Presenting Our Protests

Overview

This 30-minute lesson is the final session in the Year 8 unit "Protest and Ethics Exploration". Students will present their individual or group protest plans developed throughout the unit. These presentations will require them to articulate the social or environmental issue, the ethical considerations involved, and strategies to engage their community. The focus is on developing public speaking skills, ethical reasoning, and peer feedback, directly aligned with the National Curriculum for England’s programme of study for Religious Education.

National Curriculum Links

Religious Education (KS3) - The national curriculum framework for England

Autonomy and Authority: Understand the relationship between personal beliefs and diverse ethical viewpoints.
Expressing Ideas, Application and Evaluation: Communicate ideas clearly and confidently in discussion and presentation.
Critical Thinking: Evaluate ethical issues and viewpoints sensitively and logically.
Social and Moral Responsibility: Recognise the impact of personal and collective actions to promote social justice.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will:

Clearly explain their chosen protest issue and why it matters ethically.
Articulate the ethical principles or dilemmas related to the protest.
Demonstrate effective public speaking skills tailored for peer engagement.
Give and receive constructive peer feedback to deepen understanding and refine ideas.

Success Criteria

I can explain my chosen issue clearly and link it to ethical ideas.
I can describe how my protest plan will engage people respectfully and effectively.
I can speak confidently and use eye contact, voice modulation, and body language.
I can listen to others’ presentations and offer thoughtful, respectful feedback.

Resources Needed

Student protest plan notes or visual aids (posters, slides, cue cards)
Peer feedback forms tailored for constructive criticism
Timer or stopwatch for presentation timing

Lesson Breakdown (30 minutes)

1. Starter: Setting the Scene (3 minutes)

Recap briefly the importance of ethical awareness in protests (referencing prior lessons).
Remind students of the success criteria for presentations.
Quick mindfulness breathing (1 minute) to calm nerves before presenting.

2. Student Presentations (20 minutes)

Each student or pair presents for approximately 2-3 minutes.
Encourage use of visual aids to enrich presentations and engagement.
Use the timer to keep presentations concise.
Other students complete peer feedback forms during presentations.

3. Reflection and Peer Feedback (5 minutes)

Students share one positive comment and one constructive suggestion about a peer’s presentation.
Teacher highlights effective ethical arguments and creative engagement strategies observed.

4. Plenary and Extension Task Introduction (2 minutes)

Reflect briefly on skills practised—ethical reasoning, public speaking, peer review.
Suggest an extension: design a poster or social media campaign for their protest issue to be completed as home learning or an extra challenge.

Differentiation Strategies

Learner Type	Access and Engagement	Presentation Support
Lower ability / EAL	Provide sentence starters for presentations; allow paired presentations; use visuals or bullet-point notes	Allow shorter presentations or use pre-recorded video presentations if anxious or shy
For all SEN learners	Frequent checks during presentations for understanding; scaffold ethical vocabulary before session	Provide prompt cards or visual cue cards to aid articulation; use peer support as appropriate
Advanced learners	Challenge to include multiple ethical perspectives or counterarguments in their presentation	Encourage use of rhetorical devices and persuasive language; extend with a Q&A segment post-presentation

Extension Activities (for advanced learners or homework)

Develop a persuasive social media campaign or digital petition related to their protest cause.
Research a famous historical protest with ethical implications and prepare a short report or presentation connecting it to their issue.
Write a reflective journal entry on how their views on ethics and protest have evolved throughout the unit.

Assessment

Formative assessment through:

Observing clarity and depth in oral presentations based on success criteria.
Reviewing completed peer feedback forms for engagement and understanding.
Teacher’s anecdotal notes on individual learner’s ethical insight and communication skills.

This lesson provides a dynamic and meaningful conclusion to the unit, equipping students with not only knowledge but transferable skills in ethics, communication, and civic engagement — fostering empowered, thoughtful young citizens in line with the national curriculum's aims.

Teaching Instructions