Choices Y5 Resource Hub

Session 11:

Building our own better future

Session overview

In this final session, pupils will have an opportunity to reflect upon how they can positively influence other people. They will think back through the journey Marcus has been on and the influences he has faced, which have led him to his current predicament. The story is deliberately left open-ended to encourage pupils to understand that we can always change the ending of our own stories, no matter how difficult that might seem.

Using what they have learned about identity, influence, basic needs and how this can impact our character, behaviour and actions, pupils will build themselves (or Marcus in some cases) a strategy for the future. This starts with some planning, is developed through a letter, and then ends with a ''circle'' activity where pupils are encouraged to pledge a positive change.

A. Session aims & objectives

Provide an opportunity to reflect on the learning over the programme
Enable pupils to demonstrate their understanding of different influences and how they can develop strategies to deal with these in their own and others' lives

B. Learning outcomes

I understand the influences around me and can develop strategies to manage them
I can demonstrate ways to be a positive influence in my own and others' lives

C. Terminology introduced

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

PLEDGE: A serious or formal promise to do or refrain from doing something.

D. Resources required

❏ Pupils handheld devices (eg iPads, Chromebooks)

❏ Checklist for Session Eleven

❏ Resource Sheets:

11a: Planning the future

11b: Planning Marcus’ future 11c: Pledge card

❏ Previously completed Resource Sheets:

2c: My identity

3a: My resilience map

9a: Circle of trust

❏ Slide pack for Session Eleven:

Session title
Pledge
Definition of ‘pledge’

❏ Sticky notes

❏ A4 paper/envelope for letter-writing activity

E. Assessment opportunities

As the final session in the programme, each activity offers a different means of capturing and evidencing pupils' progress. In particular, activities 1 and 2 should be considered the final ''benchmarking'' of pupils' understanding of key concepts.

Starter activity: Bringing it all together

This activity offers the opportunity for pupils to think about the things they have learned and formulate strategies to keep themselves safe.

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.

Pupils should take a few minutes to reflect, and discuss with each other if they wish, the following question:

ASK: (open question to pupils by teacher):

How can we all make a commitment to help keep our fellow pupils safe from negative influences?

Facilitate a short discussion using sticky notes to capture and display their ideas. Select a few to share with the class, drawing out key points that pupils have learned during the programme.

Activity one: Planning the future

Pupils will now be challenged to articulate what they have learned. This provides an opportunity to reflect on their learning, assimilate the concepts they have explored, think practically about how they will take the knowledge forward and consider areas of their own lives where they might want to make changes.

Provide pupils with their following resource sheets, completed during previous sessions:

They should use these to help them reflect on their learning journey during the programme.

EXPLAIN:

Using some of the output from previous sessions, we will reflect on what we have learned about ourselves to develop a personal action plan, identifying:

things that make us resilient
what might make us vulnerable
something we might need to manage our vulnerabilities and further develop our resilience, such as people, help and skills
key actions we are going to take to achieve this

Hand out Resource Sheet 11a: Planning our future

EXPLAIN:

The sheet is divided into four sections. These can be used to develop an action plan to reflect on what we have learned and how it might help us in the future.

Let's first look at how we might complete the sections for Marcus, which will allow us to practise together as a class.

Display the example Resource Sheet 11b: Planning Marcus' future on the smartboard. This will model the process for completing their own plan. Encourage pupils to suggest what would be in each quadrant using the example in each section as a prompt but adding their own examples for Marcus. Keep this version displayed on the smartboard for pupils to refer to if needed.

Pupils should review work completed in previous sessions on their own identity, becoming resilient and their circle of trust. They should use this to help them understand their own resilience, potential vulnerability, and how to use it to help plan for the future using Resource Sheet 11a.

EXPLAIN:

You should review the work you each did previously around your identity, becoming resilient and people in your circle of trust. Working on your own, complete the worksheet. You can use some of the work you did in the previous sessions and the sheet we have just completed for Marcus to help you, but you must have your own version with your own thoughts to help you plan your own future. You will also use this to help you in the next activity.

