The Positivity Project PBL Library

Use this page to browse our P2 PBLs. Teachers can directly access the projects by clicking on the “View” hyperlink. The link will take you to the folder that contains the slide presentation, which you will use to facilitate the P2 PBL and all supplementary material for that project. Be sure to read through the entire slide presentation first — and then make the necessary choices to meet your classroom’s needs. 

While looking at P2 PBLs, consider how the rigor and depth of the project challenge shift as grade levels increase. The grade levels in the below hyperlinks are suggestions. Teachers can — and should — use their discretion in leveraging any level of P2 PBL for any grade level of students.

NOTE: To best navigate these PBL slide presentations, please see our color-coded chart. 

School-Wide P2 PBL Units

Character in the Community: P2 Teacher Implementation Ideas

K–2  How can we share how someone in our family uses character strengths to make a positive impact? View

3–5  How can we promote and celebrate how people in our school community use their character strengths to make a positive impact? View

6–12  How can we promote and celebrate how people in our school community use their character strengths to make a positive impact — and inspire others to maximize their own strengths? View

Other People Mindset Exhibit: P2 Teacher Implementation Ideas

K–5  How can we create a permanent, ongoing exhibit that will showcase how people in our school community demonstrate an Other People Mindset on a daily basis? View   

6–12  How can we create a permanent, ongoing exhibit that will showcase how people in our school community demonstrate an Other People Mindset on a daily basis? View

Classroom Morning Meeting: P2 Teacher Implementation Ideas

How can you, as a leader in our classroom, create an engaging and motivating morning meeting (with a greeting, share, activity, and message) that focuses on (insert character strength) and helps our classroom community connect? View

Mega Morning Meeting: P2 Teacher Implementation Ideas

How can you, as an event planner for your school, create an engaging and motivating “mega” morning meeting (with a greeting, share, activity, and message) that focuses on (insert character strength) and helps our school community connect? View

Classroom P2 PBL Units

Early in the Year: Establishing a Classroom Culture with Teamwork: P2 Teacher Implementation Ideas

K–2  How can we create a classroom community where everyone will be respectful class citizens and use teamwork to have a great year? View

3–5  How can we establish a classroom culture where everyone will act as respectful class citizens who use teamwork so that we all have a successful school year? View

Create a Superhero: P2 Teacher Implementation Ideas

K–2  How can you, as a comic book artist, create a new superhero who uses positive character strengths to help others? View

3–5  How can you, as a designer for a comic company, create a new superhero that can fight real problems in the world using superpowers and character strengths to inspire others? View

6–8, 9–12  Teachers can choose among many superhero-inspired themes that link to classroom content. View

Ideas include:

The Science of Superheroes:  How can you, as a comic artist, propose a new character for an upcoming Marvel Comic movie that shows their unique character strengths and how a “real science” (motion, forces, energy, electricity, magnetism, radiation, etc.)  led to the “science fiction” superpowers that the hero uses?

Real World Issues: How can you, as a comic book writer/artist, create a new character for a Marvel Comic or movie that uses character strengths and unique powers to solve a real-world (local, global, environmental, etc.) problem?

Historic Hero:  How can you, as a comic book artist and writer, create a hero inspired by a historical figure (famous person, leader, etc.) that uses special powers, character strengths, and lessons from the past to make the world a better place?  Note: This project could be adapted to make supervillains based on infamous people, illustrating the character strengths they are missing or misusing that led them to infamy. (see a chart of character strength opposites and excesses here)

Tall Tales and Folklore: P2 Teacher Implementation Ideas

K–2  How can you show people how characters in (stories, tall tales, and folklore) use their character strength(s) to solve problems or help others? View

3–5  How can you, as an anthropologist, create a (CHANGE BASED ON PROJECT OPTIONS) that will show others how and why cultures have tried to instill positive character strengths in citizens through the use of tall tales or folklore? View

6–8, 9–12  How can you, as an anthropologist, educate the public about how and why many cultures have used tall tales and folklore to instill positive character strength(s) in citizens in order to better develop as a society? How can you, as an anthropologist, educate the public about how and why many cultures have used tall tales and folklore to instill positive character strength(s) in citizens in order to better develop as a society? View

Story Writers

K–2  How can you write a new story that has a beginning, middle, and end for a movie that shows the Other People Mindset? View

3–5  How can you, as a scriptwriter, create a new story for your favorite TV show that builds character strengths or shows the Other People Mindset to an audience and pitch why your story would be a great pick for the producers? View

6–8, 9–12  How can you, as a screenwriter or TV writer, develop a movie, episode, or series that teaches its audience about (insert OPM or character strength) through the characters and their interactions with each other? View

Character Strength Playlist: P2 Teacher Implementation Ideas

K–2  How can you, as a DJ, pick songs that would make people feel (insert character strength)? View

3–5  How can you, as an event planner, create a music playlist that would inspire (insert character strength) during a class event? View

6–8, 9–12  How can you, as an employee of Apple or Spotify, create an “ultimate playlist” that would capture the idea of [insert character strength(s)]? View

