Reflect and Share

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Lesson Overview

Unit Title: Exploring Our Special Places
Lesson Number: 16 of 16
Lesson Title: Reflection and Sharing
Duration: 45 minutes
Year Level: Foundation (Prep)
Curriculum Area:
Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) – Australian Curriculum v9
Sub-strand: History
Level Description Focus:
Students explore and identify significant people, events and special places in their lives and community. They learn through personal narratives, visual representations, oral storytelling and shared experiences.

Content Descriptor:

ACHASSK017 – The places people live in and belong to, their familiar features and why they are important to people.

General Capabilities Integrated:

• Personal and Social Capability (recognising emotions, reflective thinking)
• Literacy (oral communication)
• Critical and Creative Thinking (reflecting on experiences)

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Learning Intentions

• I can talk about my favourite special place that we learned about.
• I can listen respectfully when others are sharing.
• I can show that I understand what makes a place special to me and others.

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Success Criteria

• I use words or objects to describe a special place.
• I share my thoughts and ideas during circle time.
• I listen when my classmates are speaking and respond appropriately.

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Resources Needed

• A decorated “Sharing Stone” or special talking object
• A large A3 class “Reflection Mat” (butcher’s paper with drawn memories from previous lessons)
• Stickers or stamps for participation rewards
• Student Reflection Cards (see activity details)
• A soft mat or rug for whole-class circle time
• A basket with artefacts/pictures/props from previous lessons (e.g., shells from the beach topic, ribbons symbolising country, pretend church pew for the class chapel visit)

Note: Designed for a limited-resources setting – most elements can be created or substituted using recycled classroom materials.

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Lesson Breakdown (45 minutes)

1. Welcome & Prayer (5 mins)

• Welcome students and gather in a circle on the mat.
• Begin with a short prayer for gratitude, thanking God for our special places, families, and our classroom community. Simple pre-written script suggested for student-led prayer.

“Dear God, thank you for special places that make us feel safe, happy, and loved. Help us remember to care for these places and each other. Amen.”

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2. Reconnecting with Our Journey (10 mins)

Activity: Memory Map Mat

• Unroll the “Reflection Mat” – this is a collaborative display from the unit with drawn/printed photos of key activities (e.g., excursion place, mapping activity, local church visit, buddy walk, Indigenous connections to Country).
• Use the Sharing Stone to guide a “popcorn” recall time – when students hold the stone, they name a memory from the mat (they simply say it – no elaboration yet).
• Suggested script:

  “When I see this photo, I remember...”
  “This part makes me feel...”

Encourage even non-verbal or quieter students to point, nod or use single words.

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3. My Favourite Special Place (15 mins)

Activity: Personal Reflection Cards

• Hand out small half-A4 cards folded like a mini booklet. Each child decorates it with:
  • Front cover: a drawing of their favourite special place (from one explored in the unit or personal)
  • Inside: dictation or adult scribing – “This place is special to me because...”
• Early finishers can add stickers, or colour the border creatively.

Scaffold & Support:

• For children with emerging drawing skills, provide black-and-white printed templates of common places from the unit (e.g., a beach, a house, a park, a chapel).
• Adult or peer support for scribing thoughts.

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4. Sharing Circle (10 mins)

Activity: Special Place Sharing (Oral Reflection)

• Regroup in the sharing circle. Use the “Sharing Stone” again to ensure structured, respectful turn-taking.
• Prompt each student to show and talk about their Favourite Place Card with the sentence stem:

  “My special place is..., and it’s special because...”

Emphasise active listening, linking to Catholic values of care and respect.

Visual Timer Idea:
Place a small sand timer in the centre to indicate time per speaker (approx. 30–40 seconds). This adds rhythm and anticipation without pressure.

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5. Celebration & Connection (3–5 mins)

• Applaud students for their thoughtful sharing.
• Invite a brief pair-share moment where students thank the person beside them for sharing.
• Stickers or stamp on each child’s reflection card as a symbol of their growth and journey together.

Optional Send-Off Blessing:

“Lord, thank You for our class and the journey we’ve had exploring places that mean so much to us. Help us care for our world, just like we care for each other.”

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Differentiation Strategies

For Learners Needing Support:

• Provide sentence stems or picture communication cards.
• Partner with a peer who can assist with scribing or prompting.
• Work with an adult aide during card-making time.

For Learners Ready for Extension:

• Invite them to compare two special places and discuss how they are different.
• Encourage more detail in their sharing: “How do you feel when you are there?” or “Who do you go with?”

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative: Observe oral responses during sharing to check for understanding of what makes a place ‘special’.
• Anecdotal Notes: Jot down key words or concepts students recall on the Reflection Mat.
• Student Reflection Cards can be photographed or saved as part of each student’s learning portfolio.

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Teacher Reflection (Post-Lesson Prompts)

• Did students communicate a personal connection to a place?
• How did the format of circle sharing support or challenge engagement?
• Are there students who still require more expressive support?
• Could the final reflection be used as part of parent reporting or communicating learning to families?

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Extension Opportunities (At Home or Next Term)

• Families contribute a photo of a ‘special place’ at home to create a class collage.
• Create a Prayer Wall with intentions for special places in the hearts/lives of students.
• Introduce basic mapping or storytelling about sacred spaces in next term’s RE or Geography.

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This final lesson in “Exploring Our Special Places” should feel like a warm, inclusive celebration of each child's voice. It honours not only what they know about the world but who they are becoming within it.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Luke 12:34

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Prepared for: Catholic Prep Classroom, Australian Curriculum v9, Limited Resources Setting
With thanks for your dedication to joyful, reflective teaching.