Healthy habits
The Power of Positive Self-Talk
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Introduction - The Power of Positive Self-Talk
This week, children will explore the powerful impact of positive self-talk on their health and well-being. They will start by watching a video that demonstrates how positive thinking can transform a person’s day. This story will help them understand the importance of how we speak to ourselves, even in challenging situations.
Building on this knowledge, students will design their own positive self-talk guide using Canva. They will creatively illustrate three key benefits of positive self-talk: reducing stress, boosting confidence, and improving physical health. Finally, they will reflect on their own experiences by documenting three achievements from the past, three challenges they are currently facing, and three goals they aim to achieve in the future.
This activity encourages critical thinking, creativity, and a deeper understanding of the importance of positive self-talk, all while enhancing their design skills in Canva.
This week, we’re going to dive into how positive self-talk can have a powerful impact on your mind and body. We’ll start by watching a video that shows how thinking positively can change your day. As you watch, think about times when your own thoughts have made you feel better or worse, and how you can use positive self-talk in your daily life.
Next, you’ll learn what positive self-talk really means and why it’s so important. You’ll discover how the things you say to yourself can shape your feelings, your actions, and even how your body responds to stress.
You’ll then take what you’ve learned and write down three ways that positive self-talk affects your body. For example, how it helps you stay calm, feel more confident, or bounce back from challenges.
After that, you’ll document three achievements from your past, three challenges you’re facing right now, and three things you’re determined to achieve in the future. This activity will help you see the power of positive thinking and how it can guide you through tough times and toward your goals.
Finally, you’ll create a visual poster using Canva to capture these reflections. Make sure your poster is bright and inspiring, something you can look at whenever you need a reminder of your strengths and the amazing things you can achieve.
Important - Download Your Workbook Template
Over the next week, students will design a comprehensive “Healthy Habits” booklet, using a provided template to ensure everything stays organised and properly formatted. It’s important that teachers emphasize the necessity of keeping all content within the safe zone (dotted line) to avoid any issues during printing. This project encourages students to express their creativity while also serving as a structured reflection of their journey toward a healthier lifestyle. The final product will be a meaningful keepsake, potentially ordered as a printed booklet, making attention to detail essential
Over the next ten weeks, you will be working on your “Healthy Habits” booklet, focusing on various aspects of a healthy lifestyle. All the information and designs will be created by you, but we’ve provided a template to help you keep everything organised and in the right order.
Feel free to customise the colours and some of the designs to make the booklet uniquely yours, but be sure to keep all content within the safe zone (the dotted line). This is important because, once your booklet is complete, you might want to upload it to the Upschool library or order a printed copy, and we don’t want any important information to be cut off during printing.
You’ll be using this booklet each day, so make sure to download it today and return to it regularly to add your insights on different aspects of a healthy lifestyle. This booklet will be a reflection of your learning journey and a beautiful keepsake of your work on building and maintaining healthy habits.
Weekly Keywords
In this activity, students will review a list of keywords related to positive self-talk and healthy thinking habits. They’ll be asked to simplify these concepts into easy-to-understand terms, helping them grasp and communicate complex mental health ideas effectively. This exercise enhances critical thinking and comprehension skills, laying a foundation for a positive mindset and lifelong well-being.
On the task card provided, you’ll find a list of words related to positive self-talk and healthy thinking habits. Your challenge is to look at each word and explain what it means in the simplest way you can.
This activity will help you take tricky concepts about mental health and make them easy to understand. It’s a great way to practice for all your future learning and discussions about how to keep your mind healthy and strong.
Quote of the Week - Mahatma Gandhi
This week, we’ll draw inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi’s wisdom about the power of positive thinking. Students will explore a key quote, interpreting its significance from their own perspectives, perhaps through art or a multimedia presentation.
The heart of this activity is deep reflection and meaningful conversation. It encourages students to connect with Gandhi’s insights, considering how positive thoughts can influence their personal choices and overall well-being.
This approach fosters critical thinking and open discussion, helping students understand how powerful ideas about positivity can shape their daily routines and actions. It promotes a commitment to a positive mindset and self-care, aligning with Gandhi’s message on the profound impact of our thoughts on our lives.
Each week, we will share an inspirational quote to help you embrace the power of positive thinking. This week’s quote is from Mahatma Gandhi:
“Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior.”
We encourage you to write down this quote, print it out, or create a drawing inspired by his words.
After you’ve completed this, take some time to reflect on and discuss the meaning of the quote. Think about what it teaches us about the impact of our thoughts on our actions and how we can use this wisdom to nurture a positive mindset and improve our well-being.
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Design Your Information Card - Sleep Tips
In this activity, students will explore the power of positive self-talk by creating an information card that combines research with design. They will focus on identifying the top benefits of positive self-talk, ensuring the information is clear and impactful.
Students will then create a visually appealing card that represents positivity, using images like a bright sun or a smiling face. The final product will be part of their “Healthy Habits” booklet, which will serve as a comprehensive guide to maintaining a healthy and positive mindset.
During this activity, your task is to create a visually appealing information card about the benefits of positive self-talk. Start by designing a visual that represents positivity—think about using images like a bright sun, a smiling face, or anything that makes you think of staying positive and confident.
Next, come up with your own top tips or benefits of positive self-talk. You can use my card as an example, where I highlighted how positive self-talk can reduce stress, boost confidence, and improve physical health.
Once you’ve finished, this card will be added to your “Healthy Habits” booklet, which will eventually become a valuable collection of tips and advice on maintaining a positive mindset and overall well-being.
