Ages: 7-12

Lesson Objective:

One of the most fundamental skills we teach our students through social-emotional learning is leadership. 

Children will identify and act on qualities they believe make a strong and effective leader.

Group Meeting:

Gather your group to the meeting area and have them take a seat.

1. 1. Hand out butcher paper or use a whiteboard split in two sections. On your visual, write out the following in each section:
      1. Good leaders
      2. Traits of good leaders

• Introduce the lesson by telling the children that your discussion and activity are going to be about leaders and how we can be effective as one.

• Tell the group to think of someone in leadership they really look up to. Have the group write on your visual or verbalize out loud for you to write.

1. 1. 1. Some examples may include a parent, teacher, coach, pastor/religious leader, sibling, historical figure or mentor.

• Afterward, get ready to write some of these answers on the other half of your visual, and ask the following questions:

1. 1. 1. “Of the people we have written out, what qualities, strengths, or traits do they have that make them a good leader?”
      2. “What can a leader do to make it easier to listen to them?”
      3. “What can a leader do to make you not want to listen to them?”
      4. “Do you have to be a certain age to lead people?”
      5. “Would you rather have a leader be someone who works alongside you or just tell you what to do?”

• Say to the group, “There are many different ways to lead. A drill sergeant in the army may use a loud voice and a serious face to get people to listen, while someone like Martin Luther King Jr. used compassion and inspiring speeches to earn respect. It’s up to you what kind of leader you want to be, and it’s up to you to decide what types of leaders you have the most respect for.”

1. 1. 1. Discuss reasons there may be different kinds of leaders in different places or environments.

• To transition to the activity, tell the children that today we’ll be playing a game where the kids can think about the kind of leader they’d like to be, and maybe get to act on their ideas.

Summary of Tasks/Activity:

Pass the Hoop

1. Have your group stand in a circle and join hands, including you and whatever help or volunteers you have. 
2. One person in the circle needs to put a hula hoop around their arm. 
3. Now, try to pass the hula hoop all the way around the circle. 
   1. Explain these rules well and give helpful hints throughout. Be encouraging.

Human Knot

1. Have all the kids stand in a circle, facing inward.
2. Tell everyone to reach their right arm toward the center and grab someone else’s hand. Make sure no one grabs the hand of the person next to them.
3. Next, have everyone reach their left arm in and grab someone else’s hand. Again, make sure it’s not the person next to them.
4. The kids need to work together to untangle the human knot without letting go of any hands. The goal is to end up in a perfect circle again. They can go over or under each other’s arms, or through legs if needed!
   1. Encourage them to do whatever they want, as long as they don’t break the chain in the process and stay safe with their actions.

Let the Kids Lead

1. Now, the challenge begins. Allow the students to play these games again, but without you or any volunteers playing or assisting. 
   1. See if the game becomes easier or more difficult. Who steps up to assist in the challenge?
2. Once the challenge round is over, talk as a group, and reflect on what worked and what didn’t work.
   1. Who stepped up in terms of leadership? 
   2. Was their leadership style effective?
   3. Does the process work better with or without someone leading?

Materials/Equipment:

• Butcher paper or whiteboard
• Markers or dry erase markers
• Hula hoop

Class 11 — Leadership PDF Lesson Plan