Perseverance Activity Classroom Guidance Lesson (2024)

Usually around the end of February or beginning of March, I like to do a perseverance activity in classroom guidance. I find that this is the time of year when everyone is feeling a little burned out. Students (and teachers!) need time to refocus on goals and remind themselves of the skills they have that will help them make it to the finish line. Below you’ll find a short hook video and a fun activity to re-energize students and open a discussion about how they can refocus on their goals and finish the year strong!

This adorable Caminandes video is a perfect lesson hook to set up your perseverance activity and discussion. This llama does everything he can to reach his goal and doesn’t let the obstacles keep him down!

• What challenges did the llama face?
• How did the llama persevere toward his goal?
• What feelings do you think he experienced while chasing the fruit?
• How does it feel when you face challenges when you’re working toward a goal?
• What kind of things can you say to yourself to help you persevere toward a goal?

Review things that students can say to themselves to build themselves up while working toward a goal:

• “I can do this! It might be hard, but if I keep trying, I’ll get there.”
• “I have the skills to succeed!”
• “I can find strategies that work for me!”

Talk about strategies students can use when they face challenges:

• Take a break to regroup
• Analyze strategies and pay attention to what is working and what’s not to refocus efforts
• Celebrate small successes

Partner students in your preferred way. I like to have 2-piece picture puzzles and give each student one piece and let them find their partner to mix things up. Give each partner group a plastic cup and 10 of some small item (e.g. mini marshmallows, mini erasers). Have students stand across from one another. One student will hold the plastic cup and one student will hold the 10 mini items. The student with the mini item will underhand toss the items one at a time to the partner with the cup. The goal is for students to catch all 10 of the items in the cup without dropping any.If you have a larger space and want more of a challenge, have students take one step backwards after catching a marshmallow/eraser.

• On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being not at all challenging and 10 being extremely challenging, how challenging was this activity for you and your partner?
• What challenges did you face during the activity?
• What strategies did you use to overcome the challenges?
• How did you talk to yourself and your partner to help you persevere toward the goal?
• What goal are you persevering toward now?
• How will the things we talked about and tried today help you to persevere in the face of challenges?

Do your students need a boost to finish the year strong and persevere towards their goals? Even with spring break on the horizon, I find February and March to be a tough time of year! How do you help your students persevere toward their goals? Let me know in the comments! Your students might also enjoy this perseverance escape room activity.