Symbolism and Mental Health Lesson Plan

William Jacob Krovitz, August 2, 2023

This blog post features and original lesson plan that concerns the topic of symbolism (an object, shape, sign, or character used to represent something else) and combining it with mental health. This lesson takes the idea of an object having significant meaning and representing something else and connecting it to student's own lives. Students, with their understanding of symbolism, will create a symbol of their own and descibe its meaning.

When I made this lesson plan, I thought about a coping strategy I learned from a therapist a few years ago right before COVID. She asked me to find an object that can hold meaning to me that I can carry with me or put up in spaces I'm typically in that can serve as a reminder to help me through different things.

My therapist explained that she enjoys butterflies. (Seeing her office decor, this was obvious.) She never did disclose why butterflies had been significant to her, but I took her assignment thoughtfully. I thought it over and pictured a sunflower.

I love sunflowers. Their petals are a warm yellow, the brown perfectly round center looks like a bed for a tired bee, and the thick, strong green pole-like steam always stands tall. Sunflowers always face the sunshine. Young sunflowers will follow the sun throughout the day. They are a bight, gorgeous flower.

Sunflowers are a reminder to me to stand tall and face the sunshine. Work through the hard stuff and stay confident in yourself. Sunflowers don't bend to a thunderstorm, they stand through it. I will do the same.

This special meaning is why sunflowers are a symbol to me. This very thing is what this lesson asks students to do--choose something special (either something specific or a general object) and describe why that object has meaning and what that meaning is (making it a symbol).

Below is the link to the Google Drive folder where all materials are available for your personal use. Please enjoy! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me via my About Me page.

Upcoming:

In my next article and podcast episode, I will be discussing journaling in the classroom, what it looks like in my classroom, what I've seen come from implementing it in my classroom, the benefits of journaling, and the research that supports why it can be a supportive, positive addition to your classroom, regardless of content area or grade. There's so much I have to say about journaling in the classroom. Be prepared for lots of informaiton and resources!

Stay Tuned! -William Jacob Krovitz