1. I am learning to handle change
Year 3 – Life changes and transitions
I am learning to handle change
This lesson fits into the Life Changes and Transitions strand. It focuses on exploring loss and the associated feelings. Children discuss situations in which someone might experience loss, including change and the loss of material possessions/ something which is special to someone. Children will also be given opportunities to put themselves in someone else’s shoes and explore how they might offer support to someone who has lost something.
© Leeds South and East CCG

2. Learning outcomes Knowledge Skills
I can work with others to overcome a new challenge
I can then talk about the sequence of individual events involved in this
I understand the importance of being co-operative with others
I understand that change happens & can be challenging
I understand that adapting to change is key to developing emotional wellbeing 2

3. How we will work together
Can you remember the group agreement we have already talked about, let’s take a minute to think about them.
Teacher notes
Read these through with the children. Hopefully the group agreement will be displayed in the classroom already. 3

4. What do we already know? New baby brother or sister
Discuss changes
New baby brother or sister
Moving to a new country
Starting school/ moving to a new year group
Moving house
Discuss changes shown on pictures. Which of these changes have the children been through themselves? Can they list associated feelings on post its and stick around picture/scenario? Discuss; ‘Can we stop change from happening?’; ‘Is change natural?’
Parents separating 4

5. Let’s get started Circle time 5
Play ‘changes’ or ‘fruit mix up’ circle time game. Discuss feelings associated with change. How did you support others with the change?
Changes game - Someone goes outside, 2 people in the circle swap places, and the outsider tries to guess who has moved.
Fruit mix up game – Give each child the name of a fruit (up to 4 different fruits should be enough). Say the name of one/ two fruits at a time and all the children who have been given the name of that fruit have to stand up and swap places. 5

6. Starting School Can you remember what it felt like to start school?
What do you think emotional wellbeing means?
Explain that we are going to look at one significant change that is familiar to all of us – starting school. ‘Can you remember what it felt like to start school?’, ‘What made it such a big change at the time?’
What made it such a big change at the time? 6

7. Starting School Watch the video
Right click on ‘Video link’ hyperlink and click ‘open hyperlink’ to access video. Watch video clip. Discuss; ‘How is Nemo feeling about his first day at school?’; ‘How is Marlon, his Dad, feeling?’; ‘Why might they have these different feelings about Nemo starting school?’
Watch the video 7

8. Starting School Watch the video
Right click on ‘Video link’ hyperlink and click ‘open hyperlink’ to access video. Watch video clip. Discuss; ‘How do you think Topsy and Tim are feeling?’; ‘ What made them feel better when they arrived at the school gates?’
Watch the video
© BBC, Cbeebies All Rights Reserved. 8

9. You’re the Agony Aunt!
Discuss what an ‘Agony Aunt’ is and what they do.
Discuss what an ‘Agony Aunt’ is and what they do.
Consider Nemo and Marlon from ‘Finding Nemo’ . You could show images of Marlon and Nemo.
What advice would you give to Nemo, Topsy and Tim? What advice would you give to Marlon? What might each of them find challenging about the situation? Discuss strategies for coping with change for both Nemo and Marlon. Groups to create a poster sharing their ‘top tips’ with a child about to start in reception (link to children’s experience of supporting a younger sister, brother, cousin as relevant). Discuss ideas about needing to communicate/ cooperate with others and the importance of this. ‘What is resilience?’; ‘Why might somebody who’s facing a big change need to be resilient?’
Topsy & Tim
© BBC. All Rights Reserved 9

10. How has our learning progressed?
How could you work with others to overcome a new challenge?
How might you go about this?
Talk partners
Change
Resilience
Re-cap LOs and discuss. Display key words – resilience, challenge, emotional wellbeing. Discuss each of these and link back to how they are important when facing a change (like the ones discussed during the baseline assessment activity). Discuss how you could work with others to overcome a new challenge? How might you go about this? ‘What is physical wellbeing?’; ‘Why is it important?’; ‘What is emotional wellbeing?’; ‘Why is it important?’; ‘What is the difference?’
Challenge
Emotional Wellbeing 10

11. Taking the learning away
Could you discuss your ideas or make a list of strategies you could use when coping with change?
Next time you face a change, try and use some of these strategies to support yourself and others 11

12. Additional resources and help
Talk to your teacher or an adult in school
Talk to your Mum, Dad or someone you trust at home about how you are feeling
If you have them: – Write your worry down and post it in the class worry box – Talk to a peer mediator in your school – Write your worry down on the worry wall on the school’s website
Contact:
im-a-young-person
Where can I go for help? 12