Not all superheros wear capes, and not all superpowers involve incredible speed or invisibility. In this activity from elementary teacher Kriscia Cabral, students are encouraged to think about their passions and share the talents that make them special. These unique personal strengths are their very own superpowers.

The Power of Self-Worth

Start by asking your students what they know about superpowers. Brainstorm as a class and write down that superpowers are strengths that superheroes use. Then ask them to think about the superpowers they have inside themselves: 

• What is something you think you are great at? 
• What is the strength that drives your learning? 

Your students’ superpowers are the things they feel confident in. Their powers might be drawing, football, music, cooking, etc.—anything they would want to explore or do all day long.

Books About Self Worth

Introduce your students to characters who have made discoveries about their own personal strengths and self-worth. A few book suggestions are below, and you can find even more must-have books about confidence here.

Acknowledge and Write About Personal Strengths

Together as a class, have each student name one of their superpowers. Now that they are primed for self-reflection, your students should go to their writer’s notebooks and brainstorm what other superpowers they possess. Ask them to think about their drive and their passion. Where does this passion come from?

Your students can extend their thinking by taking the superpowers they listed and creating a narrative. Use the prompt: "Write about a day in your life where you used only your superpowers." The key to this prompt is having students imagine the "What if?" For example: What if your class met at a basketball game because basketball was one of your superpowers? Where would your learning go from there?

Art Extension Activity

Now it’s time for your students to highlight their superpowers by making art! You can leave the design and style of the activity to student choice, within the parameters of the assignment. They should write their name at the top and list their superpowers somewhere on the paper. Using crayon resist techniques, have your students outline all of their writing in black crayon and then use watercolors to paint over the top.

Posting the superhero art around the room will remind students of their unique qualities and differences and act as a guide for other talents they want to explore. For example, if a student wants to know more about basketball, they can look to see who has basketball as one of their superpowers and know that they can ask that student for help.

For Kriscia Cabral, the superpowers lesson is an opportunity to remind her students that they are all good at something. She believes that “for the individual, acknowledging their personal assets can be a source of inner strength when a challenge is upon them. When the group understands each other's strengths, it helps build our community and ensures no child is left feeling isolated and all children feel their own sense of worth.”

Shop more books about self-worth below! You can find all books and activities at The Teacher Store.