Exploring Self-Identity

Lesson Overview

Unit: Empowering Growth Mindsets
Lesson: 2 of 12
Year Group: Year 9
Curriculum Area: PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) – Key Stage 3
Lesson Duration: 60 minutes
Class Size: 9 students

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

• Understand the concept of self-identity and its impact on personal and academic growth.
• Reflect on how their experiences, values, and aspirations shape their sense of self.
• Develop self-awareness through personal reflection and group discussion.

Success Criteria

Students will demonstrate success by:

• Engaging in discussions about self-identity and sharing personal insights.
• Completing a reflective journaling task with thoughtful responses.
• Respectfully listening to and considering their peers' perspectives.

Lesson Resources

• A3 sheets of paper and coloured pens
• Individual student journals or exercise books
• Pre-prepared prompt cards for discussion
• A timer for group activities
• A whiteboard and markers

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Lesson Structure

1. Starter Activity (10 mins) – Identity Maps

• Hand out A3 sheets and coloured pens.
• Ask students to write their name in the centre and create a mind map around it, listing words, symbols, or drawings that represent their identity (e.g., interests, values, family, culture, strengths).
• Encourage students to be as creative as possible.
• After 5 minutes, have students pair up and share two or three aspects of their identity with a partner.

Teacher's Role: Circulate the room, prompting deeper thought with questions like:

• “What influences your identity the most?”
• “Has your identity changed over time? Why?”

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2. Main Activity (25 mins) – Reflection & Discussion

Personal Journaling (10 mins)

• In journals, students respond to the following prompts:
  • How would you describe yourself beyond your name and appearance?
  • What experiences have shaped your identity?
  • How does your identity influence the way you approach learning?
• Encourage honesty and depth in responses; reassure students that these reflections are personal and won’t be marked.

Small Group Discussion (15 mins)

• Students divide into groups of three and discuss:
  • A part of their identity they’re proud of
  • A challenge they’ve faced in understanding their own identity
  • How embracing different identities can help their learning and relationships
• Use discussion prompt cards if necessary to guide conversation.

Teacher's Role:

• Ensure respectful communication and create a safe space for sharing.
• Occasionally join discussions to guide students towards meaningful insights.

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3. Plenary (15 mins) – “One Word” Reflection

• Ask each student to think of one word that represents their self-identity and write it on the board.
• Facilitate a short discussion on common themes that appear.
• Reflection question:
  • “How can understanding yourself better improve your learning and confidence at school?”
• End the lesson with an encouraging note on embracing growth and identity in learning.

Teacher’s Role:

• Reinforce positive messages about self-awareness and confidence.

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Differentiation Strategies

• For students less confident sharing: Allow them to write down thoughts instead of speaking.
• For students who finish early: Challenge them to consider how they might support others in exploring their own identities.
• For students needing additional support: Provide structured sentence starters for journal reflections.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Formative: Observe students’ engagement in discussions and their willingness to reflect on identity.
• Self-Assessment: Students assess their own responses in their journals and revisit them later in the unit to track personal growth.

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Extension Task

For homework or self-reflection:

• Ask students to interview a friend or family member about their identity and how it has influenced their life choices.
• They should write a short reflection on what they learned.

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Teacher Reflection

• Were students comfortable discussing identity?
• How engaged were they in the journaling and discussion?
• What adjustments need to be made for the next lesson?

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Next Lesson Preview (Lesson 3: Embracing Challenges & Overcoming Setbacks)

Building on self-identity, the next lesson will explore how students can adopt a growth mindset when facing academic and personal challenges.