Activity two: Letter to myself / Marcus

EXPLAIN:

You will write a letter, an email or produce a vlog addressed to yourself.

In it, you will review the key things you have learned throughout the Choices programme, focusing on how you will use this knowledge to better manage situations in your own lives. This might serve as a valuable reminder in the future to help you consider any choices you might face.

Using Resource Sheet 11a: Planning the future from the previous activity as a guide, think about constructing the letter in short paragraphs. Think about the following:

My identity
Positive influences in my life
Negative influences I will try to avoid
Managing my needs
Helping others
Good decisions I have made

Encourage them to think about specific situations where they could have/or have applied this knowledge. For example, they might imagine giving advice they believe would be helpful. Encourage them to include how they feel, any worries or concerns they may have, and what they might do to overcome these. It may also be helpful to think about the start of a letter with the class as a whole. However, the layout of the letter is much less important than allowing pupils to reflect and personalise their advice.

NB: Writing a letter to oneself is considered a good way of encouraging young people to be reflective. However, pupils who might find this particularly difficult could instead address the letter to Marcus, advising him how he could make better choices. When planning the letter, pupils should think about the same sections detailed above but concerning Marcus, offering advice on managing the situations in his life to achieve better outcomes. Pupils should make sure that they empathise with Marcus and suggest alternative, positive actions and encouragement while focusing on how this will help him rather than critiquing his behaviour. If it helps, they could imagine that they are one of Marcus'Marcus' ''trusted circle''.

If some pupils find letter writing difficult, they could complete a more straightforward activity, such as ''draw and write'' to create a picture representing the advice they are giving to Marcus or themselves.

Teaching Tip
Seal the completed letters in envelopes to be handed back out at the beginning of next term / academic year,
at the beginning of the Year 6 Choices programme.

Or simply give pupils the letters to take home for reflection at a point that they decide.

Plenary

Remind pupils of the work they have covered over the programme and how this can help them become more independent as they get older.

As a final activity, organise pupils into a circle to all see each other. Ask them to review the "What I'll...'' section of Resource Sheet 11a: Planning the future and prioritise their three action points. Their highest priority action should become a pledge (you may need to explain this word) encouraging ''positive change'' in their own lives.

Give pupils a few minutes to think of a response and then go around the circle asking them to share their pledge with the rest of the group (although they should have the ''right to pass'' if they can't think of anything at that moment or do not wish to share).

HOMEWORK / FOLLOW-ON ACTIVITY

Hand out Resource Sheet 11c: Pledge card

Pupils should produce a ''pledge card'' based upon what they said during circle time for a class or school display. Encourage them to think about ''pledging'' to do something positive rather than refraining from doing something negative.

Try to make pledges SMART:

Specific - make it explicit rather than something vague. For example, ''I will be nicer to people'' might be better framed as ''I will say hello to everyone I meet as I walk through school''.
Measurable - putting some kind of measure around it will help track progress, e.g. ''By the end of term, I will...''
Achievable - don't make the goal too big as this can risk setting yourself up to fail. Small, incremental change is often more successful in the long term.
Relevant - it needs to be something that will matter and resonate with each individual. Discussion is good, but ultimately choose something that YOU believe is important.
Time-bound - like ''measurable'', it's essential to put a time limit on doing things and perhaps not one that is too distant. You can also add timeline milestones along the way to achieving your pledge, e.g. by tomorrow, by next week, etc.

Of course, try to make achieving your pledge as much fun as possible!

Good luck!

Teaching Tip

For additional ideas, activities and projects that will further embed the learning and concepts of the Choices programme talk to us at chat@engagelime.com

Delivery resources

Lime 2021-22 Year 5 Session 11 Checklist.pdf

Delivery checklist

Lime 2021-22 Year 5 Session 11 Resources Sheet(s).pdf

Resource sheet(s)

Lime 2021-22 Year 5 Session 11 Slides (PDF version).pdf

Slides (PDF)