Lesson 6.3: Building Resilience and Grit

Overview

This lesson focuses on understanding how resilience and grit can improve health, longevity, and success and has students set goals to improve on these abilities.

Learning Targets

  • Explain what resilience is and provide an example.
  • Describe what grit is and why it is important.
  • Contrast a growth mindset with a fixed mindset.
  • Identify four ways to develop grit.
  • Provide three examples of negative self-talk.

Preparation

For the Warm-Up Activity: Write the journal question on the board, or identify (and copy as needed) the worksheets you plan to use:

For the Content Focus: Open the Lesson 6.3 PowerPoint slides, or make copies of the Lesson 6.3 Note-Taking Guide.

For the Lesson Focus: Copy the Copy the Lesson 6.3 Goal-Setting for Resilience and Grit Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet.

Warm-Up Activity

Select a warm-up activity to help get your class focused and on task.

  • Journal Question: Describe someone in your life who can keep going even when things aren’t going the way they want them to. What do you think gives them this type of strength or ability?
    • Option: Write or project the question, and have students respond in their journals as they enter class.
    • Option: Have students discuss the question with a partner or in a small group.
  • Vocabulary Review: Have students work individually, in partners, or in small groups to complete the Lesson 6.3 Vocabulary Review Worksheet.
  • Quiz: Have students complete the Lesson 6.3 Quiz to assess their prior knowledge.
    • Option: Collect the quizzes, and use them alongside posttests to demonstrate student learning.
    • Option: Have students share their answers with a partner and then go over the answers together as a class.

Lesson Content

Review the content from the textbook lesson.

Option: Use the Lesson 6.3 PowerPoint slides to review the chapter content.

Option: Have students use the Lesson 6.3 Note-Taking Guide to review chapter content. Ask students to work alone, in pairs, or in small groups. Review the questions as a class if time permits.

Lesson Focus: Goal-Setting for Resilience and Grit

  1. Provide each student with one copy of the Goal-Setting for Resilience and Grit Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet. Have the students work alone to complete the worksheet.
  2. Remind them to look at their book for ideas on how to improve these things.
  3. Have students form pairs or small groups to discuss their goals and the answers to their questions. Consider having students find a support buddy who can help them reach their goals. Have the students write a pledge to each other, and put them up on the wall of the class. For example, “I pledge to help Sarah achieve her goals by asking her how she is doing every day.”

Challenge Activity

Have students who need an additional challenge work on the following critical-thinking task.

How would you explain the concept of resilience to a younger elementary school child? Write a paragraph with your response.

Reflection and Summary

Review the critical content from today’s lesson. Review the learning targets, and ask students to answer each question posed.

Can you…

  • Explain what resilience is and provide an example?

    Resilience is your ability to bounce back from a difficult or stressful situation. Ask students for examples.

  • Describe what grit is and why it is important?

    Grit is the dedication to achieve long-term goals. Grit helps you keep making progress when things are challenging and can help you overcome challenges to your mental and physical health.

  • Contrast a growth mindset with a fixed mindset?

    The belief that you can develop your talents and skills through dedication and hard work is called a growth mindset. When someone believes they were either born with something or they weren’t, it is called a fixed mindset.

  • Identify four ways to develop grit?

    Be courageous and conscientious (responsible), persevere (keep going), be resilient (bounce back), and seek excellence (don’t settle for less).

  • Provide three examples of negative self-talk?

    Table 6.1 provides several examples.

Assessment

Complete one or more of the following assessment tasks for this lesson.

  • Quiz: Have students take the Lesson 6.3 Quiz.
  • Vocabulary Review: Collect the Lesson 6.3 Vocabulary Review Worksheets, and evaluate them for accuracy.
  • Note-Taking Guide: Collect the completed Lesson 6.3 Note-Taking Guide, and spot check one or more items for completion and accuracy.
  • Skill-Building Worksheet: Have students submit the Lesson 6.3 Goal-Setting for Resilience and Grit Skill-Building Challenge Worksheets, and use the Goal-Setting Holistic Rubric to evaluate their skill development.
  • Journal Question: Ask students to respond to the journal question again, adding information they learned from today’s class. Require a one-paragraph response that uses proper grammar.

Take It Home

Make yourself an inspiration board at home. It could be a poster, a single sheet of paper, or something you draw on your tablet or phone. Use photos of people who inspire you and identify words and phrases that encourage you to have resilience and grit. Reflect on your board anytime you need inspiration or motivation.