Historical Images: P2 Teacher Implementation Ideas

K–2  How can you, as a historical artist, create a picture, painting, or drawing and caption of what schools with the Other People Matter Mindset look like? View

3–5  How can we, as curators, create a museum that uses historical pictures to make an audience connect to the idea of (insert character strength(s))? View

6–8, 9–12  How can you, as a curator for a class exhibit, find, and present a historical image that shows [character strength(s)] and write a description of how the strength is being used? View

Helping My Community

K–2  How can you, as a concerned citizen, encourage collaboration in your community to improve a local problem? View

3–5  How can you, as a concerned citizen, create a plan to help people who need support in our community and convince your (school, town, citizens) to take action? View

6–8, 9–12  How can you, as a concerned citizen, create a plan to improve an issue negatively affecting people in our community and convince your (school, town, citizens) to take action? View

Human Interest Piece: P2 Teacher Implementation Ideas

K–2  How can you, as an author, write a story about someone you know who is (insert character strength)? View

3–5  How can you, as a journalist, create a story that shows how someone in your class, school, life, or history uses (insert character strength) to help others? View

6–8, 9–12  How can you, as a blogger or a journalist, showcase how someone in your class, community, or from history regularly uses (INSERT CHARACTER STRENGTH) in a unique way that makes a positive impact on others? View

Kindness App: P2 Teacher Implementation Ideas

K–2  How can you, as a software designer, create an icon for a new app that would teach people about (character strength or OPM)? View

3–5  How can you, as a software designer, propose a new app that increases people’s awareness and understanding of (OPM/character strength(s)? View

6–8, 9–12  How could you, as a media designer, create or propose a new app whose goal is to spread kindness to the world? View

Letter to the Youth/Future: P2 Teacher Implementation Ideas

K–2  How can you, as an author, write to tell your future self how and why to show more (OPM mindset or character strength)? View

3–5  How can you, as a ___ grade student, write an “advice for the future” letter to yourself that will help you remember to use the Other People Mindset? View

6–8, 9–12  As a reflective thinker, how could you have overcome a prior roadblock/hardship in life if you had better developed (OPM mindset or character strength)?  How can you write a personal narrative to a younger student/you explaining why he/she should learn and use the trait earlier than you did? View

#WhyP2: P2 Teacher Implementation Ideas

K–2  How can we design a new t-shirt, bumper sticker, or poster that will show people why we focus on The Positivity Project and character strengths at school? View

3–5  How can we, as advertisers, create an idea for a low-cost media campaign that will promote why The Positivity Project and character strengths are important for our school and community? View

6–8, 9–12  How can you create an advertising campaign that brings awareness and challenges people to use [insert character strength(s)] every day? View

Game Developer: P2 Teacher Implementation Ideas

K–2  How can you make a new game where players would learn about (insert character strength or Other People Matter Mindset) while playing? View

3–5  How can you create (or propose) a game where players would practice and develop (insert character strength(s) or Other People Matter Mindset) by playing? View

6–8, 9–12  How can you, as a game developer for Hasbro/Nintendo/Sony, design an innovative game about (insert potential theme) that would develop (insert character strength or Other People Matter Mindset) by playing? View

Alternative Endings: P2 Teacher Implementation Ideas

K–2  How can you, as an author, give positive character strengths to a villain in a story to change the ending? View

3–12  How can you, as a screenwriter, create a new ending for a movie or story where the characters have completely different character strengths and reveal why your ending is better? View

Letter of Gratitude: P2 Teacher Implementation Ideas

K–2  How can you, as a writer, create a letter, activity, or event that would show someone in your family your gratitude? View

3–12  How can you express thanks to someone who supported you or had a major positive impact on your life by writing and presenting them with a letter of gratitude? View

Sharing YOUR Strengths with Others

3–5  How can you, as a future member of the workforce, create a resume that represents who you are and how your strengths make you the perfect candidate for your dream job? View

6–12  How can you, as a student preparing for future interviews, craft and present an elevator speech that highlights how your character strengths make you a valuable part of your community? View

The Hero’s Journey

3–5  How can you, as a writer, create an entry for a website titled: The Hero’s Journey– How All Pop Culture Heroes Use Character Strengths to Overcome Hardship? View

6–12  How can you, as an anthropologist, create an entry for a website titled: The Importance of The Hero’s Journey and How All Pop Culture Heroes Use Character Strengths to Overcome Hardship? View

Social Media’s Effects on Character: P2 Teacher Implementation Ideas

3–5  How can you, as a concerned citizen, show how social media positively and negatively impacts the development of (insert OPM or character strength) in people and show people how they can help? View

6–12  How can you, as a concerned citizen, inform the public of how social media positively or negatively impacts the development of (insert OPM or character strength) in people and share how we all can make a positive impact in the future? View

“Some Good News”

6–12  How can you, as a screenwriter or TV writer, develop an episode of “Some Good News” that teaches its audience about character strengths through the host, the interviews, and the clips shown in your episode?  View

Peer Mediator

K–2  How can we, as student mediators, help students get along better by seeing other people’s perspectives? View