Embrace Kids: Our Incredible Bodies

This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:

• adaptability
• critical thinking
• empathy
• reflection
• social skills

Australian Curriculum (v9.0) content description:

• Investigate resources and strategies to manage changes and transitions, including changes associated with puberty (AC9HP6P02).

General capabilities: Personal and Social Capability

Syllabus outcomes: Stage 3, DPHPE

PD3-6

• distinguishes contextual factors that influence health, safety, well-being and participation in physical activity which are controllable and uncontrollable.

Relevant parts of Year 5 & 6 achievement standards: Students propose strategies to manage emotions, developmental changes and transitions. 

• Body Functionality Film Clip
• Device to share slides and video with the class
• Slides
• Sticky notes
• Student brainstorm worksheet (1 per student)
• Student letter worksheet (1 per student)

Embrace Kids is an uplifting film by Taryn Brumfitt that brings together a vibrant collection of stories from young people and famous friends alike, who share their experiences of body image, bullying, gender identity, advocacy, representation and more. This film aims to improve the body image of young people across Australia and the world. Aimed at 10-14-year-olds - but equally engaging for adolescents, teachers and parents - this film inspires, educates and advocates for a world where we are not held back by the thoughts we have about the way we look. Instead, young people are encouraged to figure out what makes them unique and special and use that to spark change.

The Embrace Kids Classroom Program was designed by body image researchers, teachers, and clinicians.

Level of teacher scaffolding: medium - direct discussion, share media with the class, scaffold individual work

Taking Care of Yourself

Teaching is a rewarding yet demanding career, and it is dependent on teachers, those amazing humans who invest a lot of personal energy into their work. The majority of teachers’ work involves juggling the many competing demands of a complex job, including long hours preparing and correcting student work and attending to administrative tasks. To avoid burnout, teachers need to take time for themselves by incorporating self-care practices into their daily lives.