Grades
1 - 6
Shine a Light on Your Students' Superpowers With This Activity
Here’s a fun self esteem-boosting activity for students to share their talents, strengths, and passions.
Not all superheros wear capes, and not all superpowers involve incredible speed or invisibility. In this activity from elementary teacher Kriscia Cabral, students are encouraged to think about their passions and share the talents that make them special. These unique personal strengths are their very own superpowers.
Start by asking your students what they know about superpowers. Brainstorm as a class and write down that superpowers are strengths that superheroes use. Then ask them to think about the superpowers they have inside themselves:
Your students’ superpowers are the things they feel confident in. Their powers might be drawing, football, music, cooking, etc.—anything they would want to explore or do all day long.
Introduce your students to characters who have made discoveries about their own personal strengths and self-worth. A few book suggestions are below, and you can find even more must-have books about confidence here.
YOU are your ancestors' wildest dreams. How will you express YOUR greatness? Perfect for fans of I Am Every Good Thing, Little Legends, and All Because You Matter.
This hilarious installment in Ross Burach"s Very Impatient Caterpillar series playfully encourages readers to love who they are, while also illuminating the importance of pollinators to our ecosystem.
In another inspiring and lyrical picture book that deftly dives into the psyche and heart of a child's viewpoint and experience, the creator of Lala's Words, Gracey Zhang, offers confidence to everyone who longs to master something that can be difficult and shows that there is only one way to do something right: that is to do it your own special way.
Told through creative language play, and with depth and whimsy, this picture book reminds readers of their own agency and the power they have to direct their own path. Marc Colagiovanni's lyrical text and Peter H. Reynolds's stunning art create an enduring message of strength and perseverance that is both universal and personal, and one that readers will be drawn to over and over again.
Princess Truly knows how to help! In these three rhyming stories, Princess Truly lends a hand during her friend's moving day, she cleans up a stinky park with her magical curls, and she helps a farmer get his tractor key from a crow's nest! These funny and empowering short stories promote believing in yourself, building confidence, and having a positive self-image, and foster imagination and curiosity, and are perfect for fans of Ada Twist, Scientist.
Together as a class, have each student name one of their superpowers. Now that they are primed for self-reflection, your students should go to their writer’s notebooks and brainstorm what other superpowers they possess. Ask them to think about their drive and their passion. Where does this passion come from?
Your students can extend their thinking by taking the superpowers they listed and creating a narrative. Use the prompt: "Write about a day in your life where you used only your superpowers." The key to this prompt is having students imagine the "What if?" For example: What if your class met at a basketball game because basketball was one of your superpowers? Where would your learning go from there?
Now it’s time for your students to highlight their superpowers by making art! You can leave the design and style of the activity to student choice, within the parameters of the assignment. They should write their name at the top and list their superpowers somewhere on the paper. Using crayon resist techniques, have your students outline all of their writing in black crayon and then use watercolors to paint over the top.
Posting the superhero art around the room will remind students of their unique qualities and differences and act as a guide for other talents they want to explore. For example, if a student wants to know more about basketball, they can look to see who has basketball as one of their superpowers and know that they can ask that student for help.
For Kriscia Cabral, the superpowers lesson is an opportunity to remind her students that they are all good at something. She believes that “for the individual, acknowledging their personal assets can be a source of inner strength when a challenge is upon them. When the group understands each other's strengths, it helps build our community and ensures no child is left feeling isolated and all children feel their own sense of worth.”
Shop more books about self-worth below! You can find all books and activities at The Teacher Store.
A breezy and irresistible picture of the human family, and how wonderful it is to be just who you are.
When the class says the Pledge of Allegiance, she turns red, white, and blue! Specialists are called but the situation goes from bad to worse. Isn't there anyone who can help Camilla remember what it means to be herself?
Based on the experiences of athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick, this book will inspire kids to stay true to their identities and advocate for change while celebrating self-discovery.
Jeremy soon sees that the things he has—warm boots, a loving grandma, and the chance to help a friend—are worth more than the things he wants.
A heartwarming and inspirational story about chasing your dreams and never giving up by gold-medal-winning Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez.
This inclusive and empowering picture book from Sofia Sanchez-an 11-year-old model and actress with Down syndrome-reminds readers how important it is to embrace your differences, be confident, and be proud of who you are. Imagine all of the wonderful things you can do if you don't let anyone stop you! You are enough just how you are.
From the creators of the international bestseller and much-loved classic Giraffes Can't Dance, Brave Dave will have young readers jumping with joy as they discover the courage to embrace who they are, with lots of laughs and smiles along the way.
When a tiny elephant doesn't have a special skill to display, favorite character"s from Giraffes Can't Dance help reveal that being yourself is the most important talent of all.
Cielo loves to skateboard! But when she messes up on a new ramp she's embarrassed and afraid to fall again in front of so many people. With the help of some new friends, Cielo summons the courage to try again (and again, and again), and learns that falling is not failing--true fierceness isn't about landing the perfect trick, it's about picking yourself back up when you don't.
Pick a book. Grow a reader! With easy-to-read text, a short-story format, plenty of humor, and full-color artwork, these books will plant a love of reading!
A lyrical love letter to Black and brown children everywhere: reminding them how much they matter, that they have always mattered, and they always will.
A young girl learns to love and celebrate her Asian-shaped eyes.
When Mac, an apple, meets Will, a worm, they become fast friends. But apples aren't supposed to like worms.
Joe and Ravi might be from very different places, but they're both stuck in the same place: school.
Featuring the author's trademark bold, bright colors and silly scenes, this book embraces differences in a unique way.
Taking Up Space promises to be a realistic and compelling story about struggling with body image and learning that true self-esteem comes from within.
