Values Warm Up Handout Values Warm-Up
Inner Power // Series 01
What Matters To You?
Think about a time you felt really good about something you did. What was it? Why did it feel good?
The Superhero Shift
Imagine you have a superhero power that lets you change one thing about the world. What would you change and why?
NAME: __________________________________________________
DATE: ____________________
Your Values Your Power Lesson Plan Your Values, Your Power
FACILITATOR LESSON PLAN
REF: ACT-V01
The Why
Understanding personal values helps students find purpose and meaning in their lives, which can increase motivation and their ability to bounce back from challenges. This lesson provides tools to connect their actions to what truly matters to them.
Learning Objective
Students will identify personal values, understand their connection to meaning, and recognize how aligning actions with values builds resilience, using ACT-informed principles.
Time
40 MINS
Audience
High School (Sub-Separate Environment)
Preparation Steps
Review all generated materials: Slide Deck, Warm-Up, Exploration Activity, Discussion Guide, Worksheet, and Charades Game.
Ensure projector/screen is set up for the slide deck.
Print copies of the My Values in Action Worksheet for each student.
Prepare small slips of paper or index cards for the Values Exploration Activity.
Familiarize yourself with basic ACT principles related to values and committed action.
Instructional Sequence
01
Warm-Up: What Matters To You?
5 MINS
Distribute the Values Warm-Up activity. Instruct students to reflect and write individually. Briefly invite shares, emphasizing no right/wrong answers.
02
Introduction: Values & Meaning
10 MINS
Present the Slide Deck . Introduce 'values' as compass directions. Facilitate a short discussion using the Discussion Guide to connect to warm-up responses.
03
Activity: Values Exploration
10 MINS
Use the Exploration Activity handout. Students identify their top 3-5 values and write them on individual slips of paper.
04
Worksheet: My Values in Action
10 MINS
Distribute the Values in Action Worksheet . Students brainstorm 1-2 small, realistic actions they can take this week that align with their chosen values.
05
Game & Wrap-Up: Values Charades
5 MINS
Conclude with the Values Charades Game . Students act out values for others to guess. Reiterate the main takeaway: values build resilience.
Our Values Our Power Slide Deck Your Values,
Your Power
What truly drives you? What makes you feel alive?
What Are Values?
Your Deepest Desires
What is most important to you in life?
Guiding Principles
They are like a compass that points you in a direction.
How You Want to Be
Not goals to check off, but qualities of your actions.
Values = Meaning
When you live by your values, your life feels significant .
It gives you a "WHY" for what you do.
Even small actions feel powerful when they connect to your values.
"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." — Friedrich Nietzsche
Resilience: Bouncing Back
Life throws challenges at us. Resilience is your ability to "bounce back" and keep going.
The Power of Why
Your values give you strength and a reason to persevere when things get tough. They are your anchor in the storm.
Activity Time
Find Your Core Values
We're going to explore a list of values. Choose the ones that truly speak to you.
Personal
Authentic
Meaningful
Values
in Action!
It's not enough to know your values. How can you live them?
We'll brainstorm small, everyday actions that reflect what's important to you.
Values Charades!
Time to act it out! Can you show your values without saying a word?
Let's have some fun!
Values Exploration Activity Values Exploration
WHAT MATTERS MOST TO YOU?
Student Identification
NAME: _____________________________
Instructions: Read through the list below. Circle or highlight any values that resonate with you. Don't overthink it—just pick the ones that feel important.
Adventure: New experiences & challenges.
Authenticity: Being true to yourself.
Caring: Kindness and empathy.
Community: Belonging and contributing.
Creativity: Expressing yourself.
Curiosity: Learning and exploring.
Determination: Persisting and hard work.
Fairness: Standing up for what's right.
Family: Valuing family relationships.
Friendship: Valuing close friends.
Growth: Improving skills and knowledge.
Health: Physical and mental well-being.
Honesty: Truthful and trustworthy.
Humor: Finding joy and laughter.
Independence: Self-reliance.
Integrity: Doing what's right.
Kindness: Being gentle and friendly.
