Self Awareness Teaching Resources
Help your students develop self awareness with activities, printables and more social and emotional teaching resources designed specifically for elementary and middle school students.
Created by teachers, for teachers, this collection is full of digital and printable activities designed to help students recognize their emotions and learn to identify their own strengths and weaknesses. Each teaching resource has undergone rigorous review by the Teach Starter team to ensure it's ready for the classroom ... and your students!
Curious about teaching self awareness and wondering how it applies to kids in your classroom? Read on for some tips from our expert teachers!
What Is Self Awareness? A Kid-Friendly Definition
Most students are not terribly self aware when they enter elementary school, and that's completely normal. After all, any adults aren't very adept at self awareness! That's why it's so important to include these lessons in your planning to help students flex those muscles and become more aware of who they are.
So how do you explain the meaning of self awareness to your class, and how do you teach it? Let's start with a kid-friendly definition.
Self awareness means understanding yourself, your feelings and how your actions affect other people.
You might tell your students that being self aware is a bit like having a mirror inside your mind that can help you see who you are and how you can make good choices.
Explain to students that when you're self-aware, you know what you're good at and what you might need to work on so you can become your own superhero.
Why Is Self Awareness Important?
Learning to be self aware is part of gaining control of one's own emotions, thoughts and actions, and the lessons we teach in the classroom contribute to our students' personal growth, social interactions and overall well-being in the immediate future and well into adulthood.
When kids (and adults!) lack self awareness, they tend to struggle with poor decision making, and they may have trouble understanding how their behavior affects others. This can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts with peers and others around them or even unintentional harm to relationships, as they may struggle to empathize or consider the perspectives of others.
Self Awareness Examples for Kids
Explaining self awareness by providing a definition is one thing, but surely you want to dig a little deeper.
Here are some examples from our teacher team that you can use to illustrate what it means to be self aware — and why it's so important!
- Identifying Emotions — Being able to label our emotions with names like happiness, sadness, anger or excitement is a great example of being self aware. For example, your students might learn to say, "I feel happy when I play with my friends at recess."
- Understanding Your Talents — Another example of self awareness that kids can easily relate to is the concept of identifying one's strengths or talents. It can be helpful to consider things we can do well and things we want to work on to get better at. For example, a student might say "I am very good at singing, but I would like to practice my spelling to improve."
- Seeing Strengths in Our Peers — Acknowledging our own strengths is only part of being self aware. It's also good for students to be able to identify (and celebrate) the strengths of others. This will help them build better relationships in the long run.
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Ways to Build Self-Esteem Classroom Poster
Nurture your students by providing them with simple ways to build up their self-esteem with this set of classroom posters.
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Growth Mindset Mini-Book
Teach your students about growth mindset with this printable book, perfect for your social emotional lessons!
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Growth or Fixed Mindset Sorting Activity
Help students understand the difference between a fixed mindset and a growth mindset with this sorting activity.
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Growth Mindset Classroom Discussion Cards
Explore growth mindset with your students with this set of discussion prompts.
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Growing GRIT Writing Template
Encourage students to think about what grit is and words that describe grit with this craft template.
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Growth Mindset Worksheet Pack
Help students change their mindset to a growth mindset with this set of worksheets.
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My Personal Coping Skills Plan – Template
Ensure your students have a personalized coping plan for those challenging moments with this comic-themed printable template.
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Self-Esteem Portrait Digital Activity
Explore positive self esteem with this self-portrait of positive traits.
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Mirror Self-Esteem Activity
Explore self-image and self-esteem with this mirror worksheet for students.
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My Accomplishments Worksheets
Celebrate your students' achievements and accomplishments with these self-esteem boosting worksheets!
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Focusing on Strengths Sorting Cards
Identify individual strengths with this set of strength vocabulary sorting cards.
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'Why I'm AMAZING' Self-Esteem Templates
Boost students' self-esteem with these Reasons Why I'm AMAZING templates.
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National Dot Day Printables - Codebreaker Worksheets
Crack the code and decipher the growth mindset quotes with a fun International Dot Day codebreaker worksheet.
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Building Self-Esteem Poster Set
Help your students learn how to boost their own self-esteem with this set of classroom posters.
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Building Self-Esteem Teaching Slides
Explore how to build up self esteem with this set of teaching slides perfect for social emotional learning lessons.
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All About Strengths Poster and Worksheet Pack
Help your students identify their personal strengths and weaknesses with this poster and worksheet pack.
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Calm-Down Strategy Cards
Help your students choose and apply strategies when they need to calm down with this comprehensive set of calm-down strategy cards.
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My Strengths Sunglasses Template
Teach your students how to identify their strengths with this fun craft activity.
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Emotional Self-Regulation Check-In Posters
Promote emotional awareness and self-regulation in your classroom with this daily mood check-in routine.
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Growth Mindset Bulletin Board
Remind your students to have a growth mindset with this bulletin board display.
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Student Daily Check-In Template
Check-in with your students each day with this template.
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Growth Mindset Brag Tags
Celebrate students using a growth mindset with a set of printable growth mindset brag tags!
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Are We There Yet? – Growth Mindset Progress Chart
Help your students develop a growth mindset by reflecting on their learning progress with this progress tracking chart.
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Synonym Poster Pack - Emotions Chart Display
A series of posters that display different words that can be used for different emotions.
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Emotions Charts - Synonym Flashcards
Give your students the words and synonyms they need to express emotions and enhance their writing.
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Monthly Mood Trackers for Students — 12-Tracker Bundle
Download 12 different printable mood tracker templates for students to track their emotions throughout the school day and year!
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Digital Daily Discussions - Morning Meeting Questions and Activities
Use these slides to begin a routine of classroom morning meetings.
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About My Emotional Heart Craft- Printable SEL Activities
Teach feelings and big emotions to your young learners with a heart-shaped printable feelings book.
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Gratitude Task Cards
Invite students to practice gratitude with this set of 12 task cards that get students to brainstorm what they are thankful for.
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What Does It Mean To Be Grateful? Teaching Slide Deck
Use this editable teaching slide deck when teaching your students about gratitude.
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How Would You Feel? Scenario Cards
Develop your students' emotional vocabulary with this set of real-life scenarios.
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Characteristics of Emotions - Poster Set
Learn the facial expressions and body cues that accompany the most common emotional states with this poster set.
- Self Awareness Posters
- Self Awareness Worksheets
- Self Awareness Templates
- Self Awareness Games
- Self Awareness for Kindergarten
- Self Awareness for 1st Grade
- Self Awareness for 2nd Grade
- Self Awareness for 3rd Grade
- Self Awareness for 4th Grade
- Self Awareness for 5th Grade
- Self Awareness for 6th Grade