Choices Y5 Resource Hub

Session 10:

Who I choose to be (part two)

Session overview

Using Marcus and the choice he faces as a 'proxy' for their own lives enables pupils to examine the 'choice dilemma' objectively. This is also beneficial in assimilating the learning into their own decision-making processes. Moral dilemmas provide a valuable mechanism to help pupils understand that the answers are not always straightforward, are often ambiguous, and are, at best, an 'optimum' course of action rather than a perfect one. In this way, the session helps pupils navigate competing moral virtues, again encouraging critical and reflective thinking. It's therefore essential to allow sufficient time and space for pupils to reflect on their own thoughts and feelings within this activity.

A. Session aims & objectives

Understand that, despite previous experiences, we all have the power to make different choices
Develop pupils' sense of identity

B. Learning outcomes

I understand that it can be challenging to make good choices when being influenced by others
I know that the decisions we all make can have positive or negative consequences
I understand how it might feel to be faced with a difficult choice

C. Terminology introduced

Example definitions of key terminology are included but, wherever possible, use pupils' own agreed descriptions as per previous sessions.

MORAL DILEMMA: A situation where a difficult choice has to be made between two courses of action, both of which mean breaking a moral principle.

D. Resources required

❏ Pupils handheld devices (eg iPads, Chromebooks)

❏ Checklist for Session Ten

❏ Resource Sheet: 10a: Interactive scene feedback sheet

❏ Slide pack for Session Ten:

Session title
Resource Sheet 9a: Circle of trust
Who is the real Marcus?
Influencers
Decision point
Outcome 1
Outcome 2
Mr Baker returns home
Outcome 3
It happens anyway
Old Man Baker's flat
Potential outcomes

❏ Completed Resource Sheet 9a: Circle of trust
(previous session's homework / plenary activity)

❏ Sticky notes

E. Assessment opportunities

The plenary offers an opportunity for pupils to reflect on their entire learning so far. At this stage, pupils should articulate some of the key concepts they have learned within their responses.

Starter activity: Session nine recap and review circle of trust

Last time, we talked about the people in our lives that we trust, how we might build our 'circles of trust', and how we can better understand other people using empathy. We started to consider how we can help others resist negative influences.

Recap and review ground rules as a class. Discuss any rules created that worked well, together with any that didn't work – do they need to change? Make amendments if required. Either way, ensure that pupils understand why we have ground rules and why these are essential.

Introduce Learning Outcomes for this session.

SHOW:

Slide 2: Circle of trust

Review Resource Sheet 9a: Circle of trust, which was completed either as homework or during the plenary in the last session.

In small table groups, pupils should briefly discuss their own circles with other classmates.

NB: If any pupils have not completed their sheet, ensure they are in a group with pupils who have, so they can see the examples others have included.

When pupils have shared their circle of trust with others, lead a brief class discussion about the people on their sheets based on the questions below.

ASK: (open question to pupils by teacher):

What makes someone trustworthy?
Are there people in our lives we shouldn't trust?
What made you choose your trusted adults?
What qualities do they have?

NB: As an extension, this exercise could be done by combining individual sheets at points where pupils have the same people in their circles of trust (e.g. teachers). The aim is to show how our wider communities are made up of collections of related groups to which many of us belong. This could be mapped as a display on the wall.

Activity one: Marcus' journey

In this activity, pupils will think about who influenced Marcus and how. Looking again at the story, they will focus on the scene in the park (shown as a montage on Slide 3). Briefly review these parts of the story.

SHOW:

Slide 3: Who is the real Marcus?

EXPLAIN:

Marcus goes through a process where he gets respect from his brother for fighting back. He also earns respect from the other boys, connecting with them because of his need to belong. This drives his behaviour, but in a negative way. Marcus' vulnerability is displayed through his actions.

Compare Marcus through this scene:

the expression on his face when trying to impress his friends; and
when he has just been talking to Andy.

ASK: (open question to pupils by teacher):

What is Marcus feeling in these scenes?
Which Marcus do you prefer?
Who is the real Marcus? Why?

SHOW:

Slide 4: Influencers

EXPLAIN:

Marcus is influenced by his brother, the group, and Andy because he wants to belong and find his own place in the world. All of these scenarios satisfy that need for belonging but with potentially very different outcomes, both positive and negative.

However, Marcus is also beginning to see that he can satisfy his need to belong, connect with others, gain their acknowledgement / respect, and have the freedom to choose through positive choices, actions, and behaviour. Like all of us, Marcus can choose who he wants to be.

For pupils using iPads:

EXPLAIN:

By working in pairs and beginning at the story's final page, pupils will put themselves in Marcus' position. They will face a situation as Marcus, but they will be making their own choices, using their own judgements about the best course of action to take.

We will now help Marcus decide what choices to make.

Before they start, remind them about their work to this point. How can pupils use their own sense of identity, belonging, and awareness of personal needs and vulnerabilities to make informed decisions and build their own futures?

For this activity, pupils must take time to consider what choices they think Marcus should make and why, and importantly, talk their ideas and opinions through with each other. They should briefly feed their views back to the class – they can use the Interactive Scene Feedback Sheet 10a to capture any thoughts as they work through this.

To activate the interactive scene on the iPad, pupils should swipe from right to left to move to the next page as normal.