Leadership: Guiding others.
Meaningful Work: Impactful work.
Nature: Connecting with outdoors.
Open-mindedness: New perspectives.
Peace: Calm and harmony.
Achievement: Accomplishing goals.
Respect: Treating others with esteem.
Responsibility: Being accountable.
Security: Feeling safe and stable.
Self-Care: Prioritizing well-being.
Service: Helping others.
Spirituality: Larger connection.
Stability: Consistency.
Narrow It Down: My Top 3-5
Choose the 3-5 most important values and write them below. Then, write each one on a separate small slip of paper for our next activity.
01
02
03
04
05
Finding Meaning Discussion Guide Finding Meaning
DISCUSSION GUIDE & FACILITATION SCRIPT
REF: GUIDE-02
Purpose
To help students articulate the connection between their personal values and a sense of meaning or purpose in their lives. Use these prompts to bridge the gap between "what I care about" and "how I feel."
1
Opening
"Alright everyone, you just thought about some things that really matter to you in our warm-up. Now, let's connect that to something even bigger: finding meaning."
"When you think about the things you wrote down in the warm-up, how do those ideas make your life feel more important or worthwhile?"
Discussion Notes
2
Contrast
"Have you ever felt like you were doing something just because you 'had to', but it didn't really feel good inside? What was that like?"
Discussion Notes
3
Alignment
"Now, think about the opposite: a time when you were doing something that felt truly right or fulfilling. What was different about that experience? How did it connect to something you deeply cared about?"
Discussion Notes
4
Action
"The things we truly care about - our values - help us find meaning. When we live in a way that aligns with our values, even small actions can feel important. Can anyone share an example of a small action they took that felt meaningful because it connected to something they valued?"
Discussion Notes
5
Resilience
"Why do you think it's important to know what gives your life meaning? How might that help you when things get tough?"
Discussion Notes
My Values in Action Worksheet Values in Action
BUILDING RESILIENCE THROUGH ACTION
NAME: _____________________________
DATE: ______________________________
"Now that you've identified your top values, let's think about how you can actually live them every day. When you act in ways that are important to you, it helps you feel stronger and more able to handle challenges."
My Top Values
1. ____________________________
4. ____________________________ (Optional)
2. ____________________________
5. ____________________________ (Optional)
3. ____________________________
Brainstorm: Small Steps
For each value, think of 1-2 SMALL, REALISTIC actions you could take this week .
V1:
Action 1
Action 2
V2:
Action 1
Action 2
V3:
Action 1
Action 2
Reflection
1. Pick one action from your list. How do you think taking this action would make you feel? How might it help you feel more resilient (stronger) if you face a tough situation?
2. Even if you don't always feel motivated, why might it be important to try and act on your values anyway?
Values Charades Game Guide Values Charades
ACT-IT-OUT GAME GUIDE
Lesson Finale
Purpose
To playfully reinforce the understanding of personal values and encourage non-verbal expression of these concepts. This low-stakes activity helps students internalize their "inner power" in a social setting.
Preparation
Ensure each student has their 3-5 chosen value slips from the Exploration Activity . No other special equipment is needed.
How to Play
01
The Challenge: One student volunteer picks one of their value slips (secretly) and acts it out for the class to guess.
02
Silence! The actor cannot speak, make sounds, or point to physical objects. Body language and gestures only.
03
Guessing: Classmates raise hands to guess. The actor can use a thumbs up/down to give feedback on guesses.
04
Rotation: Once guessed correctly, the successful guesser (or a new volunteer) takes the next turn.
Acting Cheat Sheet (Examples)
Caring: Hugging self, pretending to help someone up.
Humor: Silent joke telling, funny faces, laughing.
Growth: Miming a plant growing or reading a book.
Nature: Pretending to look at trees or bird watching.
Health: Miming exercise or eating a healthy snack.
Peace: Deep breaths, closed eyes, calm posture.
Debrief Prompts
Was it easy or hard to act out your value? Why?
Did seeing others act out values help you understand them better?
How can knowing these values help us understand each other better?
