Advisory Lesson

Who Are You? Sharing the Story of Your Name

How do names shape and reveal our identity, culture, and sense of belonging?

How to Use This Lesson

This is a Harmony Student Wellness lesson, a week-long, music-centered social-emotional learning lesson designed to be taught across multiple sessions, culminating in an arts-based project. This lesson can be taught in isolation or as part of the larger Harmony Student Wellness program. For more support on implementation, see the Implementation Guide on the program page.

Essential Question

How do names shape and reveal our identity, culture, and sense of belonging?

Objectives

Mastery Objective

Students will be able to describe the significance of names in various contexts through circle discussions, partner talks, journal activities, and analysis of featured music.

Day 1 - Students will:

Listen to “Say My Name” by Destiny’s Child
Reflect on the importance of names in showing respect, building community, and understanding identity

Day 2 - Students will:

Listen to “I Got a Name” by Jim Croce
Identify naming traditions from around the world
Investigate or assign meaning to their name

Day 3 - Students will:

Listen to “Aubrey” by Bread
Examine the origin stories of unique and non-traditional names
Analyze inspirations for names

Day 4 - Students will:

Listen to “Who Are You” by The Who
Consider the origins and meanings of stage names used by public figures
Examine how identity, self-expression, and personal branding influence the choice of a stage name

Arts-Based Activity - Students will:

Reflect on the meaning and significance of their own name through discussion and art
Express aspects of their identity using colors, shapes, and lines in a creative visual representation

Background

In this lesson, students will reflect on the importance of names in showing respect, building community, and expressing identity. They will explore naming traditions from around the world, investigate the meaning or story behind their own name, and analyze the origins of unique, non-traditional, and stage names. Through a visual art activity, students will express aspects of their identity using colors, shapes, and lines in a creative visual representation.