divided into
YEAR GROUPS
We think you should choose Guess Who video lessons freely based on the needs of your students and that it won't matter too much if they watch the same Guess Who in Year 4 that they had watched a year earlier. However - you know your students best and if they like to keep it super fresh we have given you a guide for breaking up the video lessons across year levels:
Year 1 Cathy Freeman Florence Nightingale Ash Barty | Year 2 Sophie Delezio Ruby Bridges Jessica Mauboy Owen and Mzee (see Mini Guess Who) |
Year 3 Eddie Woo Anh Do J.K. Rowling Frida Kahlo David Attenborough | Year 4 Malala Great Thunberg Jacinda Ardern Iqbal Masih Einstein |
Year 5 Eddie Jaku Nelson Mandela Adam Goodes Keiko Fukuda (see Mini Guess Who) | Year 6 Sam Bloom Michelle + Barack Obama Annabel Crabb + Leigh Sales Ruth Bader Ginsburg Beyoncé (see Mini Guess Who) |
Year 7 Ronni Khan Dylan Alcott 6 Muslim Women Turia Pitt | Year 8 Kamala Harris Eddie Jaku Enough (consent - see Mini Guess Who) |
* For year 7 - 8 other Guess Who stories that are relevant are: Adam Goodes Ruth Bader Ginsburg Sam Bloom Michelle + Barack Obama | The Mini Guess Who tile has comprehension tasks that students in Year 7 to 8 can independently complete and spot strengths. |
Activity
Turia has built a life of love, hope and generosity. She makes sure she makes her day awesome.
Think: What would make your day awesome?
Pair: Ask your partner the same question and tell them your response
Share: Tell the rest of the class what would make your partner's day awesome.
Reflect:
How do you think Turia felt when she was told she could never run again?
Support hand:
Trace your hand, in each finger write the name of a person you could turn to if you had a problem.
Draw:
Yourself doing the things you love most in life. What activity would you be most sad to have to give up?
Time: 10 minutes
Year 5 - Year 8
Activity
The following text is taken from a children's book by Kamala Harris. Read aloud each sentence and then reflect your answer in a journal:
Heroes are there for you, you can count on them.
Who can you count on?
Heroes make you feel brave.
Who makes you feel brave?
Heroes stand up for what is right.
Who stands up for what's right in your life?
Heroes are best friends and they make each other feel safe.
Who is a best friend to you?
Heroes teach each other.
Who are your favourite teachers?
Heroes are kind.
Who is kind to you ?
Heroes explore with you.
Who helps you explore?
Heroes work hard.
Who do you know who works hard?
Heroes protect people. By using their power of words and ideas.
Who protects you?
Heroes are you. Super heroes are everywhere inside you .
Are you kind and curious? Do you treat people fairly?
You are a hero by being the very best you.
Do you agree or disagree and why?
Time: 25 minutes
Year 5 - Year 8
Activity
Which painting of Frida's did you like the most? Why?
How do you think painting helped Frida live with physical pain?
What helps you when you are hurt or sad?
Activity:
Draw a picture with all the things you love most in the world. Add lots of colour!
Time: 12 minutes
Year 3
Activity
Lightening Writing:
What are five careers you would love to have in your life?
Share with a partner:
Explain your careers AND come up with at least 5 things that would need to happen to get you there e.g. study, family support, perseverance, friends, money etc
Discuss with a partner:
Whose story did you find the most interesting out of the 8 women? Why?
What obstacles were there for these women in each story?
Draw:
Based on your lightening writing draw a picture of you looking up at your choices in life. (Similar to the playdough portrait) Underneath or beside you write the names or actions that will support you to get there.
Time: 10 minutes
Year 6 - Year 8
Activity
Draw:
A picture of how you feel after hearing Iqbal's story? Are you sad, confused, inspired, uplifted, miserable, low, proud, thankful - perhaps you are a mix of everything. You can use shapes, colours, symbols, anything you like.
Share:
With a partner, share your drawing, describe why you drew certain things.
Re-tell:
With the rest of the class, share your partner's drawing.
Activity for Years 3 and Up:
Why do you think child slavery should be banned?
Time: 12 minutes
Year 2
Activity
Think Pair Share
Think quietly to yourself, what examples of courage did you see in the video lesson?
Pair with a partner and talk about your ideas
Share these ideas with the rest of the class by retelling your partner's point of view.
Activity:
Draw a picture of you doing something that you felt incredibly nervous about. Name the emotions you felt and put them in the part of your body you felt them.
