Perseverance - 3

Continued Growth

Lesson Plan

Goal: When attempting to complete a difficult task, the student will demonstrate perseverance by completing it using a learned strategy, in 8 out of 10 observable opportunities, as measured by a teacher assessment tool.

Objectives:
1. Identify why the task is challenging.
2. Make a list of strategies that you are comfortable using when faced with a difficult task.
3. Work through mistakes without using negative self-talk.

Definitions of Key Terms: Perseverance means continuing to work at learning something or doing a difficult task without giving up. When you continue working on a task, even though you make mistakes, you show perseverance.

Discussion Points:

  • What are examples of tasks/skills that are difficult for you?
  • What are some things you can do to show perseverance?
  • Why is perseverance an important trait for a person to have?
  • Do you think you can be successful in life without perseverance? Why or why not?

Discuss with students what it means to persevere. Review the discussion points.

Possible activities to review the discussion points or use your own:

Think. Pair. Share: The teacher will pose questions related to the discussion points. Explain to students that the purpose of the activity is to think about the question and activate prior knowledge. The teacher will model the procedure to facilitate student understanding.

  • T (Think): Teacher begins by asking a specific question using the discussion topics.
  • P (Pair): Each student should be paired with another student, small group or work with a teacher. Pairs write brief answers on sticky notes or scrap paper.
  • S (Share): Students share their thinking with their partner. Teacher then leads a whole-group conversation using students’ answers.

SEL Categories Activity:

  • Ask students to create a list of words associated with the topic (give them 2-5 minutes to complete).
  • Once time is up, ask each student to share a word or thought from their list.
  • Other students must cross that word or thought off their list.
  • Continue the process until all words or thoughts have been listed.

Directions for In-Person or Virtual Learning: You have three options for students to complete this lesson.

  • Option 1: Print the Student Activity Sheet for each student. Complete the lesson as a group and assign the activity sheet to the students.
  • Option 2: Click the Student link to access the activity sheet electronically and post to your Learning Management System (if your school has one) or send the link to the student. The student may complete the activity sheet electronically within the classroom on a shared computer or device.
  • Option 3: Click the Student link to access the activity sheet electronically and send the link to the student. The student may access the link from a home computer, chromebook, iPad or other device.

Activity 1: What Is Perseverance?

Ask students what they think the word perseverance means. Make a list of student responses on the board or chart paper. Assign students to small groups or pairs. Hand out a quote to each group or pair of students. Ask students to think about and discuss together what the quote means to them. Ask students to write down their thoughts.

Materials Needed:
  • Chart paper or interactive board
  • Perseverance quotes copied from below onto index cards or sticky notes

When all groups or pairs have discussed, bring the students together and ask for volunteers to share their answers.

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” - Winston S. Churchill “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” - Theodore Roosevelt
“Success consists of getting up just one more time than you fall.”- Oliver Goldsmith "Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." - Thomas Edison
“Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.” - Julie Andrews “It's not whether you get knocked down; its whether you get back up” - Vince Lombardi

Activity 2: Demonstrating Perseverance

Review the key points from Activity 1 with students. Share a personal story about how you demonstrated perseverance or how someone you know did. Ask students to identify the strategies used in the personal story. Ask students to identify any negative self-talk that was used. Discuss which is more helpful: negative self-talk or strategies to persevere.

Materials Needed:
  • Student Activity Sheet A - 1 per student
  • Pencil for each student

Allow students time to complete Student Activity Sheet A. Ask for volunteers to share when all students have finished.

Student Activity Sheet A

Directions: Think of a person you know who has demonstrated perseverance in overcoming an obstacle or challenge in his or her life. Share that person’s experience.

Activity 3: Skills Needed

As a group, develop a list of qualities needed to help us persevere in difficult situations. (Ex. bravery, flexibility, resilience, determination, self-confidence). Record answers on chart paper or the board.

Materials Needed:
  • Chart paper or interactive board
  • Student Activity Sheet B - 1 per student
  • Pencil for each student

Allow students time to complete Student Activity Sheet B. Ask for volunteers to share their work after all students have finished.

Student Activity Sheet B

Directions: What qualities do you possess that will help you persevere in difficult situations? List them below:

What qualities do you want to improve that could help you persevere through difficult situations? List them below:

Application Activity

Script Prompt: Develop a script and create an animation that includes two characters in a setting related to the script prompt:

Materials Needed:

The dialogue between the characters must include:

  • A scenario in which character one is experiencing a situation where it is important to persevere.
  • A reason for why perseverance is difficult in this scenario.
  • Suggestions for a solution or ideas on how character one can use perseverance to experience success.

Script Extensions: Click the following hyperlinks to have students choose their Characters, Background and Props prior to writing scripts. For examples of script writing accommodations, click Here.


Methods for completing this activity include (choose one or a few, depending on your students’ levels and abilities):


Script Writing Practice: Teacher-led discussion of script creation. As a group, write both an appropriate and inappropriate version of the script. In small groups or individually, have the students independently create scripts that demonstrate the script prompt. Use the script sheet to create students' scripts.


Independent Script Recording: Pair students together to complete two scripts using the same script prompt detailed above. Direct each student to take turns being character one and character two.


Animation Creation: Have students record their scripts using the SiLAS software. Remind students to name and save their work. Premiere the movies with the group members at the end of each session.


Lesson Extension: Incorporate ELA standards by discussing both spoken and written grammar rules (dialogue punctuation, correct verb tense, sentence structure, character, setting, problem, solution). Consider using both the final animation and written script as an ELA grade/assignment.

Topic Checkout

Review all key points from previous activities with the students. Allow students to complete the Student Topic Checkout. Discuss their answers when all students have finished.

Materials Needed:
  • Student Topic Checkout - 1 per student
  • A pencil for each student
    •

Student Topic Checkout

Directions: Answer the questions.

1. In your own words, describe what perseverance means.

2. Think of a task that has been difficult for you in the past. Describe why it was difficult.

3. List up to three strategies you can use when faced with a difficult task.

4. List two negative self-talk statements you have used in the past when doing something that was difficult for you. List two strategies to use instead of the negative self-talk.