Building Connections

Overview

Year Group: 7
Class Size: 4 students
Duration: 50 minutes
Unit: Building Connections Together (Lesson 1 of 6)
Lesson Title: Getting to Know Each Other
Subject Area: Other (Personal and Social Development)
Country: England

National Curriculum Links

This lesson supports the PSHE Education framework, specifically referencing the statutory relationships education and social development guidance for key stage 3 (years 7-9). It aligns with the Department for Education’s statutory guidance on Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education (2019) and incorporates elements of National Curriculum aims for personal development and respect for diversity.

Relevant learning objectives:

Develop effective communication and social skills to build positive relationships.
Recognise and respect difference and diversity within their peer group.
Begin to understand the importance of empathy and listening skills.
Demonstrate self-awareness and social awareness in group settings.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Confidently share personal interests and background information with peers.
Demonstrate attentive listening and respond respectfully during peer sharing.
Identify common interests and values among peers to build early rapport.
Contribute to creating a safe, inclusive, and welcoming classroom environment.

Resources Needed

Name tags or stickers
"All About Me" printed worksheets (simple template with prompts)
A soft ball or 'talking stick' for talking activities
Flip chart or whiteboard + markers
Timer or stopwatch
Sticky notes in two colours
Small reward tokens (optional, for positive participation)

Lesson Structure

1. Starter / Welcome (5 minutes)

Greet students warmly, introduce yourself. Explain the purpose of the unit: “Building Connections Together” is all about creating a classroom where everyone feels valued and able to share who they are.
Outline today's focus: Getting to Know Each Other through enjoyable activities.
Set ground rules collaboratively (briefly) for respectful listening — e.g., everyone has a turn to speak, listen with eyes and ears, no interruptions.

2. Icebreaker Activity 1: “Interest Bingo” (15 minutes)

Provide each student with an Interest Bingo grid (5x5) containing prompts such as:
- Likes football
- Has a pet
- Plays a musical instrument
- Favourite subject is Science
- Has travelled abroad
- Loves reading comics
Students circulate and ask classmates if the prompt fits them.
When they find a match, the classmate signs that square.
First to complete a row or full card shouts “Connection!” and share an interesting fact they found about a peer.
Learning Focus: Encourages speaking and listening, recognising diversity of interests, starting conversations.

3. Icebreaker Activity 2: “Talking Stick: Tell Me More” (15 minutes)

Arrange seating in a circle.
Introduce the soft ball or talking stick: only the person holding it may talk.
Prompt 1 (round 1): Each student shares their name and one favourite hobby or interest.
Prompt 2 (round 2): Each student shares an interesting fact about their family background or cultural heritage.
After each student shares, peers ask one positive question or comment — fostering curiosity and listening.
Model and reinforce respectful body language and attention.
Learning Focus: Builds confidence in self-expression, shows how to give positive feedback, and deepen understanding of others.

4. Reflection and Sharing (10 minutes)

Students complete a brief “All About Me” worksheet if not finished in class, drawing or writing about what makes them unique and what they value in friendships.
Each student is invited (if comfortable) to share one new thing they learned about a peer.
Teacher summarises: “We all have so many things in common and so many things that make us unique. This is what makes our group strong.”

5. Closing & Next Steps (5 minutes)

Recap what activities happened and why building connections matter in this unit.
Invite students to share how they felt during the activities using sticky notes (two colours: one for a feeling word, one for a suggestion to improve connection).
Explain briefly what will be covered next session: focusing on friendship skills and trust.
End on a positive note, thanking students for sharing and listening.

Assessment & Feedback

Formative Assessment: Observe verbal participation and social interaction during activities. Use anecdotal notes to track confidence in sharing and listening skills.
Peer Feedback: Monitor how students ask questions or respond during talking stick activity for respectful engagement.
Self-Reflection: Use student completion of ‘All About Me’ worksheet as evidence of self-awareness.
Provide positive, specific verbal feedback to encourage ongoing rapport building.

Differentiation

For students who may be shy or need more support, allow them to prepare their short sharing in advance on paper.
Visual prompts on worksheets and bingo cards support learners with reading difficulties or English as an additional language.
Use paired or small group sharing before whole group presentations for additional confidence building.

Additional Notes

Given the very small class size (4 students), this lesson provides the perfect opportunity for a deeply personalised approach, allowing each student quality interaction time.
The teacher should model openness to sharing and empathy to establish trust.
Encourage the use of non-verbal cues such as smiles, nods, and eye contact to reinforce connection and support emotional literacy.

End of Lesson One Plan

Teaching Instructions