It's important for students to understand that individuals can drive meaningful change, and to appreciate the impact of those efforts. By exploring change agents through the lens of gratitude, you can inspire your students to be more engaged, empathetic and proactive members of their community.

Year level

7-8

Duration

60 minutes

Type

In class activity

SEL Competencies

Social awareness

Responsible decision-making

Learning intention

Students will learn what it means to be a change agent, recognise the impact change agents have on society, and understand why it’s important to show gratitude for the positive contributions they make to the world.

Key outcomes

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

  • identify and describe the characteristics of change agents through real-world examples 

  • analyse the motivations and impacts of individuals who have created positive social change.

Materials needed

  • Students’ devices

  • Whiteboard 

  • Whiteboard markers

  • Interactive whiteboard/projector to play video

Mapped to

Australian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education

  • Investigate and select strategies to promote health, safety and wellbeing (ACPPS073)

  • Examine the benefits of diversity and challenge attitudes that can lead to discrimination (ACPPS074)

  • Plan and implement strategies for connecting to natural and built environments to promote the health and wellbeing of their communities (ACPPS079)

Australian Curriculum: General Capabilities

  • Personal and Social Capability:

    • Self-awareness

    • Social awareness 

    • Social management

  • Ethical Understanding:

    • Exploring values, rights and responsibilities

  • Critical and Creative Thinking:

    • Analysing, synthesizing, and evaluating information

NSW PDHPE Syllabus

  • Examines and evaluates strategies to manage current and future challenges (PD4-1)

  • Investigates effective strategies to promote inclusivity, equality and respectful relationships (PD4-3)

  • Investigates health practices, behaviours and resources to promote health, safety, wellbeing and physically active communities (PD4-7)

Victorian Curriculum: Health and Physical Education

  • Investigate the impact of transition and change on identities (VCHPEP125)

  • Plan and use health practices, behaviours and resources to enhance health, safety and wellbeing of their communities (VCHPEP130) 

  • Analyse factors that influence emotions, and develop strategies to demonstrate empathy and sensitivity (VCHPEP129)

Show details

Activity 1

Change agents

15 minutes

  1. Watch the following videos:

  2. Form students into pairs. Ask them to discuss the following questions, swapping partners after each question:

    • What similarities do the main individuals (Mat and Tully) share?

    • How do you think they feel about the initiatives they are a part of? 

    • Do you think that being involved with a cause is good for their personal wellbeing? Why/why not?

Activity 2

Gratitude letters

45 minutes

  1. Students choose a cause they care about.

  2. Students research and select an individual who has had a positive impact on their chosen cause. 

  3. For inspiration, students could read the ReachOut article 7 sporting stars to look up to. Examples include:

    • Adam Goodes: AFL player who used his platform to speak out against racism and promote Indigenous recognition.

    • Rosie Batty: Domestic violence campaigner who, after the tragic loss of her son, became a powerful advocate for victims of family violence.

    • Bob Brown: Environmentalist, politician and co-founder of the Australian Greens party.

    • Malala Yousafzai: Education activist who survived an assassination attempt by the Taliban and became the youngest Nobel Prize laureate, advocating for girls' education worldwide

    • Greta Thunberg: Youth climate activist who sparked a global movement of student climate strikes and raised awareness about climate change.

  4. Students express gratitude by writing a letter to their chosen person thanking them for the impact they have had. 

  5. Once they have finished their letter, students form pairs and answer the following questions: 

    • Why is it important to show gratitude?

    • How did you feel when writing your letter?

    • How does gratitude impact our personal wellbeing? 

    • How can we show gratitude every day?

Print

Related resources

Two students laughing and looking away from camera

Class debate challenge

Students sitting down on a long table

Strategies for change

Poster campaign

Group of young people sitting around laughing

Making my mark: Mental health advocacy

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              Aboriginal flagTorres Strait islander flagRainbow flagAustralian flag

              We acknowledge the traditional owners of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to Elders past and present. We recognise connection to Country as integral to health and wellbeing.

              We acknowledge people with lived experience of mental ill-health and recovery and the experience of people who have been carers, families, or supporters.

              ReachOut values diversity. We are committed to providing a safe, culturally appropriate, and inclusive service for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity.

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