Exploring Self Identity

Context and Curriculum Links

This lesson is the first in a 10-lesson unit titled "Pathways to Employment Success" designed for Year 9 students in Australia. It aligns with the Australian Curriculum (version 9) framework regarding personal and social capability, self-awareness, and career education. Specifically, it addresses understanding personal qualities and capabilities and how these relate to work contexts. Relevant general capabilities include Personal and Social Capability and Critical and Creative Thinking.

Learning Intention

Students will understand the difference between personal interests, personal attributes, and capabilities, and recognise how these connect to workplace skills and success.

Success Criteria

• Identify and label at least three personal interests.
• Identify at least two personal attributes.
• Identify at least two capabilities.
• Explain how one example of each (interest, attribute, capability) could be useful in a workplace or job setting.

Class Size and Timing

• 35 students
• Total time: 60 minutes

---

Lesson Outline and Timing

1. Introduction and Engagement (10 minutes)

• Activity: Show a short, engaging video titled "Why Knowing Yourself Matters at Work" tailored to Year 9 students which highlights the value of self-awareness in job success. (Teacher to prepare/select appropriate video.)
• Purpose: Spark curiosity and set relevance by connecting self-knowledge to employment outcomes.
• Discussion: Prompt brief whole-class sharing—What did you find interesting? Why does it matter to know yourself?

2. Self-Discovery Activity: 'All About Me' Digital Poster or Collage (25 minutes)

• Instructions: Students create an interactive digital poster (using tools like PowerPoint, Canva, or Google Slides if available) or a paper-based collage if digital tools are limited.
• They will map their personal interests (hobbies, favourite subjects, activities), attributes (character traits, e.g., resilience, reliability), and capabilities (skills they can do, e.g., communication, problem-solving).
• Support scaffolds:
• Provide visual prompt cards listing examples of interests, attributes, and capabilities.
• Offer sentence starters on a handout to help students articulate their ideas (e.g., "One of my interests is...", "An attribute that helps me is...", "A skill I have is...").
• Differentiation: Teachers circulate offering targeted support for students who need help identifying or expressing their qualities.

3. Group Sharing Circle (20 minutes)

• Set-up: Arrange students in groups of 5-6 in a circle.
• Activity: Each student shares highlights from their poster or collage with the group, explaining how one interest, one attribute, and one capability might be useful at work.
• Teacher role: Facilitate by encouraging respectful listening and adding prompts for deeper thinking such as "How could that skill help you in a job?" or "Why do you think that attribute is important at work?"
• Assessment: Informal formative assessment occurs during sharing by listening to students’ explanations meeting success criteria.

4. Plenary and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Whole class: Briefly gather students. Ask two or three students to share something new they learned about themselves or someone else.
• Reflection prompt: "Why is it helpful to know your own interests, attributes, and capabilities when thinking about jobs and future work?"

---

Resources Needed

• Projector or screen for video
• Digital devices with presentation software or paper, magazines, scissors, glue for collage
• Visual prompt cards listing examples of interests, attributes, and capabilities
• Sentence starter handouts
• Seating arranged for group sharing circles

---

Australian Curriculum Alignment

• Personal and Social Capability (VCPSCSE033 - Year 9): Recognise personal qualities and strategies to manage emotions, behaviour, goals, and relationships.
• Design and Technologies / Civics and Citizenship links: Understanding attributes and capabilities fosters preparedness for work and participation in social contexts.
• General Capabilities:
• Critical and Creative Thinking: Generate and evaluate ideas for self-understanding.
• Personal and Social Capability: Develop self-awareness and social management skills.
• Cross Curriculum Priorities:
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures: Lesson structure supports inclusive discussion and valuing of diverse identities and capabilities.

---

Teacher Tips for Flexible Learning Environment

• Use mixed media options (digital or tactile) for students with different learning needs.
• Provide sentence starters and visual prompts to scaffold expression for students requiring extra support.
• Encourage peer support during sharing circles to boost confidence.
• Allow movement breaks or mindfulness moments if students become overwhelmed by self-reflection.
• Adapt group sizes or offer one-on-one sharing depending on student comfort levels.

---

Assessment

Formative assessment through observation and note-taking during the sharing circle to check each student's ability to:

• Identify at least three interests, two attributes, and two capabilities.
• Explain how each relates to potential work skills.

Provide feedback next lesson individually or in small groups to support learners.

---

This lesson plan blends reflective, interactive, and collaborative learning strategies in a scaffolded format appropriate for Year 9 Australian students beginning their journey towards understanding employment pathways through self-awareness.