KS4 LLW

This lesson can be adapted to suit senior students if you wish as all resources are editable.

Lesson One Teacher Notes

Learning objectives

This lesson will help students to:

  • Understand the meaning of charity and the role it plays in our lives
  • Become informed about who BBC Children in Need helps and the type of projects it funds
  • Consider social issues facing young people and the support they need

Lesson materials

  • Lesson One PowerPoint
  • Video 2: Introduction to BBC Children in Need
  • Resource sheet: Charity logo quiz (one copy per group)
  • Resource sheet: Young people in need (cut this up and put each scenario into a separate envelope before the lesson)
  • Resource sheet: What would help? (five copies)
  • Resource sheet: A project near us (one copy per student for homework task, if required)

Starter activity

Charity challenge

(10 minutes)

Slides 1 to 3

Begin by asking students how they would define the word ‘charity’.

Reveal the definitions on slide 1:

  • Giving voluntarily to those in need
  • An organisation that helps those in need
  • Kindness, tolerance and love of your fellow humans

Ask them to give you examples of occasions when they have been involved in fundraising events for charity. Were these events examples of all the definitions above?

As a fun way to make students aware of how much they know about charities, challenge them to a charity logo quiz.

Divide the class into mixed-ability groups and give each a copy of the ‘Charity logo quiz’ sheet. Give them five minutes to name as many of the charities as they can from the logos.

Ask them to swap their answer sheet with another group, display slide 2 and reveal the answers one by one. Give a round of applause to the winners!

Are they surprised how many charities they know about? Where do they see charities’ logos in day-to-day life?

Explain that one of the logos on the sheet is for a charity that has its big annual Appeal Day coming up on Friday 13 November. Can anyone tell you which? (BBC Children in Need).

Show students slide 3 and explain that in the next couple of lessons they’re going to:

  • Find out more about the work of BBC Children in Need
  • Take action to raise money for BBC Children in Need

Main activity

Young people in need

(40 minutes)

Slides 4 to 7

Who does BBC Children in Need help?

Ask students whether they know who BBC Children in Need helps?

Show them slide 3 and make sure they understand that BBC Children in Need funds projects that support:

  • Children and young people across the UK – not just young children
  • Children and young people in your area
  • Young people just like them, who may be facing a difficult time in their life for a range of reasons

Show the video about the charity’s work (slide 5). As they watch Video 3: Where will your fundraising go?, ask students to think about the problems faced by the children and young people featured and the support that BBC Children in Need is helping to fund. Warn them that they may find some of the stories in the film upsetting and remind them that they can speak to you or the pastoral team if they wish.

Having watched the film, talk about each of the young people and the help being provided thanks to BBC Children in Need.

Show students slide 6 and explain that BBC Children in Need’s vision is that every child and young person in the UK has a safe, happy and secure childhood and the chance to reach their potential.

Can students identify how the projects featured in the film are helping BBC Children in Need achieve its vision? Are they helping young people to:

  • Be safe and secure?
  • Be happy?
  • Fulfil their potential?
  • A combination of these?

Use the interactive whiteboard to show students information about projects in your region supported by BBC Children in Need:

  • Go to the BBC Children in Need website (bbc.co.uk/pudsey)
  • Select ‘Who You Help’ from the top menu
  • Select your region of the UK
  • Go to ‘Who You Help: Full List’

Look through the list with the students.

  • Can they spot which projects are closest geographically to you?
  • Have they heard of any of the projects?
  • Focus on some of the projects that help teenagers. What type of issues do they tackle?

What would you do to help?

In preparation for this part of the lesson, cut up the five scenarios on the ‘Young people in need’ sheet and put each into a separate envelope.

Divide the class into five mixed-ability groups and ask them to pick an envelope. Give each group a copy of the sheet ‘What would help?’ and ten minutes or so to talk about their scenario and come up with ideas for projects to support the young person.

  • Does the young person in the scenario need help to feel safe, secure and happy?
  • Do they need support to fulfil their potential?
  • Who would be able to help them? What skills does the support organisation need in order to help?
  • What type of activities do you think would help them?

Display slide 7 to prompt students’ thinking as they work. Tell them that they will need to come up with persuasive arguments for why their ideas for support would make a real difference to the young person in the scenario.

Ask each group in turn to:

  • Read out their scenario
  • Explain what they think the young person needs
  • Present their ideas for helping the young person

Encourage students to try to convince the rest of the class about the importance of their case and the difference that the suggested projects would make.

Ask students to imagine that they work for BBC Children in Need and have to decide how much funding to allocate to different projects. Take a vote to see which project students think deserves the most funding.

What factors do students think BBC Children in Need has to take into account when deciding how much funding to provide to different projects?

Plenary

What have we found out?

(10 minutes)

Recap on what students have learnt about BBC Children in Need in this lesson.

  • Who does BBC Children in Need help? Where?
  • What is its vision?
  • What type of projects does it support?

Ask students whether they realised that BBC Children in Need supports young people, as well as children? Has this made a difference to how they perceive the charity?

Talk with them about how, as individuals, they may feel a bit helpless in the face of issues like those discussed today. But actually, by supporting the work of a charity like BBC Children in Need, we can all make a real difference.

