What is Contentment?

Wesley McCorkle
7th Grade Physical Education Class

Common Core Standards:

Standard 4 Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others.

1. Offer positive suggestions or constructive feedback to facilitate group progress.

2. Demonstrate cooperation with peers of different gender, race and ability in physical activity settings.
3. Resolve conflict with sensitivity to the rights and feelings of others.
4. Accept and respect decisions made by the designated official.

Lesson Summary:

The purpose of this lesson is to discuss what contentment means and what contentment looks like to the
students. It is also to discuss how to be more positive, instead of negative with others.

Estimated Duration:

This lesson will be over a two-day period, with each class period totaling 50 minutes each.

Commentary:

My hope for this lesson is for the students to understand what contentment means and what it looks like to
each of the students.

Instructional Procedures:

Day 1:
20 Minutes: Students will sit in a circle. Each student will get an opportunity to explain what contentment
means to them. A wireless microphone will be passed around to each student while they are speaking.
20 Minutes: I will project on the screen with the projector the definition of contentment. I will also show
examples of what contentment look like and ways to feel contentment.
10 Minutes: We will end the discussion by acknowledging how negative thoughts or actions are not ways for
people to feel contentment.
Day 2:
30 Minutes: Students will be given paper and coloring utensils to draw a picture of what they feel
contentment looks like to them.
20 Minutes: Students will come back to together to share their drawings and what their drawings represent.

Pre-Assessment:

Students will identify in a discussion one characteristic that they relate to what feeling contentment means.

Scoring Guidelines:

Students will be scored on their participation in the discussions and on their drawing (that it represents
feeling contentment).
Post-Assessment:

Students will follow-up the two-day lesson by participating in an activity and expressing positive and kind
comments to their fellow classmates.

Scoring Guidelines:
Students will receive an S or U on the activity, depending on if they give a positive or negative comment to
their classmates.

Differentiated Instructional Support

Students who show an understanding of what feeling contentment is and looks like will help those students
who are struggling with understanding the concept.

Extension
https://zenhabits.net/contentment/

This site gives further explanations and examples of what feeling contentment means and why it is so
important.
Homework Options and Home Connections

Students will not have any homework with this lesson.

Interdisciplinary Connections

This lesson can be incorporated into an Art class. It can also be incorporated into a Psychology class.

Materials and Resources:

For teachers: Wireless microphone, Projector, Screen, Laptop, Speakers

For students: Paper, Coloring Utensils

Key Vocabulary
Contentment, Peace, Happiness, Positive Actions, Positive Comments