Key ideas Perseverance - is it a good thing?   Stimulus This version is for younger years, Reception to year 3 or thereabouts Tell the children the story of Incy Wincy spider (they should know it and will probably start joining in) Incy the spider climbed up the water spout and nearly got to the top when all of a sudden, t...

Key idea Qualities of a superhero. What makes someone a superhero? Is it how you look or what you do that is important? Resources Charlie’s Superhero Underpants by Paul Bright & Lee Wildish (It could be any book about a super hero really, I just found this one quite fun) A super hero cape Some superhero gloves So...

A tadpole and a caterpillar fall in love. “Promise me you’ll never change” asks the caterpillar. The tadpole says “I promise.” But will he keep his promise? Can he keep his promise? And what will happen if he does change? Task Questions: Did the tadpole break his promise? Did the tadpole change? Is ...

Get children to act out story: DO: Tell the children they are to imagine the centre of the circle is a place called NewTown.  Get some children to throw imaginary rubbish (or use something physical, like bags of recycling) into middle of circle. SAY: NewTown was getting very messy and smelly because the bins were so full.  The Bo...

This is insired by Morag and Berys Gaut's book, Philosophy For Young Children. It also draws from ‘who gets what and why?’ by Anja Steinbauer in the compendium of philosophy sessions, The Philosophy Shop, edited by Peter Worley. Resources 3 Bears, scissors and circle of thin card or paper plate Stimulus Using two o...

Thinking about work, desert and welfare Session by Peter Worley. This session exemplifies how to critically engage your class with traditional stories that have a clear moral message. You could stop the story before the grasshopper speaks and have two children dramatise the scene, anticipating what they think the characters will say. And/o...

Stimulus Aisha had been sent to the headmaster for turning her classroom into a forest. At lunch when nobody was around and nobody was looking, she had snuck into the classroom and painted an enormous picture of a vast, dark forest which covered all four walls. Aisha’s teacher walked in from the playground and dropped her mug. The...

Plumbean decides that he wants his house to be a little different to the others in the street. But what will the neighbours think? Should he be bothered? Task Questions: Should Mr Plumbean paint his house how he wants? Why? Is it naughty to paint his house how he wants it? Is it ok to paint it, if his neighbours don't like i...

Thinking about Risk and Responsibility Session by Peter Worley. The emphasis throughout this lesson plan is on risk and responsibility, however you may want to include a discussion around self control and desire. If so, during the first enquiry (around TQ1) have the class explore how much they want (or would want) to press the button and h...