The 3 Book Series

Discover Yourself

Overview

Book 1, Discover Your Self, covers how various internal influences such as how the brain, emotions, psyche, morals, body and the mind/body connection interact to form one’s sense of self. That sense of self is introduced on the very first page and is explicitly developed page by page through self-reflective questions, journal entries and the vicarious learning opportunities presented through four main characters: Steve, Harrison, Nicki and Taylor.

After learning about various internal influences, your students will continue to develop their sense of self in Book 2, which focuses on external influences.

Table of Contents

Part I – Introduction

  1. First quiz
  2. Meet your characters

Part II – Your Brain

  1. Test drive
  2. What are synapses and why might you care
  3. Habits
  4. The difference between a reaction and a response
  5. Understanding those emotional outbursts
  6. Your car wash and personal detailing
  7. Your self summary

Part III – Your Emotions

  1. Test drive
  2. The difference between an emotion and a feeling
  3. Emotions are energy!
  4. How to create emotional awareness
  5. How to manage your emotions
  6. Positive expression of your emotions
  7. Your car wash and personal detailing
  8. Your self summary

Part IV – Your Psyche

  1. Test drive
  2. What are you thinking?
  3. Common thinking errors
  4. Feeling competent and building self-esteem
  5. Your car wash and personal detailing
  6. Your self summary

Part V – Your Morals

  1. How do your morals develop and what influences them?
  2. Morals + principles + values = character
  3. What is your code of conduct?
  4. What is “the right thing?”
  5. Advice when moral dilemmas happen
  6. How morals shape your future
  7. Your car wash and personal detailing
  8. Your self summary

Part VI – Your Body

  1. Puberty: A quick recap
  2. Are you accepting your new body?
  3. What messages about yourself are you sending?
  4. Your car wash and personal detailing
  5. Your self summary

Part VII – Your Mind/Body Connection

  1. Test drive
  2. Thoughts-words-deeds
  3. Stress
  4. Nutrition
  5. Your car wash and personal detailing
  6. Your self summary

Part VIII – End of the Line

  1. First quiz
  2. Your self summary
  3. Life-line
Topics Covered

Brain & Body

  • Brain development
  • Habit formation
  • Reactions vs. responses
  • Gender body differences
  • Puberty changes
  • Body acceptance
  • Body signals

Emotions & Psyche

  • Emotional awareness
  • Emotional management
  • Expressing emotions
  • Linking emotions and thoughts
  • Thinking errors
  • Self-esteem
  • Compentence

Morals & Mind/Body

  • Developing morals
  • Principles and character
  • Codes of conduct
  • “The Right Thing”
  • Stress
  • Nurtrition
  • Exercise

Manage Yourself

Overview

Book 2, Manage Your Self, examines the external influences with which your students grapple, including their social world, school, family, media, culture and past experiences. These factors, today more than ever, have a significant influence on their mental health. Your students are invited to explore how they are impacted by these various elements and how they can best manage those influences to remain true to themselves. Having learned what contributes to their sense of self, readers move on to learn how to express that self in Book 3.

Table of Contents

Part I – Introduction

  1. Character summaries
  2. First quiz

Part II  – Your Social World

  1. Your tools for creating a positive social foundation
  2. How will you build your social foundation?
  3. Your crushes
  4. Your peer pressures
  5. Tips from the pros
  6. Your car wash and personal detailing
  7. Your self summary

Part III – Your School

  1. Test drive
  2. Getting to know your school
  3. What role do you play in your school?
  4. Your teachers
  5. School safety
  6. School bullies – what to do
  7. School survival tips from the pros
  8. Your car wash and personal detailing
  9. Your self summary

Part IV – Your Family

  1. Test Drive
  2. Your root system and “the dirt”
  3. The limbs of your tree – try going out on a few
  4. Pruning and general care of your tree
  5. Your car wash and personal detailing
  6. Your self summary

Part V – Your Media

  1. Test drive
  2. Television
  3. Internet
  4. Online contact and social networking
  5. Hand-held devices (constant connection, sexting, more on hand held devices, texting etiquette?)
  6. Conclusion
  7. Your car wash and personal detailing
  8. Your self summary

