Self-Esteem Third Grade Lessons

Build positive self-esteem in your students.

Self-esteem is something that has to be nurtured and grown in many children. A strong sense of self will arm a child with courage and a positive attitude. As a result, she will work smarter and try harder, even when faced with difficulties. In addition, self-esteem activities in the classroom will help the students learn more about each other, which in turn will help them build healthy relationships with each other.

Terrifically Talented

This is a good lesson to do at the beginning of the year, because it will introduce the students to one another and help them see that they are a special group of kids. Hand each student two or three strips of construction paper, about an inch or so wide and around 6 inches long. Tell the students to write one talent that they have on each strip of paper. When they are finished, go from desk to desk, collecting the strips. As you gather up the strips, read each child's talents aloud. Talk about how everyone has different gifts. Then, staple them together to form a chain. At the end of the activity you should have one long chain of paper. Hang the paper chain in a prominent location to remind the children how special they are.

Cool Collage

This is another activity that works well as a beginning-of-the-year lesson. First, have each child fold a black piece of paper in half twice. Then, ask the children to open up their papers and lay them flat. The papers will be divided into four sections by the fold lines. Pass out some old (age-appropriate) magazines and have the children cut out words or pictures that describe themselves, and then glue them in the appropriate sections. Designate the first section as words or pictures that represent the students' families, the second as their favorite things, the third as talents or gifts, and the fourth as wishes and dreams. When the collages are done, ask each student to share his collage aloud. Point out how some things in the sections are the same as other students', but other things are unique to that person. Tell the children that this is what makes their class so special. The students have things in common with one another, but they all have special gifts and abilities.

Jar of Joy

This activity is ongoing throughout the year. Talk to the children about how mean words can hurt feelings, but good words lift you up and make you happy. Tell them that you want the classroom to be a happy learning environment. Set out a "jar of joy" and encourage the children to notice and write down the things that are positive about each other. Then read the papers aloud once a week. Keep track of the papers, so that no one student gets a lot more compliments than others -- this could lead to hurt feelings. Add your own positive observations to the jar as well, and watch your students' faces light up with smiles.

Sharing Secrets

Many children this age start to think that they have to be perfect. They get frustrated when a sketch doesn't look realistic or when they miss problems on a math test. Show the students that we all have things we struggle with. Pass out a piece of paper with some questions on it that highlight fears and struggles. For example, one question might ask the students to list things that scare them. Another question might ask them to list subjects in school that are hard for them. Leave four blanks by each question, and ask the students to fill in only two of them. When all of the students are finished, have them all get up out of their seats and wander around the room to find other people who have the same or similar answers. Have them write the names of those people in the other two blanks under each question. The students will find out who in the classroom has similar fears and struggles, and they will know that it's OK and normal to feel this way.

References

• Education.com: Developing Your Child's Self Esteem
• Education World: Ten Activities to Improve Students' Self-Concepts