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Self-Awareness: Identity & Values

Ninth graders deepen their self-awareness by examining identity, strengths, and core values — and building the self-efficacy and growth mindset that help them navigate high school and beyond with confidence.

Grade 9CASEL: Self-Awareness45 minutes1 class periodCASEL SELExplicit teaching4 StandardsCASEL
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Reflect on identity.
  • ✓Name strengths and values.
  • ✓Build self-efficacy.
  • ✓Apply a growth mindset.
Essential Question

High school is a time of figuring out who you are. Knowing your identity, strengths, and values gives you a compass for the choices ahead. How well do you know yourself?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

The Self-Awareness Explorer

Project this and tap each idea. Have students explore identity, strengths, values, self-efficacy, and growth mindset.

🧠 Explore self-awareness — tap eachTry it

The Lesson · SEL Flow (Check-In · Learn · Practice · Apply · Reflect)

45 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Check-In — Who Am I?

5 min

High school is about figuring out who you are — how well do you know yourself?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Do a values check-in.
  • Ask about identity.
  • Set a reflective tone.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Reflect.
  • Consider.
  • Get ready.
2

Learn — Identity & Values

12 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to the Self-Awareness Explorer.
  • Note identity and values.
  • Note growth mindset.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Tap each.
  • Note them.
  • Reflect.
3

Practice — Practice

13 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a core value.
  • List strengths.
  • Rewrite a fixed-mindset thought.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name it.
  • List them.
  • Rewrite it.
4

Apply — My Compass

10 min

Students apply.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Connect a value to a choice.
  • Set a growth goal.
  • Reflect honestly.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Connect it.
  • Set it.
  • Reflect.
5

Reflect — Reflect

5 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Share a value.
  • Explain self-efficacy.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Share it.
  • Explain it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the CASEL 5 Social & Emotional Learning Competencies.

CASEL
Self-Awareness

Examine identity and how it shapes perspective.

CASEL
Self-Awareness

Identify personal strengths and core values.

CASEL
Self-Awareness

Develop self-efficacy and confidence.

CASEL
Self-Awareness

Demonstrate a growth mindset.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Values word bank.
  • Sentence frame: “A value I hold is ___.”
  • Use a strengths list.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with one value.
  • Use a word bank.
  • Focus on strengths.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Write an identity statement.
  • Map values to goals.
  • Analyze a role model’s values.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 📓Reflection journals
  • 💻The Self-Awareness Explorer
  • ⭐A values list
  • ✏️Pens
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

self-awarenessunderstanding your own thoughts, feelings, and valuesidentityeverything that makes you who you arevaluea principle that matters most to youstrengthsomething you do wellself-efficacybelief that you can handle challengesgrowth mindsetbelief that ability grows with effortreflectionthinking honestly about yourselfconfidencetrust in your own abilities
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is self-efficacy?
The belief that you can handle challenges and improve with effort.
QUESTION 2
What is a value? Give an example.
A principle that matters most to you — like honesty, fairness, or family.
QUESTION 3
How does a growth mindset view mistakes?
As chances to learn and improve, not as proof of failure.

Reflect: your compass.

Have students write a short statement naming two core values and one strength, and how these guide their choices in high school. A printable self-awareness sheet is in the SEL library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Self-Awareness: Identity & ValuesFlip
Card 1
Term
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Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Self-Awareness: Identity & ValuesQuiz
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Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Self-Awareness: Identity & ValuesPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: confidence, growth mindset, identity, reflection, self-awareness, self-efficacy, strength, value
  1. a principle that matters most to you
  2. thinking honestly about yourself
  3. trust in your own abilities
  4. understanding your own thoughts, feelings, and values
  5. something you do well
  6. everything that makes you who you are
  7. belief that you can handle challenges
  8. belief that ability grows with effort

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is self-efficacy?
  2. What is a value? Give an example.
  3. How does a growth mindset view mistakes?
Answer key — Part A: 1) value · 2) reflection · 3) confidence · 4) self-awareness · 5) strength · 6) identity · 7) self-efficacy · 8) growth mindset
Part B: 1) The belief that you can handle challenges and improve with effort. 2) A principle that matters most to you — like honesty, fairness, or family. 3) As chances to learn and improve, not as proof of failure.