Time: 12 minutes
Year 1
Activity
Think:
Why do you think Penguin was able to help Sam so much?
Pair:
With a partner, discuss your thoughts AND discuss the character strengths you picked out for each of them.
Share:
Re tell your partner's insights with the rest of the class.
Reflect:
What are you thankful your body can do?
Create:
A list of the people you love and could turn to if you had a problem.
And/or:
Write a letter to someone you really appreciate. Hand deliver or post it.
* If you have not yet listened to episode 5 of the GYM podcast: This Too Shall Pass, make time as a class to do so
Complete the reflection worksheets for this episode
Time: 25 minutes
Year 6 - Year 8
Activity
5-7 year olds:
Which character strengths did you pick for Sophie?
In pairs share how you felt watching Sophie's story, what did you find interesting?
Share your partner's thoughts with the rest of the class
If needed: teacher can read the Grow Your Mind description for joyfulness, gratitude and love
Again in pairs: How can you bring more joy to people around you?
Share with the rest of the class.
DRAW:
A picture of the people in your life who help you feel strong and resilient
7- 12 year olds:
Think Pair Share - Think quietly about Sophie's story, her injuries and her outlook on life. What really stands out for you?
Pair - chat about your thoughts with a partner and the strengths you both picked out
Share - with the rest of the class
Reflect: Write a list of the people you feel help you to be strong and resilient. Write a letter of gratitude to one of them and post it/hand deliver it.
Reflect: How can you bring more joy to people around you? At home and at school?
Gratitude meditation. Practice this mediation once a week.
Gratitude reflection questions. Answer each question Monday-Friday.
Time: 15 minutes
Year 2
Activity
5-7 year olds:
Teacher read the Grow Your Mind description for humility
Have you ever met anyone who has the same character strengths as Ash? When did you notice them displaying them?
DRAW:
A picture of you doing something you shine at. As well as the people who help you to shine!
7- 12 year olds:
Think Pair Share - Think quietly about the character strength humility. It is an easy to describe humility as what it is not: it is not bragging, not seeking the spotlight, not viewing yourself as more special or important than others. Think about your own definition of humility and why it is an important character strength.
Pair - chat about your thoughts with a partner
Share - with the rest of the class
Reflect: What is something you shine at? Who helps you to shine at it?
Time: 15 minutes
Year 1
Activity
REFLECT:
Eddie could make a lot of money if he did advertising on his youtube channel. Why do you think he doesn't do it though? What does that tell you about what Eddie really values?
THINK:
When you hear the character strength 'spirituality' what do YOU think it means? (Teachers take a look at the GYM notes on describing this strength)
How do you think "spirituality" helps Eddie to keep recording his video lessons and not using advertising to make money?
SHARE:
Your responses with a partner
REFLECT:
Eddie inspires a growth mindset attitude in the students he teaches. Look at the Growth Mindset Tree, what activity usually results in you having a fixed mindset?
What is something you think you cannot do at school yet?
What would it take for you to get better at that thing?
Share your thoughts with a partner.
DRAW:
A picture of your own Growth Mindset tree. Draw or write things in the branches that you usually tell yourself when you make a mistake. Make sure you use more positive self talk/drawings as the tree gets higher.
Time: 15 minutes
Year 3
Activity
Think Pair Share - think quietly about the character strengths you believe Barack and Michelle have and the part of their stories that you found the most interesting. Pair up with a fellow classmate and talk about your thoughts. Share with the rest of the class.
THINK:
What would you most like to change about the way your country is run?
What is one step you could take today to start making that change?
Why do you think about the analogy of legacy: planting seeds in a garden you may never see. What seeds would you like world leaders to be planting today?
For leaders to be really effective they need to have perspective, to be able to see and hear different opinions. Look at the perspective poster. Re tell an argument or big issue from two perspectives. E.g. Climate change, 6 might be shouting we need job security to feed our kids, 9 may shout, we won't have any jobs in the future if we destroy our environment! Next come up with a compromise for both.
LISTEN:
To episode 8 of the Grow Your Mind podcast and complete the reflection worksheets.
Time: 30 minutes
Year 6 - Year 8
Activity
Think Pair Share - think quietly about the character strengths you believe Florence had. Pair up with a fellow classmate and decide on the character strengths you have identified. Share with the rest of the class.
THINK:
How can you be kind and respectful today?
What did you find most interesting about Florence's story?
DRAW:
A picture of a nurse, are they male or female, old or young? What colour skin does your nurse have? Remember nurses can be any gender, from any cultural background and be a wide variety of ages.
