Growing Through Change

Overview

Lesson 12 of 30 in Stories of Resilience and Hope. Students reflect on how experiences help people grow, learn and change, using before-and-after visual comparisons and a supported personal reflection.

Learning intentions

• WALT reflect on how we grow and learn from experiences.
• Students will compare “before” and “now” situations.
• Students will identify one way they have changed through learning or experience.
• Students will listen respectfully and share ideas without interrupting.

Success criteria

• I can complete a “Before I…, now I…” reflection.
• I can identify one way I have changed.
• I can explain that growth can involve learning, feelings, skills or confidence.
• I can listen while another person is speaking.

Curriculum links

• Understanding personal and community experiences, including change over time.
• Exploring how people respond to challenges and develop resilience.
• Considering different perspectives and using experiences as evidence.
• Communicating ideas through discussion, drawing and short written reflection.

Lesson structure (50 minutes)

1. 0–5 minutes – Welcome, routine and hook Display the learning intention and success criteria using the opening and learning intention slides. Show a striking before-and-after image, such as a small seed beside a growing plant, and ask: “What had to happen for this change to occur?” Establish the discussion routine: one speaker at a time, hands or a quiet signal for contribution, and “listen, then build” responses. Explain that growth is not only physical; it can include skills, understanding, confidence and managing feelings.

2. 5–13 minutes – Notice and wonder comparison Use the before-and-after comparison slides to show three familiar growth examples, such as learning to ride a bike, beginning a new school year and improving at a sport, instrument or hobby. Students first think silently, then tell a partner what changed and what may have helped. Invite each pair to share one idea. Record responses under the headings “Before”, “What helped?” and “Now”. Prompt students to use respectful sentence stems: “I notice…”, “I think…”, and “One possibility is…”.

3. 13–23 minutes – Guided growth activity In three groups of three, students receive a different before-and-after visual from the guided comparison activity slides. They discuss: What was the person able to do before? What can they do now? What might they have practised, learned or overcome? Each group prepares a short oral response. Give roles verbally—reader or describer, idea recorder and speaker—and rotate roles if time allows. Remind students that people grow at different rates and that not every change is visible.

4. 23–27 minutes – Mid-lesson checkpoint Display the sentence starter on the checkpoint slide: “I grew when…” Students complete it orally with a partner first, then write or draw a response on their worksheet. Possible examples include: “I grew when I learnt to ask for help,” or “I grew when I kept practising.” Quickly check each student’s response. Offer a choice of prompts: “I grew when I learnt…”, “I grew when I tried…”, or “I grew when I solved…”.

5. 27–42 minutes – Supported personal reflection Distribute the Before I, now I reflection worksheet. Model one neutral example, such as: “Before I found reading aloud difficult, now I can read a short paragraph with more confidence.” Think aloud about choosing a true, safe and school-appropriate example. Students complete two parts:

• “Before I…, now I…” with words or a labelled drawing.
• “One thing that helped me change was…” Circulate and conference briefly with each student. They may dictate to an adult, use sentence starters, draw first, or write key words. Encourage precise language such as practised, asked for help, kept trying, learnt, noticed and felt more confident.

6. 42–50 minutes – Share, celebrate and exit reflection Students choose whether to share their reflection with a partner, the group or only the teacher. Use the reflection prompts poster as a visible support, selecting prompts such as “What did I learn?” and “What helped me?” Finish with a quiet round: each student says one word describing growth, or places a thumb signal to show how confidently they can explain their change. Revisit the success criteria on the plenary and success criteria slides and invite students to identify which criterion they met and what they will keep practising.

Resources

• the complete lesson slide deck
• the Before I, now I reflection worksheet
• the reflection prompts poster
• Three before-and-after visual comparisons in the slide deck
• Pencils, coloured pencils and erasers
• Whiteboard and markers
• Optional privacy folders or quiet workspace
• Timer or visual countdown

Assessment

• Listen during partner and group discussions for accurate comparisons between “before” and “now”, and respectful turn-taking.
• Check the mid-lesson “I grew when…” response for a clear example of learning, effort, adaptation or increased confidence.
• Collect the worksheet and assess whether each student identifies a change and gives a reasonable explanation of what helped.

Differentiation

• Support students with oral rehearsal, picture choices, word banks, sentence starters and teacher scribing. Accept drawing with labels, dictated responses or key words instead of full sentences.
• Provide dyslexia-friendly access: read all instructions aloud, use a clear sans-serif font, large print, generous spacing, short lines and uncluttered worksheet sections. Avoid requiring copying from the board.
• For students needing additional support with discussion, use a visual speaker token or talking object and allow extra processing time before responses.
• Extend confident learners by asking them to explain how a challenge, mistake, feedback or another person contributed to their growth, while recognising that change can be gradual.

Extension

Students write a second reflection about a future change: “Next, I would like to learn…, and I could begin by…”. They may add a small three-step plan showing what they will try, who could help and how they will know they are improving.