Part VI – Your Cu.R.E.S. (Culture, Race, Ethnicity And Spirituality)

  1. What is culture?
  2. Your race and ethnicity
  3. Your spiritual and/or religious beliefs
  4. A quiet space for eyeglasses
  5. Your car wash and personal detailing
  6. Your self summary

Part VII – Your Passed Experiences

  1. Test drive
  2. Happy experiences
  3. Sad experiences
  4. Traumatic experiences
  5. Your car wash and personal detailing
  6. Your self summary

Part VIII – End Of The Line

  1. First quiz
  2. Your self summary
  3. Free writing experiment
  4. Appreciation list
Topics Covered

School & Media

  • Teacher relations
  • School Safety
  • Bullying
  • Survival tips
  • Internet issues
  • Television influences
  • Hand held hazards

Family & Friends

  • Empathy
  • Compassion
  • Crushes
  • Peer pressure
  • Your family tree
  • Responsibility
  • Effective communication

Culture & Experiences

  • Defining Culture
  • Race and ethnicity
  • Spiritual Beliefs
  • Personal perspective
  • Proactive measures
  • Trauma
  • What brings happiness

Express Yourself

Overview

Book 3, Express Your Self, explores how your students express their unique sense of selves to the world through personal aspects including personality, communication, decision-making, sports, art, music, spirituality, work and even love. Additionally, the final chapter on decision-making, shows how every previous chapter in the Series contributes to the daily personal choices we all make in life. By the end of the Series, your students have gained life knowledge, personal insight, confidence and a solid sense of self. Of course, as a personal journey, the opportunities for growth and awareness are endless.

Table of Contents

Part I – Introduction

  1. Character summaries
  2. First quiz

Part II – Your Personality

  1. Test drive
  2. What is personality? (And how does it develop?)
  3. Eliminate the negative (fear and shame and guilt, oh my)
  4. Focus on the positive (love, responsibility, and inner core work)
  5. Conclusion
  6. Your self summary

Part III – Your Communication

  1. Test drive
  2. The importance of effective communication
  3. Your top tool for communication
  4. Solid steps for effective communication
  5. More tools for effective communication
  6. Rap sheets
  7. Conclusion
  8. Your car wash and personal detailing
  9. Your self summary

Part IV – Your Love, Your Friendships And Your Relationships

  1. Your emotions (again?)
  2. What is love?
  3. Friendships and relationships (a balancing act)
  4. Crushes (a.k.a. MTAF-Feelings)
  5. Conclusion
  6. Your car wash and personal detailing
  7. Your self summary

Part V – Your Work: Paid And Volunteer

  1. Test drive
  2. Your paid work
  3. Your volunteer work
  4. Personal on-the-job (must-have) qualities
  5. Conclusion
  6. Your car wash and personal detailing
  7. Your self summary

Part VI – Your Other Outlets Of Expressions

  1. Test drive
  2. Music
  3. Art
  4. Exercise
  5. Your other outlets of expression
  6. Your self summary

Part VII – Your Decisions

  1. Test drive
  2. How to make a decision that reflects who you are
  3. What are consequences? Weighing risks with rewards (your brain, your emotions, and your psyche)
  4. Character development (your morals, media and social world)
  5. Spreading your wings (how family and CuRES shape your decisions)
  6. The forgiveness factor (weaving it into personality, communication and love)
  7. Daring, destructive, dangerous or dubious outlets (bad decisions and their impact on you)
  8. Powerful, positive, or potent outlets (good decisions and their impact on you)
  9. Conclusion
  10. Your self summary

Part VIII – End Of The Line

  1. First quiz
  2. Summarize your summaries
  3. Skills
  4. Roles and goals
  5. Personal statement about your self
  6. Conclusion
Topics Covered

Personality & Expression

  • Shame
  • Fear & Guilt
  • Forgiveness
  • Personality development
  • Exercise
  • Music
  • Arts

Relationships & Communication

  • Defining love
  • Gossip
  • Trust
  • Crushes
  • Listening
  • Non-verbal communication
  • Helpful communication tips

Work & Decisions

  • Paid work
  • Volunteer choices
  • Work ethic
  • Consequences
  • Character development
  • Destructive decisions
  • Positive decision making