Explain that in the next lesson they’re going to start taking action by organising fundraising activities and becoming Champions of Change for BBC Children in Need.

Homework suggestion

Ask students to find out more about a project for young people funded by BBC Children in Need in your region. Give them a copy of the sheet ‘A project near us’ and ask them to:

  • Go to the BBC Children in Need website (bbc.co.uk/pudsey)
  • Select ‘Who You Help’ from the top menu
  • Select your region of the UK
  • Go to ‘Who You Help: Full List’

Tell students to complete the sheet and bring it along to the next lesson ready to provide feedback to the rest of the class.

Lesson one

Further challenges and learning

Choose from the following suggestions if you’d like to build on the students’ work in this lesson.

Activity one

Help, advice and support

Use students’ research into local projects funded by BBC Children in Need as the starting point for finding out more about how to identify and access help, advice and support in your area.

Working in groups, ask students to research sources of support locally for different issues faced by young people (e.g. disability, substance misuse, bullying, economic deprivation, mental health).

Pull together their findings into a class directory of help, advice and support. Why not produce copies to give to students, or publish the information on the school website?

Activity two

Bringing projects to life

Contact one of the local projects funded by BBC Children in Need and ask if a representative could come and talk to the students about the project’s work. This would help to build links with the local community and provide an insight for the students.

Lesson one resource:

Charity logo quiz

How many charities can you recognise from their logos? Fill in their names in the boxes.

Lesson one resource:

Young people in need

TROS GYNNAL, ANGLESEY– Zoe, 18

My name is Zoe and I live in a remote part of North Wales with my mum and dad. I was born with Down’s Syndrome, which means I can’t communicate my wants and needs to other people. I went to a school, which didn’t help me learn so my mum taught me at home. I haven’t got many friends or interests outside my house so I spend a lot of time watching videos. I’d love to be able to exercise and do activities but I’m worried about how other people will understand me.

KCB, LONDON – Devine, 16

I used to play football in this concrete yard after school with lots of other boys. There was nothing else to do near me that wasn’t expensive or that my parents would allow me to do. Everyone wants to be a professional footballer but you have to be realistic. My ambition for the future is to go the furthest I can and make my family proud of me. Even though my mum does my head in! She doesn’t want me to hang around with the wrong people. It’s stressful because it’s GCSE time. I like music so I play and listen to chill out.

LITTLE HEARTS MATTER, BIRMINGHAM – Evie, 18

I was diagnosed with a heart condition when I was just a day old. I then had three lots of open heart surgery and may need a heart transplant in my 20s. I very much did what most other babies and toddlers did but I was often breathless and because of my medication I bruise very easily. My heart condition totally rules my life. At school I missed out on activities and never felt normal. My friends didn’t really understand but tried their best as we grew up together. I always tried to keep up with them – and sometimes pushed myself too far. I think the hardest thing for me to live with is that I look normal, maybe paler than other people, but until they see the massive scar on my chest no one has any idea. Equally, not knowing what’s going to happen next is difficult.

HUNTINGTON’S DISEASE, GLASGOW – Caitlyn, 17

I live with my mum just outside Glasgow. But I look after her more than she cares for me these days. That’s because eight years ago, mum was diagnosed with a disease called Huntington’s. It’s an inherited condition that damages certain nerve cells in the brain. The damage gets worse over time and affects movement, understanding and behaviour. It’s been so tough to see her get worse. I worry about her so much and hate leaving her in house so I don’t go out much. There are so many things I’d like to do but just can’t. Then there’s my own health to think about too.

ACTION CANCER, NORTHERN IRELAND – Lauren, 15

I’m Lauren and I’m 15. I have to take about 30 tablets a day because I’ve had surgery to remove a brain tumour. The surgery damaged my pituitary gland, which controls the body’s hormone production. It means I have no hormones so I don’t sleep well, I’m experiencing the menopause already and I have diabetes. I missed a lot of school, lost touch with some of my friends and haven’t been able to go out much. It’s just me and my mum most of the time.

Lesson one resource:

What would help?

You’ve been given information on a fictional young person. Record your ideas on the issues they face and what might help them in the table below.

Young person’s name and age
What issues are they facing?
BBC Children in Need’s vision is to help young people be safe, secure, happy and fulfil their potential. What does this young person need? / (you can circle more than one)
safety and security
happiness
ability to fulfil potential
Who might be able to help? What skills would a support organisation need in order to help?
What projects or activities do you think would help this young person and why?

Lesson one resource:

A project near us

Here’s what to do!

  • Go to the BBC Children in Need website (bbc.co.uk/pudsey)
  • Select ‘Who You Help’ from the top menu
  • Select your region of the UK
  • Go to ‘Who You Help: Full List’

Choose a project in your region that is helping teenagers and start filling in the details below. You’ll probably need to visit the project’s website to get more information.

Project name:
Location:
Grant amount:
Who does the project help?
What does it provide?
Which aspects of BBC Children in Need’s vision for children and young people does it help to meet? / (you can circle more than one)
safety and security
happiness
ability to fulfil potential