Lesson 5. Affirmations

Guided Breathing Exercise | 4:50 | Breathe In Calm 

Educators | 

Today we are going to be inhaling and exhaling calm and positive words, to help us feel more relaxed and positive inside.

Invite students to place one hand on their chest and one hand on their belly so they are able to connect with the rise and fall of their tummy with each inhale and exhale.

 

Let's begin |

 

Reflection |

• How does everyone fell after doing this breathing exercise?
• Did breathing in words help you feel more calm and relaxed?
• Did you feel your body smile?

 

Mindfulness Lesson | 5:00 | Affirmations

Educators | 

The objective of this lesson is for students to learn and recognise how the words they use impact the way they feel and behave increasing self-awareness. 

Using positive affirmations helps students build confidence and self-esteem, and encourages positive thought patterns to develop a GROWTH MINDSET. It also increases RESILIENCE helping kids cope better in difficult or challenging situations.

 

Let's begin |

What is an Affirmation?

• Affirmations are positive words that we use to help us feel good and happy.

Why are Affirmations great? 

• Affirmations teach us new and positive ways of thinking and they can help you to believe in yourself.
• Affirmations increase your self-confidence. For example, if you say "I can learn this," or " I can think of great ideas," you will.

 

Using positive words like affirmations can also help us overcome difficult situations, challenges, and, can help us make better choices. 

• For example, when you are in a running race and you are getting tired you can tell yourself, "I can do this, I'm not giving up." By using positive words this can help you to keep going and do your best.
• Affirmations are also great to use when you are feeling angry, worried or sad. Using positive words like "I am safe," "my feelings are important," "I can make great choices," can calm your mind and help you manage difficult emotions.

 

Remember |

Like many things in life, whatever you practise you become really good at.

• If you practise or focus on negative thoughts all the time, you will become really good at becoming an unhappy or negative person.
• If you practise having more positive and helpful thoughts you will feel better and become a more positive person.

 

Mindfulness Exercise | 5:00 | Positive and Negative Affirmations

Educators  |

List some POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS on the left-hand side of the whiteboard and a few NEGATIVE AFFIRMATIONS on the right-hand side of a whiteboard.

 

Let's Begin |

Explain to students that we all get good at what we practise! If you focus on positive and helpful thoughts you will get good at feeling great! If you focus on negative thoughts you will begin to feel not so happy.

 

Let’s try some negative Affirmations |

Read a couple of NEGATIVE AFFIRMATIONS on the board and ask your students to repeat.

For example:

• I never win at anything
• I am never good at maths
• I don’t have many friends
• Today is a terrible day
• I'm so bored

 

Reflection |

Ask your students how they feel after saying a NEGATIVE AFFIRMATIONS

 

Positive Affirmations are a great way to speak kindly to ourselves |

Let’s try some and see what you think? I will read a couple of POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS on my board and you can repeat after me.

For example:

• I can do new things
• I am a great friend
• I love being me
• I can learn from my mistakes
• I can be kind no matter what
• I'm brave
• I can do great things
• I am worth it
• I am amazing!

 

Reflection |

Ask your students how they feel saying POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS compared to a NEGATIVE.

Invite students to reflect if they find it difficult or easy to use positive words when they are feeling sad, disappointed or in a challenging situation.

 

Explain |

If you notice you are having a negative thought, that’s ok just notice it and then choose a more helpful thought.

For example, 'I don’t want to go to school today, it’s raining!'  'But think, I will go anyway because we will sit in the classroom at lunchtime and play games. yay!'

Remember, practise, practise and keep practising.

 

Mindful Life Practise | Positive Affirmations

Think about ways you can practise using Positive Affirmations in your everyday life.

 

For example |

• Write down a Positive Affirmation that you would like to say to yourself every day this week. 
• Write down something that you do really well, or something that you love, and reminded yourself each day this week. This will make you feel great inside.

 

Also start to notice when you say something negative about yourself, for example, I’m not good at maths or I will never be able to do that. Replace the words with more positive thoughts like it’s ok if I’m not great at that, I’m really great at soccer, or writing, or drawing.

 

Let's practise our 'Affirmations' meditation and share with the class how this makes us feel.

Guided Meditation | 9:08 | 'Affirmations'

 

Educators |

When asking the students to close their eyes remember some students may not feel safe. Suggest that they can focus their gaze on the floor in front of them, but it is helpful not to get distracted by looking around. 

 

Let students know | 

This is their special time to relax and calm their mind and body. Invite your students to sit or lay in a comfortable position and gently close their eyes. If thoughts come and go that's ok.

 

Let's begin | 

Children love Isabelle's 'Affirmations' Guided Meditation because we all know that when we use positive thoughts and words, we feel happy. Affirmations also help you to believe in yourself and make you feel better when you are angry or sad.  

 

Reflection | 

• Can anyone describe how they feel after that meditation? Happy, relaxed?
• Did anyone have a favourite Affirmation?
• How did your favourite affirmations make you feel?

 

Mindful Game | Positive Hot Potato

Educators |

The objective of this game is to encourage positive self-talk, team building and confidence.

 

Materials |

Break kids up into groups of 5 or 6. Have a bouncy ball or balloon to bounce and pass around the class, you can also play the song Happy by Pharrell Williams in the background.

 

Let's Begin |

When the ball comes to you!  You have to think fast and say an Affirmation without any time to think. 

This will surprise everyone with things they may find positive about themselves, and, how hard it is to find positive things to say if we don’t practise.

Each child has a maximum of 4 seconds to say an Affirmation when they have the ball ;)

 

Positive Hot Potatoe |

Remember the ball is very hot. You must think quickly!

1. Ask all the children to sit in a circle, legs crossed. 
2. Ask the children to quickly pass the ball or balloon within the circle, like a hot potato. Passing the ball randomly across the circle from person to person
3. Whoever the ball or balloon rolls too, that person needs to quickly say a positive affirmation about themselves, or say something that they did really well that day.
4. Then quickly, like a hot potato, roll the ball or balloon to another person in the circle.
5. Encourage the children not to repeat any Affirmations, that they use or the other children use.
6. If they repeat an Affirmation twice or repeat an Affirmation used by another class member they are out,
7. If they are out the class member must remain in the circle with their legs out straight and flat in front of them, so the children in the game know not to roll the ball to them.
8. The winner is the last person with their legs crossed.

 

Discussion |

If some children in the class had trouble saying positive things about themselves, take time to explore things they did well that day that they may not have thought about during the game.

 

Journal | PNG Format | Affirmations In The Sky

 

Educators |

Slide your students' journal to your desktop and print.