Are you looking for a back to school activity to increase students self esteem and confidence in your classroom? Maybe you are reading this in the middle of your school year and feel your students’ social emotional well-being is compromised and would like to boost their positive self image?
Well, consider using this lesson that integrates the picture book, The Best Part of Me, into your social emotional learning classroom curriculum.
The Best Part of Me SEL Activity
A teacher and a photographer, Wendy Ewald, created The Best Part of Me. She had each student choose what they felt was the physically the best part of them. Then, the photographer would take a black and white zoomed in photo of that body part.
Students then created a writing piece that described why they chose that body part.
How to use this SEL activity in your classroom
Introduce this relationship-building activity by reading and discussing the picture book, The Best Part of Me. Then, have students use a graphic organizer to walk them through completing this social emotional learning project.
Next, take pictures of the body part the students spoke about. Zoom in as much as possible, focusing on one part rather than the student. Before printing, make sure they are in black and white. This effect looks really cool in the book and when printed out on the bulletin board.
While this is a simple project, it will help to increase self-esteem in students of all ages. Focusing on the positive aspects of ourselves will promote a positive classroom environment. Keeping these on display will really help to serve as a reminder for the students.
