Resilient ME Primary
Resilient ME
Each lesson includes an introduction, a question to think about, videos to watch, or activities to do.
Lesson 1: Introduction to Resilience
Muscles make me strong on the outside. Resilience makes me strong on the inside!
Resilience helps me:
deal with disappointment
solve problems
accept my mistakes and learn from them
control myself
be able to learn
be a good friend
put my values into action
keep going when things are hard
accept myself
Activity:
Squeeze a soft rubber ball. What happens when you stop squeezing? The ball slowly comes back into shape, right? If squeezing is the “bad stuff” that can happen, resilience can be thought of as “regaining shape” and bouncing back to normal.
Q’s: What types of things can “squeeze” somebody your age? How well do you bounce back to normal? What thoughts or feelings can make it hard to bounce back?
Lesson 2: Created to be Me
God made you! God loves you! God has given you special things that make you, YOU!
Watch "You are Special" by Max Lucado.
Who was the resilient character in the story?
What made her resilient?
Activity
Find an old shoebox, jar or tin. Decorate it and call it "Created to be ME!"
On coloured paper write or draw all the things you are good at. Put them in your box. What qualities do you have? Are you friendly? Kind? Honest? Think of some things, write or draw them and put them in your box. Here's some other ideas: make a tracing of your hand, ink your fingerprints, decorate your name, a photo of yourself or your family, interview your family and ask them what makes you special to them and write those things down, or anything else at all that will remind you of who you are...and put it all in your box.
Finally, copy this down and put it inside:
God made me. God loves me. Accepting who I am helps me be resilient!
Lesson 3: Created with Emotions
Lesson 3: Created with Emotions
Lesson 3: Created with Emotions
Recognising and naming my emotions helps me be resilient!
Activity
Print 4 copies of body outlines.
Write SAD, MAD, CALM or WORRIED on the top of each page. Think about the signals your body gives you when you are feeling one of these emotions. Maybe you just feel some of these things, and that's okay. And don't forget, emotions can feel small, in-between, or BIG!
Draw or colour these things onto the matching body:
Body 1: Closed fists, sweaty feeling, frowning, fast breathing, shaking, clenched teeth, tense muscles, head hurts,heart beating fast, glaring, feel warm, can’t stay still. Which emotion is it?
Body 2: Trembling lip, eyes filling up with tears, droopy body, tears, can’t catch your breath, legs feel weak, head goes down. Which emotion is it?
Body 3: Feel sick, head hurts, feel tired, muscles tense, eyes wide, can’t relax, tears, can’t sleep, brain won’t stop thinking what ifs thoughts. Which emotion is it?
Body 4: Muscles relaxed, smiling, easy breathing, contented thoughts, comfortable posture. Which emotion is it?
If we're experiencing a BIG emotion it's like we've reached the top of a mountain. We need tools to help us get back to the bottom of the mountain where we feel calm and relaxed once more.
Q: What kinds of tools do YOU use to help yourself get back to green when you are climbing up the emotional mountain?
Here are some great ideas for upper primary students.
Here are some great ideas for lower primary students.
Lesson 4: Created with a Thinking Brain
We do exercise to make our muscles gro
We have been created with an AMAZING thinking brain! It's like our CONTROL centre! It is the place where our resilience grows...making us stronger and stronger from the inside out!
We can think of our amazing brain as having two parts.
Our "upstairs" brain is our THINKING brain. Our "downstairs" brain is our EMOTIONAL brain.
Let's see what happens to our thinking brain when BIG emotions take over,
Q: Have you ever "flipped your lid?" How did it work out for you?
What things do you have in your emotional toolbox (coping skills) that you could use next time?
Activity. Traffic Light Control
Items: cardboard, pencils, crayons or textas, and this template
RED = STOP. and take deep breaths
YELLOW = choose a coping skill from my emotional toolbox and DO it
GREEN = now I'm calm I can use my thinking brain and find a solution
Once you have coloured the traffic light, you can cut it out and glue onto the cardboard.
Maybe you can hang it somewhere to remind you that you CAN control your big emotions from taking over your thinking brain!
Lesson 5: Created for Problem Solving
Problem Solving makes my brain stronger and I become more resilient! Here's why!
The Problem Solving Cycle helps us whenever we face a challenge!
Could you fill in the blanks? The words you need are reflect, negatives, probelm, ideas.
See the Problem Solving Cycle at work here in this video.
What was the problem?
What were the ideas?
What were the positives and negatives of each idea?
Did the characters in the story need to reflect on whether their idea was working?
Activity
Let's put those problem solving brains into action! For this activity you will need:
Marshmallows and spaghetti pasta
Your "problem" is to create the tallest marshmallow tower that you can!
Remember, before attempting a challenge or solving a problem you need to:
1/ Stop and breathe
2/ Use a coping skill if your emotions are up the mountain
3/ Use your thinking brain and come up with possible solutions to any challenges as they arise
Go !!
Lesson 6: Created for Connection
Sometimes problems, challenges, disappointments or mistakes are too big for someone my age to deal with on my own.
At these times I can turn to trusted people to help me. Having good connections around me helps me be resilient!
Q: Who are your positive supports you are connected with at home? At school? Outside of school?
Connections matter!
One of the most important connections you will have at your age is to your friends! Good friends will have a positive influence.
Activity
Click here to do a friendship quiz and to see the steps to resolving friendship conflict!
Lesson 7: Created for Bouncing Back
Resilience makes us strong on the inside.
Resilient people can bounce back when things don't go as planned.
Resilient people can persevere when problems strike!
Watch this extract from Nemo and think about the following questions.
Q: Just like Nemo, think of a time you wanted to give up, but didn't.
Are you glad you persevered and didn't give up? Why?
What is something you can'tdo YET? How will persevering help you get to your goal?
Activity #1
Find a ball. First throw the ball up and catch it. Then try it with one hand. Then try it with the other had. Then try to clap after you throw the ball up, before you catch it again. Then try to clap twice! Then try to clap three times! Challenge yourself!
Activity #2
Look around your backyard. See if you can find some examples of perseverance. Maybe you can find a weed growing through a crack in the concrete? Maybe you can spot a birds nest in a tree ?
Activity #3
Find some pictures on the internet of perseverance, print them out, cut them out, and create a collage of pictures on a piece of A4 paper.