Overview

This 45-minute lesson is designed for Year 6 students in Western Australia as the first in a six-lesson unit titled Understanding Identity and Change. Students will explore the concept of personal identity by reflecting on and expressing what makes them unique through their interests, values, and cultural background. This will support them in understanding how identities are shaped and how they can articulate aspects of their own identity.

This lesson aligns with the Western Australian Curriculum for Health and Physical Education, especially content code AC9HP6P01, which focuses on explaining how identities can be influenced by people and places and how positive self-identities are created.

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Curriculum Links

Health and Physical Education – Years 5 and 6

• Content Descriptor: Explain how identities can be influenced by people and places, and how we can create positive self-identities (AC9HP6P01)
• Achievement Standard: Students describe how their own and others’ identities are influenced by factors such as culture, family, and peers.
• Elaborations:
  • Explaining influences on self-identity including cultural background, values, and personal interests
  • Investigating how connection to people and places influences identity over time
  • Recognising the role of family, peer groups, culture and media in shaping identity

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Learning Intentions and Success Criteria

• WALT (We Are Learning To):
  Understand what personal identity means and identify aspects that make us unique.

• Success Criteria:

  • I can identify different parts of my personal identity (interests, values, culture).
  • I can explain why these parts are important to me.
  • I can create a ‘Who Am I?’ poster that includes my interests, values, and cultural background.

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Resources

• Large paper or A3 sheets for posters
• Colour markers, crayons, or pencils
• Sentence starter sheets (e.g., “I am unique because…”, “My culture is…”, “I value…”) for differentiation
• Graphic organisers (identity wheel or mind map templates) for visual learners and dyslexia-friendly support
• Examples of identity posters (teacher-created or sourced)
• Optional: Books or images representing diverse cultures, values, and interests

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Lesson Timing and Activities

Time	Activity	Description	Differentiation / Extension / Dyslexia-friendly Supports
0 – 5 mins	Introduction and Discussion	- Introduce the concept of personal identity. - Discuss what makes a person ‘unique’. - Brainstorm some examples (culture, interests, family, values).	Use visuals and real-life examples; encourage sharing to engage diverse learners.
5 – 10 mins	Read & Reflect	- Show a teacher-created identity poster. - Discuss the parts of the poster: interests, culture, values. - Use sentence starters to prompt thinking.	Provide sentence starters on handouts. Use graphic organiser to outline ideas.
10 – 30 mins	Create ‘Who Am I?’ Posters	- Students create their own posters on A3 paper. - They include drawings and words that represent their personal identity (interests, values, cultural background).	Offer additional sentence starters and graphic organisers. Extension: Research a famous person’s identity at home and prepare a short presentation.
30 – 40 mins	Sharing and Class Discussion	- Volunteers share their posters. - Class discusses how everyone’s identity is unique and why it’s important to understand this.	Encourage respectful listening. Provide prompts for shy students (e.g., “Tell us one thing you like.”).
40 – 45 mins	Reflection and Wrap-up	- Reflect as a class on what was learned. - Teacher summarises the importance of personal identity and belonging.	Use simple reflection questions: “What did you learn about yourself?” Orally supported reflection for diverse learners.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Supporting learners who need extra help:

  • Provide sentence starters and graphic organisers to help structure ideas.
  • Use visuals and charts to make abstract concepts concrete.
  • Pair students for peer support during activities.

• Extensions for advanced learners:

  • Research and prepare a brief oral presentation on a famous person’s identity, focusing on their interests, values, and cultural background.
  • Encourage reflection on how identities can change or develop over time.

• Dyslexia-friendly options:

  • Use graphic organisers and visual representations.
  • Keep written instructions clear and concise.
  • Allow oral sharing and dictation if writing is challenging.
  • Use a quiet area for students who may become overwhelmed.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative Assessment:

  • Observation during class discussion and poster creation to check students’ understanding of personal identity.
  • Listening to students’ explanations of their posters.

• Summative Links:

  • Posters can be displayed in the classroom and referred to in subsequent lessons within this unit.
  • Extension presentations provide evidence of deeper engagement and research skills.

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Notes for Teachers

• This lesson strategically builds a safe, inclusive space for students to celebrate and reflect on their identities, consistent with the curriculum emphasis on positive self-identity (AC9HP6P01).
• Bringing in examples of First Nations Australians’ connection to Country/Place can enrich discussions and honour the cultural diversity of Australia.
• Maintaining flexibility in how students express their identity (written, oral, visual) will support diverse learning needs in the classroom.

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Summary

This lesson empowers Year 6 students to explore personal identity by creating a meaningful ‘Who Am I?’ poster that reflects who they are and what they value. Tailored with sentence starters and graphic organisers, it caters to diverse learners including those requiring dyslexia-friendly supports. It aligns precisely with the Western Australian Curriculum’s aims to explain how identities are shaped positively by cultural, familial, and personal factors, setting a strong foundation for the unit Understanding Identity and Change , .