Move, Notice, Share

Overview

Students take part in a short, choice-based outdoor movement session, then retell what happened and identify one similarity and one difference between two activities. The lesson supports neurodiverse learners through predictable routines, visual choices, clear boundaries, sensory options and the opportunity to participate at an individual comfort level.

Learning intentions

• WALT choose and safely join an outdoor physical activity.
• WALT notice what happens during a shared class activity.
• WALT retell the events in the order they happened.
• WALT identify one thing that was the same and one thing that was different.

Success criteria

• I can choose an activity and follow the safety rule.
• I can tell or show what happened first and next.
• I can say or point to one thing that was the same.
• I can say or point to one thing that was different.

Curriculum links

• History — students retell stories and events they have learnt or shared.
• History — students identify similarities and differences between events.
• Geography — students describe physical features such as grassland and open spaces.
• The New Zealand Curriculum values participation, inclusion, respect and managing self.

Lesson structure (10 minutes)

1. 0–2 min · Welcome and visual plan. Teacher gathers the five students outside, shows the visual activity plan and explains: “First we choose, then we play, then we share what happened.” Point out the boundaries, stop signal and safe-space option. Students look, listen or indicate which activity they might choose.

2. 2–3 min · Safety and choice. Teacher briefly models the stop signal, safe body spacing and how to use the equipment; offer a choice of balloon tennis, gentle hockey, bike riding, running on the field or playing on the park. Students choose by pointing, moving to a picture, or saying their choice. Children may watch first or use the designated calm space.

3. 3–7 min · Outdoor movement games. Teacher supervises the selected activities, uses short prompts such as “Ready, stop” and “What are you doing now?”, and adjusts equipment or space as needed. Students participate at their own level, practising movement, turn-taking and safe use of the outdoor area. If appropriate, invite a change of activity after two minutes so students experience two events.

4. 7–9 min · Retell and compare. Teacher brings students together and uses the retell and compare prompts: “What happened first?”, “What happened next?”, “What was the same?”, and “What was different?” Model a simple response: “First we played balloon tennis. Next we ran. Both used our bodies, but one used a balloon.” Students retell using words, gestures, drawings in the air, object choices or a communication device.

5. 9–10 min · Plenary and check-out. Teacher revisits the final reflection slide and asks each student to show a thumbs-up, point to a preferred activity, or complete the sentence “I liked…” Students share one event or comparison; teacher records key responses for assessment.

Resources

• Slides-1 visual activity plan, safety cues, retell prompts and reflection slide
• Balloons
• Soft hockey sticks and lightweight balls
• Bicycles or scooters and helmets
• Cones for boundaries and movement pathways
• Access to a field, playground and quiet outdoor space
• Visual choice cards or simple activity photographs
• Communication devices or gesture supports, where used by students

Assessment

• Observe whether each student makes a safe activity choice, responds to the stop signal and participates in a way that suits their needs.
• During the retell, listen for an event recalled in sequence and record whether the student communicates through speech, gesture, pointing, drawing or an augmentative communication system.
• Check whether students can identify a similarity or difference between two activities. Accept responses such as “both moved”, “one had a ball” or “running was fast; balloon tennis was slower”.

Differentiation

• Provide a visual first–then routine, one-step instructions, demonstrations and a consistent stop signal. Repeat directions using the same words.
• Offer genuine choices, including watching, walking, using adapted equipment, taking a movement break or joining a quiet activity. Never require eye contact or forced participation.
• Reduce sensory load with a quieter space, fewer players, increased personal space, soft equipment and access to headphones if normally used.
• Support communication with sentence starters (“First we…”, “Both…”, “One was…”), photographs, gestures, objects and peer or adult modelling. Extend confident students by asking them to retell two activities in order and explain why they were different.