When all pupils have worked through the scene, ask some to explain their choices and why they selected them.

For pupils using non-iPad devices:

ASK:

What options does Marcus have when his friends ask him to go with their plan to break into the old man's flat?

Tease out there there are only three possible responses, Marcus can agree to go along, disagree, or attempt to stall on making a decision.

SHOW:

Slide 5: Decision point

EXPLAIN:

We will now map some of the decisions that Marcus could take, thinking about the possible outcomes of where those decisions might lead to.

Set the task for pupils to discuss Marcus' options in pairs and, using sticky notes, plot the potential outcomes of each decision. Before they start, remind them about what they have covered so far and encourage them to think about how their sense of identity, belonging, and awareness of their personal needs and vulnerabilities might influence their decisions.

Allow them 5 minutes to discuss and plot their thoughts on sticky notes before discussing them as a class.

SHOW:

Slide 6: Outcome 1 Marcus stalls

ASK:

What's likely to happen next?

Briefly discuss the consequences they noted, collecting them under the heading 'Marcus Stalls'. Stress how this response potentially only leads to an increase in the pressure they are likely to put on him.

SHOW:

Slide 7: Outcome 2 Marcus agrees

ASK:

What's likely to happen next?

Briefly discuss their noted consequences and collect them under the heading 'Marcus Agrees'. Stress how agreeing to go along with something might likely lead to Marcus' friends asking him to do other things he is uncomfortable with in the future. Essentially, Marcus has 'given licence' to the actions of his friends.

Briefly discuss what the likely impact might be on Mr Baker.

SHOW:

Slide 8: Mr Baker returns home

EXPLAIN:

We'll look at the potential consequences in more detail during the next activity.

SHOW:

Slide 9: Outcome 3 Marcus declines

ASK:

What's likely to happen next?

Briefly discuss their noted consequences and collect them under the heading 'Marcus Declines'.

SHOW:

Slide 10: It happens anyway

EXPLAIN:

The likelihood is that Marcus' friends will continue trying to put pressure on him, and it will be tough for him to stick to his decision not to go along with what's happening. We all need to develop strategies for saying no. These might include explaining how serious it could be for all of them if caught and how distressing it's likely to be for the old man. If you can't persuade someone else not to do something you know is wrong, you must decide on your own personal involvement, accepting the likely consequences either way. Such decisions are rarely straightforward and often described as 'moral dilemmas' in which you have to take the best possible action that you feel is right.

Activity two: Marcus' dilemma

Pupils will examine a set of hypothetical moral dilemmas to help them understand the complexity of choice and the potential outcomes that can lead from this. This will help them connect their actions with possible consequences.

EXPLAIN:

We may sometimes find ourselves in situations where we face a moral dilemma - a difficult choice where it's not always obvious what action will lead to the best outcome. It's a situation that tests your beliefs about something.

SHOW:

Slide 11: Old Man Baker's flat

In this example, Marcus faces a series of moral dilemmas:

If he goes along with the boys' plan, he's likely to get into trouble. If he doesn't, might something terrible happen to the old man that Marcus may well have been able to prevent?
Assuming he makes a choice to go along with the boys' plan and suspecting that the old man may be having a heart attack (brought on by the shock of finding the boys in his flat), what should Marcus do then? If he stays, he will inevitably be in trouble, but what might become of the old man if he leaves?

Marcus and/or the group place themselves in a potentially life-changing situation with various possible outcomes.

ASK:

What are the potential outcomes from the situation in Old Man Baker's flat?

Take brief feedback, then show the next slide outlining potential outcomes.

SHOW:

Slide 12: Potential outcomes

Everyone could leave, and the elderly man might collapse or even die
Everyone could leave, and it all might turn out fine
Marcus could stay and help and then get into trouble
Marcus could stay; the old man might feel sorry for him and persuade him to take a different path

Make the point that none of us knows what the outcome might be.

Teaching Tip

Pupils may benefit from exploring alternative ending scenarios via role- plays.
They should be encouraged to bring in strategies they have developed throughout the programme.

EXPLAIN:

Let's now suppose that Marcus' friends have all run off and left him to face this decision alone (which can often happen when things become problematic).

ASK:

How would Marcus be feeling?
What is driving Marcus' thoughts, and what choices he might make?

In tables, pupils should discuss these questions and then feed their opinions back. Encourage them to think about the basic needs that might be driving Marcus' choices, e.g. his need to survive vs his need to belong.

Teaching Tip
This is also an opportunity to consider/discuss fundamental British Rights.
The old man should be afforded mutual respect and tolerance, while Marcus could be risking his individual liberty through his actions.

Plenary

Review terminology, any new language and key learning introduced today.

'Check in' with pupils, ensuring that they are ok and comfortable with the content and key learning from the session.

ASK:

Who else might be affected by Marcus and the other boys?
In what ways might they be affected?

Encourage pupils to think widely. They should consider family (both Marcus' and the old man's), neighbours, the local community, emergency services, etc.). Draw out that the consequences of Marcus' actions affect not only him but many other people who are not even present.

As this is the penultimate session in the programme, pupils should be reasonably comfortable with the key concepts. For example, they should be talking about identity, influence, basic needs and applying them to the situations in the story. They should also be able to explain terms such as grooming.