Understanding Leadership

Year 6 Technology Unit: Leading with Purpose

Lesson 1 of 6
Duration: 45 minutes
Class size: 35 students

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Curriculum Links

• Technology Learning Area (New Zealand Curriculum Refresh) – Level 4 (Year 6)

  • Technological Practice: Develop briefings that include the nature of the problem or opportunity with consideration of stakeholders and their values.
  • Technological Knowledge: Understand leadership as a human factor in technology development and project management within contexts.
  • Nature of Technology: Recognise that leadership skills are critical in the development and management of technological outcomes.

• Key Competencies Developed:

  • Participating and Contributing — working collaboratively in discussions about leadership qualities.
  • Managing Self — reflecting on personal understanding of leadership and setting goals.
  • Relating to Others — recognising different leadership styles and qualities.
  • Thinking — critical thinking about what makes effective leadership.

• Cross-Curricular Links (Social Sciences & Health Education)

  • Understanding influences on people and communities (Social Sciences) and wellbeing in leadership roles (Health & PE).

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Learning Objectives (WALT)

• WALT: Define what leadership means to us.
• Identify and describe key leadership qualities in self and others.
• Understand how leadership impacts teamwork and group success.

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Success Criteria

Students will be able to:

• Clearly articulate their own definition of leadership.
• Identify 3-5 qualities of an effective leader through discussion.
• Reflect on why leadership is important in team contexts.

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Lesson Outline

Time	Activity	Details	Resources & Differentiation
0-5 min	Set the scene	Brief introduction by teacher on "What is leadership?" Engage students by asking them to name favourite leaders they know from school, sports, or community.	Use visuals/photos of leaders well-known to New Zealand children (e.g., local sports captains, community figures). Introduce WALT and Success Criteria clearly.
5-15 min	Think-Pair-Share Discussion	Students think individually about what qualities make a good leader, share ideas with a partner, and then share with the whole class.	Graphic organiser sheet (simple mind map) to collect ideas. For ELL or diverse learners: provide sentence starters (e.g., "A good leader is…").
15-30 min	Video Viewing	Show a short, engaging video (5-7 mins) about effective leadership qualities and examples of leaders in action. Teacher pauses at key points to ask reflective questions.	Use captioned video. Pause to check understanding; invite students to identify leadership qualities from the video. Advanced learners: challenge to note down new qualities not discussed earlier.
30-40 min	Class Discussion & Brainstorm	Build a class list/chart of leadership qualities. Teacher facilitates linking these qualities to students’ own life experiences.	Use a whiteboard or large chart paper. Provide sentence frames for discussing abstract concepts. Encourage quieter students by gathering ideas via anonymous sticky notes if preferred.
40-45 min	Reflective Writing Task	Students write a short paragraph or create a drawing about what leadership means to them personally and why leadership matters.	Provide word banks (lead, guide, help, listen, decide). Extension for advanced learners: write about a leader they would like to be and why. Support with scribing or drawing for those needing it.

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Assessment & Feedback

• Use students’ verbal contributions during discussion and their written/drawn reflections as formative assessment evidence.
• Teacher checklist for understanding definitions and qualities articulated.
• Peer feedback in pairs on reflections to encourage deeper understanding and respectful listening.

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Differentiation Strategies

Student Group	Strategy
English Language Learners (ELL)	Use visuals, sentence starters, simple language, and captions in videos. Provide bilingual glossary if needed.
Students with learning difficulties	Provide graphic organisers, allow oral responses or drawings instead of written. Use peer support and break tasks into small steps.
Advanced learners	Challenge with leadership scenarios and ask them to evaluate differing leadership styles or suggest new qualities. Encourage independent research on famous leaders.

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Extension Activity (for advanced students)

• Research and prepare a short presentation on a famous leader from New Zealand or the Pacific region, identifying key leadership qualities and how these qualities helped their community or team.

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Resources

• Leadership qualities mind map template (printed or digital).
• Video clip on leadership (curated for younger students, no inappropriate content).
• Whiteboard/chart paper and markers.
• Reflective writing template with sentence starters and vocabulary.

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Teacher Notes

• Incorporate New Zealand examples to make learning relatable and culturally relevant.
• Encourage respectful listening and valuing diverse opinions during discussions.
• Keep activities interactive and scaffolded for diverse learners.
• Link leadership concepts back to students' daily experiences (school roles, sports captains, family dynamics).

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References

• New Zealand Curriculum Refresh (Technology strand, Level 4) – focuses on developing leadership understanding through practical, collaborative technology contexts.
• Emphasis on WALT, success criteria, and formative assessment aligns with current best practices in NZ pedagogy.

This highly detailed lesson plan integrates curriculum objectives, age-appropriate activities, differentiation, and extension to inspire Year 6 learners' understanding of leadership purposefully within a Technology context. It embraces New Zealand pedagogy principles and strives to engage teachers ready to innovate their approach using AI-generated clarity and thoroughness.