CHARACTER COUNTS! Kindness 101

Resilience – Meet the Dog Who Learned to Walk Like a Human

Resilience is the ability to recover from challenges and setbacks and persevere through difficult situations. It requires trust in yourself and taking responsibility for your actions.

Resilience
Grade Level: K-12
 
Character Skills
  • Trustworthiness
  • Responsibility
SEL Skills
  • Responsible Decision-Making
  • Self-Management
Academic Skills
  • Diligent Learner 
  • Effective Problem Solving

Definitions

Trustworthiness
  • Be honest. Don’t deceive, cheat, or steal.
  • Have integrity. Do what you say you’ll do.
  • Keep your promises.
  • Be loyal. Stand by your values.
Responsibility
  • Do what you are supposed to do. Try your best.
  • Persevere. Keep on trying.
  • Be self-disciplined.
  • Think before you act. Consider the consequences.
  • Be accountable for your words, actions, and attitudes.
Responsible Decision-Making

Make decisions based on rationality, ethics, and effectiveness.

Self-Management

Regulate emotions, attitudes, and actions and resist negative emotions and impulses.

Diligent Learner

Have a growth mindset and be willing to learn from mistakes. 

Effective Problem Solving

Make rational, ethical, and effective decisions to find the best solutions to problems.

Learn more about our character, SEL, and academic outcomes.
Share This Activity
The Ray Center at Drake University
CBS News

Students will learn about resilience from Dexter, a dog who was severely injured when he was hit by a car. They will think about how they can be resilient in their own lives after learning from Dexter.

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activiate prior knowledge

Activate Prior Knowledge

  • Have you ever seen a dog using a wheelchair?
  • What is the definition of resilience?
    • Resilience is the capacity to withstand or recover quickly from difficulties.
Kindness 101

Kindness 101 Video

discussion

Discussion Prompts

  • What examples of resilience and determination did you see in the video?
  • How can resilience help you overcome setbacks, injuries, obstacles, or disabilities?
  • How can Dexter’s story inspire us to adapt to and persevere through challenges in our own lives?
activity

Activity: Wheelbarrow Challenge

  • Clear a space from one side of the room to another for a safe space to complete the activity.
  • Divide students into partners (one as the wheelbarrow and one as the spotter).
  • The wheelbarrow will place their hands on the ground and kick up into a handstand position while the spotter grabs the ankles or calves of the wheelbarrow to hold them upright.
  • Next, the wheelbarrow will begin to walk from one side of the room to the other while the spotter holds their partner’s calves or ankles to guide them.
  • The spotter and the wheelbarrow can then switch positions and walk back to the other side of the room.
  • Follow-up questions:
    • How did the Wheelbarrow Challenge make you feel?
    • What strategies did you use to maintain balance and coordination?
    • How did you work together to show resilience as a team?
journal prompts

Journal Prompts

K-5

  • Draw a picture or write a story of a superhero and tell how they overcome a problem.
  • Draw or write about a time you had to overcome a challenge.

6-12

  • Write about a time when you faced a challenge and how you overcame it.
  • Write about a person in your life who has shown resilience. List some of the qualities they possess.
family connection

Family Connection

Educators: Copy the Family Connection and email it to parents, or click here to download a PDF version to email or print.

Watch
Watch the video as a family: https://youtu.be/2hZiyJ7bLq4

Discuss
Use these questions to start a meaningful discussion about resilience.

  • What character skills did Dexter demonstrate? How can we apply those to our own lives?
  • What can we learn from resilient animals like Dexter?

Activity
Create a Resilience Jar

  • Label a jar “Resilience Jar.” Then, have each family member write down a problem they are currently facing or have faced in the past on one side of paper.
  • If the problem they faced was solved, write the solution on the back of the paper. If the problem has not been resolved, leave the back blank.
  • Place all of the pieces of paper into the resilience jar with the problems facing up.
  • Take turns pulling out a piece of paper from the resilience jar during family time. Reflect on lessons learned in resilience and address current challenges as a family unit.

More Kindness 101

CHARACTER COUNTS! Lessons and Activities

 

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