Teach Primary Issue 19.6

In conversations with my kids and other young people, I kept noticing the same challenge: that despite their passion and brilliant ideas to create change, they lacked the right tools to make meaningful action. They wanted to fundraise, campaign and raise their voices, but the platforms available just weren’t designed for them. So, this lesson grew out of the desire to help young people channel their ideas and their energy into actionable programmes that they can design, spearhead, and run themselves (with your expert oversight, of course). Let the children in your care know that they matter... 1 | WHAT AND WHY Kick off your journey with energy, and again invite pupils to imagine the kind of world they want to live in. Discuss what they’d change and why it matters to them. Next, explore the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (find them all at superkind.org/causes ) . Can pupils match the issues they care about (that you gathered on sticky notes in the starter activity) to any of the global goals? For example, if they highlighted the wish for everyone to have equal access to the food they need, you could match this up with SDG 2 – Zero Hunger. This sets the stage for meaningful reflection on causes that really resonate. Next, ask the children another bold question: who has the power to make the world better? They might suggest leaders, celebrities, or even themselves. Talk about inspirational stories that they’ve likely already heard of, such as Greta Thunberg, as well as tales of less famous people who have made a big impact, and let them explore how kids just like them have already sparked real change. You can find a list of real-life stories at superkind.org/ change-makers 2 | TAKE ACTION Now the inspiration’s flowing, it’s time to look at START HERE MAIN LESSON PSHE, Citizenship Begin with a big question: “If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?” Let pupils reflect individually, then have them discuss in pairs or groups. Gather their ideas on sticky notes or on the board, and group similar themes together – these could become the seeds of future campaigns. Next, talk about what the children think a campaign might look like. As a class, or back in pairs and groups, ask everyone to discuss what change campaigns and organisations they’ve already heard of (e.g. Greenpeace, Extinction Rebellion, etc). What do these groups have in common? What do their campaigns look like? l To explore and define real-world problems that matter to them l To be inspired by children who are already creating positive change l To identify key community issues and consider solutions l To plan and carry out their own social action campaign l To reflect on the impact of their actions WHAT THEY’LL LEARN Show your pupils that even small steps can have big impact when you work together, with Anoushka Freeman KS2 LESSON PLAN You’re never too young to change the world... Superkind.org superkind_org SuperKind 104 | www.teachwire.net