Our Belonging Showcase

Overview

Lesson Title: Showcase of Belonging
Unit: Belonging and Health Connections
Lesson Number: 9 of 9
Duration: 45 minutes
Year Level: Foundation (Prep)
Curriculum Links:

• Learning Area: Health and Physical Education
• Strand: Personal, Social and Community Health
• Sub-strand: Identity
• Australian Curriculum (v9) Content Description:

AC9HPFP01: Recognise how different places and things make them feel and why they are important.

AC9HPFP02: Recognise similarities and differences in individuals and groups.

AC9HPFP04: Practice personal and social skills to interact respectfully with others.

---

Learning Intentions

• I can share a place or object that is important to me.
• I can listen and respond respectfully to others.
• I can explain how I feel like I belong.

Success Criteria

• I have shared my Belonging Map with confidence.
• I have used respectful listening and speaking skills in a group.
• I have described how someone or somewhere helps me feel I belong.

---

Resources Needed

• Student Belonging Maps (completed in previous lesson)
• ‘Belonging Circle’ mat (or tape on the floor for a sharing circle)
• Talk Tokens (e.g. small laminated stars or hearts to manage turn-taking)
• Mini celebration certificates or stickers (pre-filled with "I Belong!" for each student)
• Feelings Fans or Emotion Cards (for ongoing support with articulating feelings)
• Teacher iPad or phone for photo documentation (optional, for portfolio/showcase)

---

Preparation

• Set up classroom in a large open circle (floor-based or at desks if required).
• Place students’ completed Belonging Maps nearby.
• Lay out Talk Tokens in the centre of the circle.
• Have certificates/stickers ready to hand out at the end.

---

Lesson Sequence

1. Welcome and Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Strategy: Community Circle
Teacher Language:
“Good morning, everyone! Today is our Belonging Celebration. We are going to share something very special — our Belonging Maps! We’ll be using our ‘Talk Tokens’ and listening carefully while our friends speak."

Prompt: “Who remembers something we have learned about belonging so far?"

(Allow for brief sharing. Use this time to reinforce key learning from previous lessons.)

---

2. Introduction to the Showcase (5 minutes)

Teacher Talk:
"Each of you made a Belonging Map with pictures or drawings showing people, places or things that help you feel special and safe. Today, you’ll each get a turn to share your map with your class family."

Show a model example (ideally a teacher-made or fictional ‘Emma’s Belonging Map’).
Model the talk using a simple sentence structure:

“This is my Nonna’s garden. I belong here because I help plant flowers and she gives me hugs.”

---

3. Student Sharing Circle – The Belonging Showcase (25 minutes)

Structure:
Whole-class, one speaker at a time (avoiding station rotations).
Students sit in a circle and take turns sharing using the 'Talk Token' system to indicate whose turn it is.

Teacher Actions:

• Invite the speaker to take a Talk Token and stand or sit inside the circle with the class listening.
• Scaffold if needed: “Tell us who or what is on your map. How do they/it help you feel like you belong?”
• Use prompting questions to support those who might need differentiation:
  • “Is this a place you go a lot?”
  • “Who is that in your picture?”
  • “Do they help you feel safe or happy?”

Support for Diverse Needs:

• Allow students who are shy to share from their seat.
• Pair students needing support with a peer buddy or teacher aide.
• Pre-practice with one or two students who benefit from repetition or anxiety-reduction strategies.

Wrap-up Sharing Circle: After each child shares, the group responds with:

• Two "I noticed…" or “I liked…” comments from peers (select volunteers).

---

4. Reflection and Affirmation (5 minutes)

Activity: Class Reflection with Emotions

Place feelings fans/emotion cards in the centre of the circle. Ask:

“How did you feel when you were sharing?”
“How do you think others felt when they listened to you?”

Students choose a fan or feeling word to express their emotions about belonging and showcasing.

---

5. Celebration and Closure (5 minutes)

Hand out certificates or stickers with a small celebration: “Congratulations, Prep Stars! You have all been amazing community members, listeners, and proud sharers. You BELONG here in our class family.”

Play-Based Optional Extension (for early finishers):

• Belonging Corner setup: Dolls house or small world play representing homes, kindy spaces, and community scenes to link identity through symbolic play.

---

Assessment (Summative)

Type: Observational + Oral Presentation
Method:

• Anecdotal notes from sharing presentations.
• Use of checklist:

Student	Identifies sense of belonging	Explains why someone/something helps them belong	Listens respectfully	Expresses emotions
Alice	✅	✅	✅	✅
…

Assessment aligns with AC9HPFP01, AC9HPFP02, and AC9HPFP04

---

Differentiation Strategies

• For EAL/D or students with speech/language delays: Use visual supports, sentence starters (“I feel happy at...”), buddy support.
• For high-achieving students: Encourage more detailed explanations or links to previous health concepts (e.g. how they help others belong).
• For sensory-sensitive learners: Allow choice to present first/last or opt out of speaking with alternative method (e.g. teacher explains their map).

---

Teacher Reflection Prompt

After the lesson, take 5 minutes to reflect:

• Did all students feel seen and heard?
• Were students able to articulate belonging in their context?
• What moments made you most proud of your class community?

Use this as your own professional evidence of student growth in identity and interpersonal skills.

---

Optional Follow-Up Activities

• Create a 'Belonging Book' with photos or drawings of each student’s map and a sentence: “I belong at [place/person] because…”
• Celebrate with a buddy class by sharing selected maps and messages of kindness.

---

🎉 Thank you for nurturing the seeds of identity, kindness and connection in our littlest learners.