Description
Help students understand what leadership really means—and recognize that leadership is demonstrated through action.
This ready-to-use leadership lesson introduces students to the foundations of leadership through discussion, reflection, real-world scenarios, and interactive activities. Students will explore what leadership means, identify leadership behaviors, analyze everyday situations, and consider how small choices can demonstrate leadership.
Rather than focusing on titles or positions, this lesson helps students begin looking at leadership through actions, behaviors, impact, and influence. Students will use the Leadership Lens to examine what someone does, who their actions affect, and how those actions demonstrate leadership.
Designed for grades 6-12, this flexible lesson works well in leadership classes, advisory, SEL, character education, CTE, student leadership programs, youth programs, workshops, and other settings where students are developing leadership skills.
What Students Will Learn
- Define leadership in their own words
- Identify behaviors that demonstrate leadership
- Recognize leadership in everyday situations
- Analyze real-world situations using the Leadership Lens
- Describe qualities and behaviors of effective leaders
- Recognize how small choices can demonstrate leadership
- Identify opportunities to practice leadership in their own lives
What’s Included
- Complete PowerPoint lesson
- Facilitator Guide
- Student Reflection Worksheet
- Three Interactive Leadership Activities
- Student Assessment
- Answer Key
- Discussion Prompts
- Reflection Questions
- Leadership Lens: LOOK → THINK → CONNECT
Activities Included
What Is Leadership? — Student Reflection Worksheet
Students explore their existing understanding of leadership, consider examples they have observed, and begin developing their own definition of leadership.
Leadership Behaviors — Scenario Analysis
Students analyze real-world situations, identify the behaviors being demonstrated, and determine whether those behaviors demonstrate leadership. Students explain and defend their reasoning using the Leadership Lens.
Leadership Signals — Behavior Sort
Students work together to sort leadership behaviors into Leadership, Not Leadership, or It Depends, encouraging discussion, critical thinking, and respectful disagreement.
Build a Leader
Students create a visual model of an effective leader by identifying leadership qualities, behaviors, examples, and the characteristics that make those qualities important.
Perfect For
- Leadership Classes
- Advisory Programs
- SEL Instruction
- Character Education
- Student Council
- Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO’s)
- Youth Leadership Programs
- Middle School
- High School
- Leadership Workshops
- Youth Development Programs
Flexible Implementation
This lesson is designed to be flexible and can be used as:
- A complete 45–90 minute leadership lesson
- A workshop session
- Advisory or homeroom instruction
- SEL programming
- Leadership club activities
- Small-group leadership development
- Youth leadership programs
Low Prep • Ready to Teach
Everything you need to teach the lesson is included in one ready-to-use resource.
Simply open the PowerPoint, print the student materials, and facilitate the activities and discussions.
Foundations of Leadership
This resource is part of Wylde Leadership: Lead for Life, a growing leadership curriculum designed to help students develop practical leadership skills through self-discovery, reflection, discussion, practice, and real-world application.
What Is Leadership? serves as the foundation for the series, helping students establish a shared understanding of what leadership is before exploring how leadership works in practice.
New leadership lessons, activities, assessments, and classroom resources are added regularly to support students as they develop the skills to lead themselves and others.
Follow our store to stay informed about future releases and new leadership resources.
Leadership isn’t just a position you hold. It’s something you demonstrate through the choices you make.
