Celebrating Every Me

Overview

In the final lesson of the “What Makes Me, Me?” unit, pupils revisit their Lesson 1 identity passport and reflect on how their understanding has developed. They create an identity gallery page or spoken presentation showing their strengths, new learning and one action they can take to promote inclusion, before celebrating the class community through The Day You Begin and the Everyone Belongs agreement.

Learning intentions

• Students will reflect on how their understanding of identity and belonging has developed.
• Students will identify personal strengths, qualities and experiences that contribute to who they are.
• Students will explain how differences can enrich a group or community.
• Students will choose one realistic action that promotes inclusion and belonging.

Success criteria

• I can identify something I have learned about identity, difference or belonging.
• I can describe at least two of my strengths or positive qualities.
• I can explain one way to help others feel included.
• I can present my ideas respectfully and listen to others.

Curriculum links

• Relationships education: Being Safe — understanding that each person’s body belongs to them and recognising appropriate and inappropriate contact.
• Primary health and wellbeing: General wellbeing — recognising feelings and using varied vocabulary to describe them.
• Primary health and wellbeing: General wellbeing — understanding that worry and feeling down can affect everyone at times.
• Primary health and wellbeing: Developing bodies — understanding that people develop through a human lifecycle and that everyone’s experiences are individual.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Welcome and retrieval. Teacher opens with the opening question and unit recap and reminds pupils of the Everyone Belongs agreement: listen carefully, avoid assumptions, respect privacy and allow people to choose what they share. Students silently recall one idea from the unit and share it with a partner using the stem, “At the start of the unit I thought…, but now I think…”.

2. 5–12 min · Revisit the identity passport. Teacher asks pupils to take out their Lesson 1 identity passport and models comparing an early idea with current learning, without asking anyone to disclose private information. Students review their passport independently, adding or annotating three notes: “new learning”, “a strength I recognise” and “a question or idea I am still thinking about”; they may write “pass” beside anything they do not wish to revisit.

3. 12–17 min · Model the final product. Teacher uses the identity gallery instructions and model to demonstrate a fictional gallery page or two-minute spoken presentation. Explain that pupils may use words, symbols, drawings or a spoken format, and that identity means more than appearance: it can include interests, values, relationships, culture, experiences, hopes and qualities. Students identify which success criteria appear in the model and ask clarifying questions.

4. 17–32 min · Create an identity gallery. Teacher distributes the identity gallery and reflection page and conferences with pupils, checking that actions for inclusion are specific, safe and achievable. Students create either a personal gallery page or prepare a spoken presentation, including: one new learning point; two strengths or qualities; one aspect of identity they choose to celebrate; one feeling connected to belonging or inclusion; and one action such as inviting someone into a game, challenging an unfair stereotype or listening respectfully. Pupils must not include another person’s confidential information.

5. 32–40 min · Share and celebrate. Teacher displays the sharing prompts and celebration routine and organises pairs or groups of three so every pupil can share in a low-pressure way; pupils may show their page, read selected parts or present without naming personal details. Students respond with one respectful sentence, such as “I noticed your strength in…” or “Your action could help people feel…”. Each group nominates one general message about belonging, not an individual’s private information, for the class celebration.

6. 40–45 min · Class commitment and exit reflection. Teacher returns to the final reflection and Everyone Belongs agreement and invites the class to connect the lesson to The Day You Begin: people may feel different, but shared listening and kindness can create belonging. Students complete the final boxes on the identity gallery and reflection page: “One thing I am proud of learning is…” and “This week I will help inclusion by…”. Invite volunteers to read commitments, then close by affirming that pupils can choose what to share about themselves and should respect others’ choices.

Resources

• the complete unit reflection and celebration slide deck
• the identity gallery and reflection page
• Pupils’ identity passports from Lesson 1
• Pens, pencils and colouring materials
• A4 paper or card for gallery pages
• Visualiser or board
• Timer
• Accessible quiet space or alternative presentation option

Assessment

• Listen to partner retrieval talk and passport annotations for evidence that pupils can describe changed understanding and use respectful vocabulary.
• During creation and sharing, check for a clear strength, new learning and realistic inclusion action; question sensitively where ideas are vague.
• Collect the completed reflection page or photograph gallery work. Use the final commitment to identify whether each pupil can connect personal choices with inclusion and belonging.

Differentiation

• Support pupils with sentence starters, a word bank such as “kind”, “curious”, “brave”, “fair” and “creative”, and the option to draw, dictate or record their presentation.
• Offer a partially completed gallery layout and adult or peer scribing for pupils with writing, processing or motor difficulties. Do not require disclosure of personal, family or cultural information.
• Provide EAL pupils with visual prompts, rehearsal time and partner talk before writing; accept labelled drawings and simple sentences alongside oral explanation.
• Challenge confident pupils to explain why their chosen action could improve belonging and to consider how the same action might need adapting for different people or situations.