Unit Plan 19 (Grade 4 Counselor): My Strengths, Interests, and Values
Help Grade 4 students build self-awareness by identifying strengths, interests, values, and ways to contribute to classroom community.
Focus: Help students reflect on who they are becoming. Students identify strengths, interests, values, and personal qualities they want to show more often. The counselor uses a strengths shield, identity map, or reflection page. The focus is on confidence, self-understanding, and recognizing that different people contribute different strengths to a classroom community.
Grade Level: 4
Subject Area: School Counseling (Self-Awareness • Strengths • Classroom Community)
Total Unit Duration: 1–2 weeks, 30 minutes per session
I. Introduction
This Grade 4 counseling lesson helps students reflect on who they are becoming as learners, classmates, friends, and members of a school community. Students identify personal strengths, interests, values, and qualities they want to show more often. The counselor emphasizes that self-understanding helps students build confidence and make choices that match the kind of person they want to be.
Students may complete a strengths shield, identity map, or reflection page that highlights what they do well, what they enjoy, what matters to them, and how they can contribute to the classroom community. The lesson also helps students recognize that classmates may bring different strengths, interests, and values, and those differences can make the classroom stronger.
Essential Questions
- What are my strengths, interests, and values?
- How can self-understanding help students build confidence?
- How do different students contribute different strengths to a classroom community?
- How can my words, choices, and actions show the values that matter to me?
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:
- Identify personal strengths, interests, values, and qualities they want to show more often.
- Explain how strengths and values can guide choices in learning, friendships, group work, and classroom routines.
- Recognize that different classmates contribute different strengths to the classroom community.
- Describe how personal words, choices, and actions can support belonging, respect, inclusion, and trust.
- Complete a strengths shield, identity map, or reflection page that shows self-understanding and confidence.
- (Optional Session) Share or apply one strength or value in a classroom-community contribution activity.
Standards Alignment — Grade 4 (ASCA-based Custom)
- C:S1.4b — Recognize Strengths, Interests, Values, and Growth Areas
- Identify personal strengths, interests, values, and areas for continued growth.
- Example: A student says, “I am good at helping others stay organized, but I am working on speaking up respectfully when I disagree.”
- C:S1.4c — Contribute to a Respectful Classroom and School Community
- Recognize how personal words, choices, and actions can support belonging, respect, inclusion, and trust.
- Example: A student invites a classmate into a group and makes sure everyone has a meaningful role.
Success Criteria — Student Language
- I can name my strengths, interests, and values.
- I can explain one personal quality I want to show more often.
- I can recognize that classmates may have different strengths than I do.
- I can explain how my words, choices, and actions can help others feel respected and included.
- I can complete a reflection that shows who I am becoming.