Appreciating Ourselves Well

National Curriculum Links

Subject: Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE)
Key stage: 2 (Year 4, aged 8-9)
Relevant Programme of Study:

Health and Wellbeing: Recognise and appreciate positive qualities and achievements of self and others (KS2)
Building Relationships: Appreciate the range of human emotions and develop skills to express feelings appropriately
Self-regulation and Emotional Literacy: Learn ways to manage feelings and recognise how these affect behaviour

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils will:

Understand how to appreciate themselves using their Character Strengths
Reflect on gratitude in different areas of their lives using the Gratitude Wheel
Practise expressing appreciation for themselves and others
Recognise the science behind gratitude, including its benefits on the brain (dopamine and neural pathways)
Develop a personal habit of recognising gratitude regularly

Success Criteria

I can:

Explain what dopamine has to do with gratitude
Describe different areas I am grateful for using the Gratitude Wheel
Use my Character Strengths to appreciate myself positively
Show appreciation to others and notice good experiences around me
Commit to developing my Attitude of Gratitude daily or weekly

Resources Needed

Wheel of Gratitude spinner (physical or digital) with categories: People, Experiences, Things, Myself, Nature, Learning
Whiteboard and pen (interactive board preferred)
Individual journals or gratitude worksheets
Printable Character Strengths list for Year 4 (e.g. kindness, creativity, honesty)
'Happy Breathing' audio or script
Habit Agreement sheet for class signature
Gratitude Mirror activity sheet (optional)

Lesson Structure (45 minutes)

1. Introduction & Starter Quiz (5 minutes)

Welcome the class and introduce today’s theme: “Appreciating Ourselves.”
Conduct a quick quiz (use show of hands) with these questions and answers:
1. What happens in our brain when we show gratitude? (Answer: Dopamine is released)
2. How can gratitude help us when things are tough? (Answer: Helps us see the good even in hard times)
3. What happens when we practise gratitude regularly? (Answer: Neural pathways form that build new habits)
Briefly explain the importance of gratitude connected to wellbeing.

2. Time to Chat: Gratitude Categories Reflection (5 minutes)

Introduce the Wheel of Gratitude showing different categories (People, Experiences, Things, Myself, Nature, Learning).
Ask pupils to silently reflect and then share what they are grateful for in different categories.
Prompt: “Which category do you usually think about the most? Which could you think about more?”

3. Activity Time: Spin the Wheel of Gratitude (10 minutes)

Spin the wheel 3–4 times as a class.
Each spin, ask several pupils to share something they are grateful for from that category.
Encourage them to be specific and relate it to their own Character Strengths (e.g., “I’m grateful for my creativity when I paint”).

4. Time to Chat: Character Strengths & Self-Appreciation (7 minutes)

On the board, list common Character Strengths relevant to Year 4 pupils.
Model how to choose your top 3 strengths and appreciate yourself for each.
Guided question: “How do your strengths help you be grateful for who you are?”
Pupils then write or draw their own top strengths in their journals and reflect on how these help them appreciate themselves.

5. Happy Breathing: Positive Thought (4 minutes)

Explain the breathing exercise: focus on positive things in life to grow gratitude.
Lead the class through a 'Happy Breathing' routine, focusing on calming and positive thoughts.

6. Time to Journal: Practising Gratitude for Ourselves (8 minutes)

Pupils complete a journaling activity: “Today I appreciate myself because…”
Encourage linking to their character strengths, things they are grateful for in their lives, or recent positive experiences.
Circulate to support, encourage detail and positivity.

7. Recap and Habit Agreement (5 minutes)

Recap key learning:
1. Dopamine helps us feel good when we express gratitude.
2. Our Character Strengths are tools to appreciate ourselves.
3. It’s important to tell others when we’re grateful for them.
Introduce the Habit Agreement: a class commitment to spin the Wheel of Gratitude regularly and develop an Attitude of Gratitude.
Invite all pupils to sign or mark their agreement.

Retrieval Task (for ongoing assessment and recap)

“My Happy Mind – Gratitude Retrieval Quiz”

What chemical does our brain release when we show gratitude?
Name three categories from the Wheel of Gratitude.
What is one way you can appreciate yourself using your Character Strengths?
How can thinking about gratitude help when you feel sad or upset?
What habits can help you grow an Attitude of Gratitude?

This can be done as a quick quiz answer on mini whiteboards, a talk partner activity, or individual written reflection.

Teacher Notes & Tips

Relate vocabulary to the children's everyday experiences and language level (e.g. dopamine as a “happy chemical”).
Model vulnerability when sharing your own gratitude example to encourage openness.
Use praise to reinforce contributions that include specific feelings and character reflections.
Consider pairing pupils for reflections, ensuring sensitive and supportive peer-sharing.
Reinforce whole-class mindfulness and emotional safety during ‘Happy Breathing’.
Extend learning: use the Gratitude Mirror at home or in Future PSHE lessons to deepen self-appreciation.

This lesson builds essential life skills aligned with the National Curriculum’s emphasis on self-awareness, emotional literacy, and positive mental health, while actively engaging pupils with interactive and reflective activities tailored for Year 4.