Strengths+and+Challenges

Submitted by Sharon House, First Grade, Strengths and Challenges

Standard: 1B

Materials: writing paper, white paper, pencils, crayons, colored pencils, or markers, ruler. Standard 1B written out on sentence strips (using the “I” statement) “I am aware of what I like and dislike as well as my strengths and challenges.”

Time: 45 minutes to one hour

When to teach: second semester, as a follow-up lesson for the standard which was introduced early in the year. Doing it later in the year the students will be better writiers and able to more clearly explain strengths and challenges.

Goals: To help the children identify things they do well and things they need help with through an advanced writing and art lesson.

Lesson: Read and discuss the standard. Teacher and students give examples of things they do well and things they need help with. Students write a paragraph on each. Sentence starters: “One thing that is easy for me to do is..........It’s easy because.....” “One thing that is hard for me to do is...... It’s hard because.....”

Students fold a white piece of paper in half and draw a line in the middle. They write Hard on one side, and Easy on the other. They illustrate each side, making sure they draw lots of details.

Students share their work with the class.

Assessment: Score writings and illustrations to show understanding of the standard. Include their oral presentation in their score.