Wildly Wonderful People

Overview

Duration: 40 minutes
Year level: Year 6
Subject Area: Health
Strand: Mental Health – Personal Identity and Self-Worth
NZC Level: Level 3
Key Competencies:

• Managing self
• Relating to others
• Thinking
• Participating and contributing

Big Idea:
Everyone's uniqueness is something to be celebrated. Through understanding and valuing diversity in self-expression and appearance, students build self-confidence and empathy.

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Learning Intentions

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Explore and describe characteristics that make people unique.
• Identify someone inspiring who embraces their uniqueness.
• Understand how having positive role models can contribute to personal self-worth and resilience.
• Create and present a short digital profile celebrating someone who is confident in their unique appearance or style.

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Success Criteria

Students can:

• Choose a person with a distinct personal style or feature (hair, clothing, etc.)
• Describe their chosen person's achievements and what makes them inspiring
• Reflect on how that person’s uniqueness makes them admirable
• Create a clear and expressive 1-page digital profile for class-wide sharing

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Preparation and Resources

• Laptops/Chromebooks or iPads (1 per student or pairs)
• Access to Google Slides or template design software (templates pre-loaded)
• Copies of the book Mophead available in the class
• Printed copies of a selection of uniquely styled role models for inspiration (e.g. Taika Waititi, Parris Goebel, Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Jaden Smith – multicultural and diverse gender mix)
• "Presentation Planning Sheet" printable for scaffolding
• Digital folder already prepared for students to submit creations

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Lesson Sequence

⏱ 5 mins – Whakawhanaungatanga | Connection

Activity: Quick Pair-Share

• Prompt question: What’s something that makes you different or unique?
• Students turn to a buddy and share in 1 minute each
• Teacher summarises: “Difference is not a weakness — it’s a superpower.”

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⏱ 7 mins – Story Recap & Class Discussion

Activity: Whole Class Talk

• Recall and discuss the core message of Mophead by Selina Tusitala Marsh.
• Key questions:
  • Who helped the girl in Mophead feel proud of who she was?
  • Why was having someone who looked like her important?
  • Can you think of someone you look up to who doesn’t look like 'most people'?

Teacher Record Ideas: On board/chart as anchor visuals — e.g., wild hair, bold clothes, tattoos, big glasses, etc.

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⏱ 18 mins – Create: Hero Snapshot

Activity: Students create a 1-page digital profile of someone famous with a unique style using Google Slides or a drawing app.

Instructions:

1. Choose someone (or use a pre-printed example).
2. Find or draw a picture that shows their bold or different look.
3. Add:
   • Their name
   • What makes them visually unique
   • 3 things they’ve done that are inspiring
   • One sentence: “This person inspires me because…”

Teacher roams: Supporting groups, prompting deeper thinking or helping with digital tools. Scaffold with printed “Presentation Planning Sheet” if needed.

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⏱ 6 mins – Ako Rangatahi | Student Think-Pair-Share

Activity: Reflection

• Share profiles in pairs
• Prompt: “Did anything surprise you about your person or your friend’s person?”

Optional: Volunteers share snippets with the class briefly.

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⏱ 4 mins – Wrap-Up and Collect

Teacher closes the session:

• Reminds students that embracing your uniqueness takes courage
• Collects digital slides into a shared class folder for displaying around school or class digital slideshow
• “Let’s inspire others like the girl in Mophead was inspired!”

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Assessment Opportunities

Formative:

• Engagement during discussion
• Quality of reflection and symbolic thinking
• Completion of digital “Hero Snapshot”

Evidence of Learning:

• Digital 1-page presentations
• Peer reflections
• Contributions during class discussion

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Cross-Curricular Links

• English: Reading comprehension and writing structured profiles
• The Arts: Exploring visual identity, personal expression through design
• Digital Technologies: Publishing and presenting digitally

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Further Learning Opportunities

• Invite a guest speaker with a unique style (e.g. local artist, fashion designer or poet)
• Extend into a mini-inquiry: What makes someone a role model?
• Create class posters: “Our Uniqueness Wall” celebrating student traits

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Teacher Reflection Prompt

Consider:

• Did students engage with the idea that uniqueness is something to celebrate?
• How confidently were students able to make connections between appearance and achievement?
• How could you showcase this learning in a school-wide or whānau-involved event?

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Karawhiua! Go for it teacher!

This lesson connects personal identity, mental health, creative expression, and digital skills — all while building confidence and pride. Let your class shine!