Design Your Positive Self-Talk Page - Nine Ways to Boost Positivity
In this activity, students will reflect on their personal experiences by creating an information card that highlights their past achievements, current challenges, and future goals. They will focus on clearly and positively expressing these reflections. Using my card as an example, where I shared my achievements, challenges, and goals, students will be inspired to create their own version.
Students will then design a visually appealing card that represents their journey, using images that reflect their accomplishments and aspirations. The final product will be added to their “Healthy Habits” booklet, serving as a personal guide to self-reflection and goal-setting
In this activity, your task is to create a page in your booklet about the nine ways we can boost positivity through positive self-talk. You’ll start by looking at a list of suggested tips, such as using encouraging words, reminding yourself of past successes, and focusing on what you’re doing well.
Using the template provided, you will design your very own information page on what you think are the best nine ways to use positive self-talk to improve your mindset. While you can use the template and some ideas provided, it’s important that you do your own research to find additional tips for boosting positivity.
Think carefully about how you present your ideas—both in design and in content. Your goal is to create a page that is both informative and visually appealing, helping others understand the importance of positive self-talk.
When finished, this page will be added to your booklet, which will eventually become a specialised collection of your work throughout the course.
Tracking Your Progress - How Do You Feel?
In this activity, students will reflect on their positive self-talk habits by tracking how they feel each day over the course of a week. Using a provided template and comparing their reflections to a sample, students will assess the impact of practising positive self-talk on their mood and well-being.
This exercise encourages self-reflection and personal responsibility, helping students understand the connection between their thoughts and overall well-being, while reinforcing the importance of consistency in building a positive mindset.
Now that you understand how positive self-talk can boost your confidence, reduce stress, and improve your overall well-being, it’s time to see how it’s making a difference in your life.
Over the next week, you’ll track your thoughts and reflect on how you feel to see if your new positive self-talk habits are helping. Take a look at my reflection on the next page, then use the template to track your own thoughts and feelings over the next 7 days.
Let’s work together to build a more positive and confident mindset!
Spreading the Word - Weekly Community service
In this activity, students select actions from a task card to apply their knowledge in real-world contexts, focusing on improving the lives of others. This encourages leadership by empowering students to independently choose and execute tasks that benefit their community. The emphasis on real-world application fosters a sense of responsibility and initiative, while allowing students to learn from their experiences, whether successful or not. This approach nurtures independence and reinforces the value of effort in leadership.
Choose an action from the task card opposite and use your new knowledge to make the lives of others better. It doesn’t matter which action you choose; what matters is that you share your knowledge to help others live a healthier and happier life.
You can choose as many actions as you like from the list, and don’t worry if you don’t succeed—it’s all about the effort, not the result.
Weekly Art Therapy
This weekly art activity encourages mindfulness and relaxation through colouring. Teachers should introduce it with enthusiasm, promoting a calm, creative atmosphere.
Allow children the freedom to choose where they sit—whether in a quiet classroom corner or even outside—and consider scheduling a designated time each week. Additionally, this activity can be sent home to support mindfulness practices with families. Encourage children to focus on the process, not the outcome, and enjoy the benefits of creativity and calm.
Each week, we’ll share a fun and relaxing art activity with you. All you need to do is find a quiet spot—maybe in your room, outside under a tree, or wherever you feel calm. Grab your favourite colouring pencils, set up a soft light or a lamp, and if you’d like, play some relaxing music in the background. Then, take your time to colour in the picture on the next page and let your mind wander.
Doing this can help you feel more relaxed and calm. Colouring gives your brain a little break, helps you focus on the moment, and can even make you feel happier. It’s a way to let your imagination flow while taking care of yourself.
Remember, this is your time to unwind. There’s no right or wrong way to colour—just enjoy yourself and have fun with it!
My Weekly Mood Diary
This activity encourages children to track their daily emotions using a mood diary, fostering self-awareness and reflection. Teachers should emphasise the importance of taking time at the end of each day to reflect on feelings, using symbols provided on the task card.
This process promotes mindfulness and helps children recognise patterns in their emotions. Encourage children to keep their reflections private, ensuring they feel safe to explore their feelings honestly, supporting their emotional wellbeing.
As you work through each activity in this course, we encourage you to take a moment each day to reflect on how you’re feeling. A mood diary is a fantastic way to track your emotions and see how your work in this course impacts your overall wellbeing.
Using the template provided, simply add a symbol from the task card to represent your mood at the end of each day. Over the week, you’ll start to notice patterns and shifts, giving you valuable insight into how the activities influence your feelings.
The health and wellbeing activities in this course are designed to have a positive impact on your mood, and we hope you’ll find this reflection process both enlightening and rewarding.
Remember, this is your personal journey—there’s no need to share your diary with anyone. It’s a space for your own private reflection and growth.
Quiz and Your Certificate
Students will take a quiz on the power of positive self-talk, reinforcing their understanding after re-watching the video. Each quiz includes ten questions, and scoring 80% or higher earns them a certificate. There are 8 certificates to collect, motivating ongoing engagement and learning. This activity encourages retention and provides a tangible reward for their efforts.
This week, you’ll be invited to take a quiz focused on the power of positive self-talk. After rewatching the video, your task is to correctly answer ten questions about positive thinking and its benefits. Achieving a score of 80% or more will earn you a certificate, which will be sent directly to your email. There are 8 certificates in total for you to collect. Best of luck!