Resilience Reindeer Games Lesson Plan Resilience Reindeer Games
Lesson Plan • Social-Emotional Learning
Duration 60 Min
Why This Matters
This lesson teaches students valuable life skills like resilience and problem-solving in a fun and relatable way. They will learn that challenges are opportunities to grow and that effort is just as important as the outcome.
Target Audience
K-5 Students (Tier 1)
Approach
Interactive games & reflection
Learning Objective
"Students will learn about perseverance and problem-solving through engaging, holiday-themed 'reindeer games', understanding the importance of bouncing back from setbacks and celebrating effort."
Teacher Preparation
Review the Resilience Reindeer Games Slide Deck and familiarize yourself with the content.
Gather all necessary materials: cones, beanbags, hula hoops, and stacking blocks/cups.
Print the Reindeer Team Challenge Game instructions for reference.
Review the Resilience Discussion Prompts to facilitate conversation.
Arrange the classroom or gym space for the game activity, ensuring enough room for movement and obstacle courses.
Pre-assign students into teams of 3-4 for the game activity.
Materials List
Lesson Instructions
1
Introduction: What is Resilience?
10 Minutes
Begin with the Slide Deck . Use the first few slides to introduce the concept of resilience in a child-friendly way, connecting it to reindeer and holiday challenges.
Facilitate a brief discussion using prompts: "What does it mean to try again when something is hard?" or "Have you ever had to work really hard at something, even when you wanted to give up?"
Tip: Use the 'flying reindeer' analogy to explain that everyone falls down while learning.
2
Reindeer Team Challenge
30 Minutes
Explain the rules of the Reindeer Team Challenge Game using Slides 4-5. Divide students into small teams of 3-4.
Guide students through the three mini-games: Obstacle Course Dash , Flying Formation , and Present Pile-Up .
Circulate between groups. Instead of helping them "win," offer encouragement and notice when they show resilience after a mistake or failure.
3
Reflection and Wrap-up
15 Minutes
Bring students back together. Use the final slides in the deck to facilitate a reflective discussion. Refer to the Discussion Prompts guide.
Ask: "What was challenging today?" , "How did your team keep trying?" , and "What did you learn about working together?"
Reiterate that it's okay to make mistakes and that trying your best is what truly matters. Conclude by celebrating everyone's effort and resilience.
Resilience Reindeer Games Slide Deck 🦌
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Resilience Reindeer Games!
Get ready to play and learn!
Teacher: Welcome students and introduce the fun, holiday theme.
What is Resilience?
Resilience means bouncing back when things are tough!
Imagine a reindeer learning to fly. It might fall down, but does it give up?
No! It shakes it off, tries again, and eventually soars!
🦌
Teacher: Use the reindeer learning to fly analogy. Ask for student examples.
Why is Resilience Important?
Keep trying, even when it's hard!
Learn from our mistakes.
Grow stronger and smarter!
Become amazing problem-solvers!
🧠✨
Teacher: Connect to everyday challenges like learning a new skill or solving a puzzle.
The Reindeer Team Challenge!
"Get ready to work together like Santa's reindeer!"
Your Mission
Complete a series of fun 'reindeer games' with your team.
The Goal
To keep trying, help each other, and have fun, even if things get tricky!
Teacher: Emphasize teamwork and effort over winning.
Challenge Details!
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Obstacle Dash
Navigate the course. If you touch a cone, your team starts that section again!
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Flying Formation
Toss beanbags into hoops. If you miss, keep trying until everyone has a turn!
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Present Pile-Up
Stack cups into the tallest pile. If it falls, rebuild from where it collapsed!
Teacher: Clearly state the rules. Remind them it's okay if they don't get it right away.
Let's Play!
Show your reindeer resilience!
Communicate
Encourage
Keep Trying
Reflecting on Our Journey
What did you learn today?
What was challenging during the games?
How did your team show resilience?
What did you do when things didn't go as planned?
Teacher: Guide a group reflection. Use open-ended questions.
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You Are Resilient!
Every time you try again, you grow stronger!
Mistakes = Learning Effort = Celebration
Reindeer Team Challenge Instructions Official Mission Briefing
Reindeer Team Challenge
Show Your Resilience!
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"Welcome, aspiring reindeer! Santa needs your help, and to be a great helper, you need to be resilient! That means trying your best, even when things are tough, and learning from every attempt. Work with your team to complete these challenges. Remember, it's about effort and teamwork , not just winning!"
Supplies Needed
Cones or markers (6-8)
Beanbags (1 per student)
Hula hoops (3-4)
Stacking cups or blocks
The Three Challenges
1
Obstacle Course Dash
Goal: Navigate the 'frozen forest' course without knocking over any trees (cones)!
Teams line up at the start. One student goes at a time.
If a student touches a cone or obstacle, they must stop, reset the obstacle, and go back to the start of that section before continuing.
Teammates must cheer and encourage the person on the course!
2
Flying Formation
Goal: Land your reindeer (beanbags) safely in the landing zones (hula hoops)!
Place hoops at different distances from the throwing line.
Each student tosses their beanbag. If they miss the hoop, they pick it up, go back to the line, and try again .
The team challenge is for everyone to land at least one beanbag in a zone.
3
Present Pile-Up
Goal: Stack the tallest possible 'present pile' using your team's cups or blocks!
Teams have 3 minutes to build the tallest stable tower they can.
If the pile falls over: Don't panic! Simply pick up the pieces and start building again from the base.Resilience Tip: Talk to your team about what caused the fall and try a different stacking method.
Resilience Reminders
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Mistakes are just data for your brain!
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Help your team when they feel like quitting.
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Effort is how you learn to fly!
"It doesn't matter how slow you go, as long as you do not stop." — Santa (Probably)
Resilience Discussion Prompts Guide Resilience Prompts
Discussion Guide for Educators
Use these prompts to guide a rich discussion with your students before and after the Reindeer Team Challenge. Encourage them to share their experiences and connect them to the concept of resilience.
1 Before the Game: Setting the Stage
5–10 Minutes
What does it mean to be resilient? Can you think of a time you were resilient?
Imagine you are a young reindeer learning to fly for Santa. What kinds of challenges might you face? How would you keep trying?
Why do you think it's important to keep trying, even when something is difficult?
How can we help our teammates when they are feeling frustrated or want to give up?
Facilitation Tip
For younger students (K-1), use physical motions like "shaking it off" or "standing back up" to demonstrate resilience. For older students, encourage them to describe specific emotions they feel when things get hard.
2 After the Game: Reflecting on Our Journey
10–15 Minutes
What was the most challenging part of the Reindeer Team Challenge today? Why was it challenging?
Can you remember a specific moment when you or a teammate showed resilience? What happened?
When your team faced a setback (like the present pile falling), what did you do? How did you regroup and try again?
How can you use the idea of resilience in other parts of your life, like schoolwork or learning a new sport?
What is one thing you will remember about being resilient from our Reindeer Games today?
Resilience is a superpower. Keep growing!
