Academic Inspiration

Overview

Subject: Health
Year Level: Year 11 & 12
Duration: 45 minutes
Class Size: 30 students
Curriculum Focus: Personal, Social, and Community Health (Senior Secondary Australian Curriculum)

Learning Goals

• Understand the significance of senior school and VCE studies.
• Develop personal learning goals for the academic year.
• Plan effective strategies for achieving academic success.

Lesson Outline

Introduction (5 minutes)

• Welcome and Warm-Up:
  • Welcome students back to school and congratulate them on reaching senior secondary school.
  • Briefly discuss the importance of Year 11 and Year 12 in preparation for their future academic and career opportunities.

Discussion (10 minutes)

• Understanding Senior School and VCE:
  • Explain what VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education) is and its significance.
  • Highlight the subjects available within the Health learning area and the opportunities they offer for personal and academic growth.
  • Engage students in discussing what they are excited or anxious about entering senior school.

Activity 1: Personal Vision Board (15 minutes)

• Materials Needed: A3 paper, magazines, scissors, glue sticks, markers.

• Instructions:

  • Each student will create a vision board reflecting their aspirations for the academic year.
  • Encourage them to include words, images, and drawings that represent their goals, both academic and personal.
  • Ask students to think about their strengths, interests, and the skills they wish to develop.

• Outcome:

  • Students articulate their goals creatively and visually, fostering a positive and motivated mindset.

Activity 2: Goal-Setting Workshop (10 minutes)

• Guided Goal Setting:

  • Distribute a goal-setting template with prompts to help students develop specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals.
  • Prompt students to set three academic goals and two personal well-being goals for the year.

• Peer Sharing:

  • Have students pair up to share one of their goals and discuss how they plan to achieve it.
  • Foster a supportive environment where students can offer each other encouragement and feedback.

Conclusion (5 minutes)

• Reflection and Wrap-Up:

  • Invite a few volunteers to share their goals and reflections.
  • Recap the importance of setting goals and maintaining focus throughout the year.
  • Encourage students to keep their vision boards visible as a reminder of their aspirations.

• Homework:

  • Ask students to write a brief journal entry about what they hope to achieve in Year 11 & 12 and what support they might need.

Assessment

• Formative Assessment: Observation of student engagement during activities, creativity in vision boards, and participation in discussions.
• Feedback: Provide individual feedback on students' goal-setting sheets, focusing on making goals more achievable and specific if necessary.

Resources

• Vision board materials (paper, magazines, glue sticks).
• Printed goal-setting templates.
• Access to a computer/projector for visual aids, if possible.
• Primary Reference: Senior Secondary Australian Curriculum - Health and Physical Education.

This lesson plan is designed to inspire and equip students to think proactively about their academic journey ahead, fostering a sense of ownership and motivation towards their education.