Reflecting and Planning

Unit: Farming for the Future

Lesson 23 of 25

Duration: 60 minutes
Class size: 13 students, Grades 2-5 (multi-age)
Philosophy: Reggio Emilia-inspired, student-led inquiry aligned with IB PYP Standards (Phases 2-5)

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Learning Objectives (IB PYP Phase 3-4 aligned)

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

• Reflect on their learning about farming and sustainability in the unit.
• Identify personal interests and questions for future inquiry related to farming and sustainability.
• Set clear, actionable goals for future learning using a structured template.
• Articulate goals clearly to a peer, practicing communication and social skills.

IB Learner Profile & ATL Connections

• Reflective: Students thoughtfully consider their learning journey.
• Communicators: Share ideas and goals with peers.
• Self-management Skills: Planning and goal-setting for personal growth.
• Social Skills: Partner work for sharing and support.

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Success Criteria

• I can state what I have learned about farming and sustainability.
• I can write at least two goals related to future learning or actions.
• I can use the goal-setting template independently or with support.
• I can clearly explain my goals to a peer.

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Materials

• Personal Goal-Setting Template (with visual icons, dyslexia-friendly font e.g., OpenDyslexic)
• Chart paper & markers
• Reflection prompts printed with dyslexia-friendly formatting
• Sticky notes for peer feedback
• Comfortable seating arranged for paired sharing
• Recording device (optional) for those who prefer oral articulation
• Sample personal action plan model (illustrated, simple language)

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Warm-Up: Guided Group Reflection (10 minutes)

• Teacher facilitation: Circle time discussion with guiding reflection questions:

  • What is one thing you enjoyed learning about farming?
  • What surprised you the most about sustainability?
  • How do you think farming can help our planet in the future?

• Use visual prompts (pictures/icons) for each question.

• Allow wait time and encourage everyone to share or pass.

Differentiation: Students who find speaking challenging can draw or record a voice note instead.

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2. Mini-Lesson: What is Goal Setting? (8 minutes)

• Teacher introduces goal-setting: What is a goal? Why do we set goals?
• Show an example of a simple personal action plan focusing on farming/sustainability—illustrated with photos and icons.
• Explain the components of the goal-setting template:
  • My Goal
  • Why it’s important
  • Steps I will take
  • Who can help me

Dyslexia-friendly: Use large, clear fonts, and color-code sections for visual support.

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3. Independent or Small Group Work: Creating a Personal Action Plan (20 minutes)

• Students use the goal-setting template to form 2-3 personal goals related to farming or sustainability inquiries.
• Encourage specificity (e.g., I will learn to start a small herb garden at home.)
• Teacher circulates offering scaffolding, prompting questions, or graphic organizers for students needing extra support.

Differentiation:

• For younger/struggling writers or students with dyslexia: offer audio recording option or scribe support.
• For more advanced learners: encourage setting a stretch goal that includes community involvement or a science experiment.

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4. Peer Sharing and Feedback (15 minutes)

• Pair students to share their goals.
• Use sentence frames to support language development and clarity:
  • "My goal is to..."
  • "This goal is important because..."
  • "One step I will take is..."
• Partners provide positive, constructive feedback using sticky notes (“I like that your goal...”, “Have you thought about...?”) for accountability.

Extension: Invite advanced learners to design an accountability tracker or calendar for follow-up on goals.

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5. Closing Reflection & Next Steps (7 minutes)

• Class gathers and shares some goals aloud (voluntary).
• Teacher asks: How will you feel when you have reached your goals?
• Chart student responses.
• Announce that the final lesson will support setting classroom-wide sustainable farming projects based on their personal goals.

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Assessment

• Formative: Observation of reflection participation, goal-setting completion, and peer-sharing interaction.
• Checklist:
  • Goal-setting template completed with all sections
  • Ability to articulate goals in peer discussion
  • Engagement in reflection and feedback

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Teacher’s Notes and Differentiation Tips

• Use positive, student-led questioning to scaffold reflective thinking without judgment.
• Observe individual students’ comfort with peer sharing; offer alternative sharing methods (drawing, oral recording).
• For multi-age compatibility, encourage older students to mentor younger peers during the goal-setting process, enriching Reggio Emilia principles.
• Encourage multimedia options for presenting goals (drawing, speech, or writing).
• Maintain a calm, supportive environment to foster self-expression and growth mindset.

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Extension Ideas

• Create a classroom “Farming for the Future” bulletin board displaying student goals and progress updates.
• Partner with local community gardens or farmers to extend inquiry beyond the classroom.
• Encourage students to write or record a short “goal story” illustrating how they plan to achieve their sustainable farming goal.

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This lesson reflects profound engagement with the IB learner profile and ATL skills, and it mirrors the reflective and action-oriented essence of the Reggio Emilia philosophy to empower students in a multi-age setting.