Perseverance – Sour Patch Kids

Of course kids love any activity that involves candy, especially sour patch kids! I was able to secure a very large bag on Amazon for about $20 which left me with more than enough for the 450 or so students I serve at my school. It is so helpful for our students to have a basic understanding of perseverance for us to later reference when we are discussing hard work, school success, college readiness, etc.

Lesson Title: Perseverance

Grade(s): K-5

ASCA Standards:

• A:B2.6 Understand the relationship between classroom performance and success in school
• PS:A1.3 Learn the goal-setting process
• PS:B1.10 Identify alternative ways of achieving goals
• PS:B1.11 Use persistence and perseverance in acquiring knowledge and skills

Learning Objectives:

• Students will be able to define perseverance and list three ways they can use perseverance to successfully reach a goal

Materials:

• Sour Patch Kids Candy (enough for each child to have 1)
• Technology to show the following video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWp6kkz-pnQ
• Printable Handouts:

Grades K-1: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Dont-Give-Up-Sesame-Street-Bruno-Mars-2295552

Grades 2-5:
https://www.sunnydayfamily.com/2018/02/persistence-activities.html

Lesson:

Start by handing out 1 sour patch kid candy to each student. Tell them not to eat them until you say. Ask them if they know what happens when they eat a sour patch kid. Call on them until someone says “First it is sour, then it is sweet.” Then tell them to pay attention to what happens when they eat one. After they eat it and say how sour it is, explain that stuff in their lives is very similar. Many things start off very sour or difficult, but the reward is so sweet and worthwhile.

This week we are learning about Perseverance.

Define perseverance: Trying over and over even when it is difficult.

Show students the following video on perseverance and tell them to pay attention to some of the ways Bruno Mars tells us that we can practice perseverance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWp6kkz-pnQ

          Discussion:

• How can we use perseverance to succeed?
  • Studying for tests to get good grades
  • Getting good grades to graduate high school and college
  • Working out to become strong
  • Climbing a mountain to see the top
  • Practicing a sport to get good at it
• Why should we use perseverance?
  • So that we don’t give up
  • So that we can succeed
  • To be a good role model
• How can we get better at using perseverance?
  • Stay positive (happy thoughts)
  • Positive self-talk
  • Encouraging others
  • Set small goals within a big goal
  • Give ourselves rewards
  • Compete with our past self or others (when helpful and done with kindness)
  • Ask someone to help us stay accountable
  • Asking others for help
  • Don’t let failures get us down

Grades: K-1: Hand out the following worksheet to each student: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Dont-Give-Up-Sesame-Street-Bruno-Mars-2295552

Ask students to think of at least one thing that requires them to have perseverance in order for them to reach their goals.

At the end of class, ask students if they would like to share what they wrote/drew.

Grades 2-5: Hand out the following worksheet (Page 1 of the pdf) to each student (you can access this worksheet (Perseverance Activity Pack) found near the bottom of the page by adding it to your cart and checking out, but it is totally free):

https://www.sunnydayfamily.com/2018/02/persistence-activities.html

At the end of class, ask students if they would like to share what they wrote/drew.