Life Skills & Leadership: Unit 1, Session 2: Stages of Adolescence | Page 20 of 95IV. Application (15 minutes)
Materials:
Participants will “find” objects in the room and/or outside
Poster board, art supplies (markers, glue, old picture magazines, etc.)
A. Symbolic Me
Participants find objects that represent their uniqueness and are symbolic of their own relationship to the
adolescent development stages.
- Give participants a chance to summarize what they have learned about assets and adolescence. Say:
“We’ve learned about personal assets and how they can help us deal with the inevitable changes in life,
including those that happen during adolescence. I’d like you to think about some of the changes you are
dealing with, as well as your assets. Take a few minutes to think about where you are in your physical,
mental, emotional, and social growth. When you are ready, look around the learning setting, look
among your possessions, look nearby or outside and try to find an object that is a symbol for, or
somehow represents, the way you are right now in your life.”(Encourage participants to look for an object. If anyone is having trouble finding something
appropriate, suggest that they think of a character in a book or movie who is like they are now.)Note: Some possible found objects could include the following to symbolize development and changes: new, soft bright
green leaves; a flower blossom; a stone in the stream being smoothed and polished; a seed ready to be planted and
nurtured, a seashell that used to be the house for a hermit crab that has moved on to another shell, cocoons or chrysalis,
etc.- Ask people to return in about five minutes. Sit in a circle and give all participants a chance to share
their objects and to talk about themselves. Encourage participants to make sure everyone has an
opportunity to share by keeping their explanations short – about 30 seconds each. Thank everyone for
sharing.
B. Summary
Summarize by saying:“How we define ourselves in a given moment might be different than how we see ourselves at a later
moment. This can be particularly true during adolescence. You have identified an object that symbolizes
you in this very moment. Hold onto your symbolic objects and over the hours, days, and weeks ahead,
see if the object continually describes you or if other objects would be more fitting, more appropriate at
different times.”