Time: 15 minutes
Year 1
Activity
Think Pair Share - think quietly about the character strengths you believe Annabel and Leigh have. Pair up with a fellow classmate and decide on the character strengths you have identified. Share with the rest of the class.
Do you share any of these character strengths?
What about anyone else you know?
Think Pair Share the quote from Leigh Sales' book: Any Ordinary Day, "There's really only one lesson to take from all of this and that is to be grateful for the ordinary days and to savour every last moment of them. They're not so ordinary, really. Hindsight makes them quite magical."
What did you find most interesting about their story?
Time: 25 minutes
Year 6 - Year 8
Activity
How do you think Ruby felt walking to school each day?
Look at the character strength balloon. Can you spot three character strengths that Ruby has shown?
Do you share any of these?
What about anyone else you know?
What did you find most interesting about Ruby's story?
Can you draw a picture of Ruby? Or of someone else brave in your life?
Time: 10 minutes
Year 2
Activity
Think Pair Share - think quietly about the character strengths you believe RBG has, they may be different from the ones identified in the video. Pair up with a fellow classmate and decide on the character strengths you have identified. Share your evidence for each with the rest of the class.
What did you find most interesting about RBG's story?
Can you find out 3 more interesting facts about RBG?
Time: 15 minutes
Year 6 - Year 8
Activity
Do you share any of Mandela's strengths?
What about anyone else you know?
What did you find most interesting about Mandela's story?
Is there a particular issue you would like to stand up to? E.g. animal rights, plastic in oceans, Indigenous people's rights, climate change etc
What strengths do you think you need to call on and use to make a stand for the issue you have highlighted?
Can you find out 3 more interesting facts about Mandela?
Time: 20 minutes
Year 5
Activity
Pair and Share the strengths you identified and why.
Do you share any of these?
What about anyone else you know?
Is there a particular issue you would like to stand up to? E.g. animal rights, plastic in oceans, Indigenous people's rights, climate change etc
What strengths do you think you need to call on and use to make a stand for the issue you have highlighted?
Do you think Jessica is going to keep standing up for her culture? Why/why not?
Time: 20 minutes
Year 2
Activity
Think Pair Share - think quietly about the character strengths you believe JK Rowling has, they may be different from the ones identified in the video. Pair up with a fellow classmate and decide on the character strengths you have identified. Share your evidence for each with the rest of the class.
What did you find most interesting about JK's story?
J.K Rowling grew the strength perseverance. Is there a strength you could grow? How could could you grow it?
Time: 15 minutes
Year 3
Activity
Do you share any of Sir David's character strengths?
What about anyone else you know?
What interests you in life, what would you like to learn more about?
Do you think Sir David's idea of inspiring people through beautiful imagery of nature is a powerful way to fight climate change? Yes/No and why?
Time: 15 minutes
Year 3
Activity
Pair and Share the strengths you identified and why.
Do you share any of these?
What about anyone else you know?
What did you find interesting about their story?
* Extra challenge - eat a piece of food today that normally you would refuse on the basis of hating it! And/or stop yourself from saying 'boring' any time today!
Time: 20 minutes
Year 4
Activity
Do you share any of Anh's character strengths these?
What about anyone else you know?
What character strengths do you think Anh's parents had in order to flee their home country and seek refuge?
What did you find interesting about Anh's story?
*Have a go at drawing Anh Do.
Time: 15 minutes
Year 3
Activity
Think Pair Share
Think: what most stood out for you in Eddie's story?
Pair: with a partner compare your thoughts
Share: with the rest of the class
Who could you tell today, that you love and appreciate them?
Time: 15 minutes
Year 5 - Year 8
Activity
Think Pair and Share the strengths you identified and why.
How do you felt Adam felt during those years of being booed by the Australian public?
What did you find interesting about Adam's story?
Time: 20 minutes
Year 5 - Year 8
Activity
Think Pair Share - Greta's character strengths
Do you have any of these?
Do you think striking from school is an effective way to demand change in climate policy? Why? Why not?
What is one thing you could do to help the planet today?
Time: 8 minutes
Year 4
Activity
Think Pair Share - Jacinda Ardern's character strengths
What would be the first change you would make if you were Prime Minister? Why that change?
What did you find interesting about her story?
Time: 12 minutes
Year 4
Activity
Think Pair and Share
Think: What did you find most interesting about Malala's story
Pair: Discuss with a partner
Share: With the rest of the class
Do you think it is possible to be brave and afraid at the same time? Have you ever felt this way before?
Time: 10 minutes
Year 4