Lessons

  Hopes & Fears **  Transitioning from Primary to Secondary   **  **  Transition & Pathways   ** **  Project   ** ||
 *  **   Casey Central   **

**__ Session 1  __** **  MIND MAPPING   ** This session is aimed at recognising and identifying fears and hopes related to transitioning from Primary School to Secondary School. By identifying the hopes and fears, and the situations involved, it is hoped that anxiety will be reduced and students will feel more positively towards going to Secondary School. By the end of this session student will be able to identify their hopes and fears, the sources of both, and how rational their hopes and fears are.

** Lesson Structure: **

 * Read ‘Thoughts on Transition’ as a tuning in activity to get them thinking about Secondary College.
 * Independently, students complete the mind map (either their own or using the template) by thinking of 3 ideas that fit into each category (hopes, fears, and beliefs).
 * In the attached bubble, students write where the hope, fear or belief has come from (why do they fear, hope or believe this particular thing).
 *  NOTE: If students can’t think of a reason for this hope/fear/belief, they can leave it blank at this stage. However this is an opportunity for some deep thinking by students and they might just need some prompting.
 * Together, as a class students discuss some ideas from their mind map if they want to. Discuss what is common among each other.
 * Discuss the where/why bubbles and the variety and reliability of sources.


 * Colour code ideas to indicate the accuracy and reliability of the ideas. For example the traffic light colours could be useful here, such as:
 *  Green – true, definite.
 *  Yellow – not sure, could change over time.
 *  Red – Not a reliable source, don’t know the source.

** NOTE TO TEACHERS: Collate this mind map with the letter written to the high school as a part of session 6 and send in week 10 to the relevant high school for each student. **

** Resources **

 * A3 Paper
 * Blank mind map template (or students can create their own)
 * ‘Thoughts on Transition’ text
 * Teacher example of mind map partially filled out.

** Session reflection ** What worked? What would you change? Suggestions for next time...