteem and why it
is important. The students gave examples of positive adjectivies about themselves. The counselor
wrote down fifteen adjectives the students choose as a group describing themselves. The students
each choose eight adjectives and wrote them on their bingo games. When calling out the words
some of the students felt that they should have choosen the world that was called. They felt that it
also described them; even though, it was not on their board. One of the students (female) won the
prize. The students wanted to replay, but time did not allow. This portion of the lesson took about
20 minutes.
We ended the session with the LEAP. The counselor asked the students what steps are you
willing to take immediately to change your perception of yourself. The students acknowledge
that they did say things positive to others and themselves. They discuss that in the future they
would not have negative thoughts about themselves or others. With the leap the session lasted
about five more minutes. In all, the lesson lasted about 40 minutes.