Impact of Choices

Overview

This lesson helps Year 10 students connect daily decisions to short- and long-term wellbeing, building on prior learning about recognising feelings and making safer choices. Students will practise evaluating consequences using respectful discussion, sentence stems, and structured case scenarios.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• evaluate how everyday choices can affect mental wellbeing for themselves and others
• identify short-term and long-term consequences of decisions
• practise decision-making language using clear, accurate vocabulary
• reflect on a personal example of choice and wellbeing outcomes

Success criteria

Students can:

• explain at least one way a choice can influence wellbeing (mood, stress, relationships, safety)
• distinguish short-term benefits from long-term risks
• use respectful sentence stems to discuss choices without judging others
• complete a brief reflection that links choice → consequence → learning

Curriculum links

• Mental wellbeing: how to critically evaluate which activities contribute to overall wellbeing (UK Relationships, sex and health education — Secondary health and wellbeing curriculum content / Mental wellbeing)
• Teachers should use accurate, straightforward language appropriate to students’ understanding (UK Relationships, sex and health education — Health and wellbeing: Secondary)
• Follow safeguarding procedures if a pupil discloses relevant concerns (UK Relationships, sex and health education — Health and wellbeing: Secondary)

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Emotional check-in. Teacher displays a simple feelings scale (0–5) and asks students to privately select where they are; teacher uses calm, predictable language. Students mark their mood and, if able, write one word for their feeling in the margin (e.g., calm, tense, okay).

2. 5–12 min · Retrieval starter (choices & wellbeing). Teacher runs 4 rapid questions from Lesson 1 (e.g., “What is a wellbeing activity?” “How can emotions affect choices?”) and records answers on the board. Students answer in pairs using one of: think → pair → share; or choose A/B/C on mini-whiteboards.

3. 12–22 min · Direct teach: short vs long consequences. Teacher introduces a visual organiser: “Choice” → “Immediate effect” → “Future effect” → “Wellbeing impact”, using a neutral example (e.g., staying up late studying vs resting). Students complete a worked example on the organiser, then underline the wellbeing impact phrase.

4. 22–45 min · Scenario work: evaluate consequences. Teacher divides class into groups of 3–4 and gives each group a card with an age-appropriate Year 10 scenario (e.g., posting about a friend, skipping homework then coping strategies, responding to rumours, using music/gaming to manage stress, peer pressure in a sports group). Teacher circulates and models oracy with sentence stems. Students discuss and fill in the organiser for their scenario, using stems such as:

• “I think this choice affects wellbeing because…”
• “The short-term outcome is…, but the long-term outcome could be…”
• “A safer alternative could be…” Teacher prompts “critically evaluate” by asking: “What evidence do you have from experience or reasoning?” and “Who benefits, and who might be harmed?”

5. 45–53 min · Whole-class debrief (accountability without judgement). Teacher selects 2–3 groups to share; uses “What was the choice? What was the impact?” to keep discussion structured and safe. Students contribute one point each using the stem: “The wellbeing impact I notice is…”

6. 53–59 min · Reflection + low-stakes assessment (exit ticket). Teacher hands out an exit ticket with two prompts and a Frayer-style vocabulary micro-check (one key word from the organiser, e.g., “consequence”). Students complete:

• “One way a daily choice can affect wellbeing is…”
• “Next time, I will use this thinking step: (choice → immediate → future → wellbeing) because…”

7. 59–60 min · Close & prepare safeguarding. Teacher thanks students for respectful discussion and reminds them that if anyone feels unsafe or worried, they can speak to a trusted adult. Students put exit tickets in a designated place and pack away calmly.

Resources

• Feelings scale (0–5) visual prompt and student margin slip
• Retrieval question cards or slide (Lesson 1 link)
• Choice–Immediate–Future–Wellbeing organiser sheet (one per student)
• Scenario cards (3–4 different versions, SEMH-friendly language)
• Sentence stem strip on desk or wall display
• Mini-whiteboards and pens
• Exit ticket (two prompts + vocabulary check)
• Teacher prompt cards for managing sensitive discussion

Assessment

• Formative: monitor retrieval responses and misconceptions during starter (quick teacher tally)
• Formative: observe group scenario discussions for accurate “short vs long” and respectful language use
• Exit ticket: check for correct links between choice, consequences, and wellbeing impact; identify students needing further support next lesson

Differentiation

• Provide sentence starters, word banks (wellbeing, consequence, immediate, long-term, stress, support), and partially completed organisers for students needing scaffolded structure
• Use smaller step instructions for SEMH needs: “First underline the choice. Then circle immediate effect. Then write one wellbeing impact.”
• Offer an alternative response format: students may choose a “safe alternative” from two options if writing is difficult
• Extension: students add an extra line answering “What activity would improve wellbeing here, and why?” using evidence from the scenario or personal reasoning