Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

20 minutes

Explore: Inner hero and villain

20 minutes

Discover: Impacts on health

10-20 minutes

Thrive: Power of mindset

Explore: Inner hero and villain

Step 1

Introduce the concept of Hero and Villain:

Explain that our inner hero is the thoughts, feelings, emotions and behaviours that create the best version of ourselves, aligned with our goals and vision.
Our inner villain, on the other hand, is the thoughts, feelings, emotions and behaviours that take us away from being the best version of ourselves, often not aligned with our goals and values.

Explain that it's normal to have a balance of both in our lives and that, as humans, we make mistakes. However, it's important to be aware when our inner villain has taken control of our thoughts, emotions and actions.

Step 2

Provide each student with a copy of the My Inner Hero and Villain worksheet and ask them to focus on side A. Encourage them to write down or draw the traits (thoughts, emotions, actions) of their inner hero and villain. You may like to recommend halving the outline of the body and adding visual or written details.

Example:

Inner hero: brave, confident, has a growth mindset, is a good friend, shows up when needed, is accountable for own actions and takes responsibility, uses positive self-talk, for example, “I can do this”.
Inner villain: worried about what other people think, tries to impress people, makes poor food choices, uses negative self-talk, for example, “I suck at sport/maths/art/making friends”.

Step 3

Encourage students to share their ideas if they feel comfortable. Remind them that there are no right or wrong answers, and that this is a personal reflection exercise.

Teacher note: It's important to create a safe and non-judgmental environment where students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas. Consider modelling the activity by sharing what your inner hero and inner villain look like for you or using personal stories to illustrate the concept.

Discover: Impacts on health

Step 1

Advise students they will now explore their hero and villain in relation to the 4 areas of health: movement, recovery, nutrition and mindfulness. Ask them to turn to side B of the My Inner Hero and Villain worksheet and record their answers after each reflection prompt.

Step 2

This step looks at movement and recovery mindsets.

Ask students to reflect on what their inner hero and inner villain look like when it comes to movement and recovery.

Provide the following explanations to assist their thinking:

Movement is essential for our health. We were made to move, and it can make us feel good both physically and mentally. It's being in the present moment and enjoying what you're doing. Benefits include releasing endorphins, boosting self-esteem and energy, and relieving stress.
Recovery is about returning to an optimal state of health, mind, and strength. Strategies include sleep, hydration, nutrition, stretching and movement.

Example:

Their hero might: walk to school each day, play sports twice a week, go to training once a week, stretch before and after exercise, get at least 8 hours of sleep each night, etc.
Their villain might: choose to watch TV for 3 hours instead of walk the dog, skip training, or only get 5-6 hours of sleep.

Step 3

This step looks at a nutrition mindset.

Ask students to reflect on what their inner hero and inner villain look like when it comes to nutrition.

Provide the following explanations to assist their thinking:

Nutrition is a personal and individualised aspect of health. Each person's body requires different types of foods for fuel, and each person has varying levels of control over their nutrition. Rather than labelling foods as 'good' or 'bad', we are encouraging self-awareness and finding what works best for each person's unique needs.

We are also fostering self-awareness around the aspects of nutrition that we can control. While we may not always have control over our breakfast or lunch options, we can control how much water we drink during the day at school.

Example:

Their hero might: drink 2 litres of water each day, eat a rainbow of food with fruit and vegetables, enjoy KFC after winning their Saturday morning sport, eat 3 meals per day.
Their villain might: not drink enough water, skip meals, eat food like KFC every day, etc.

Step 4

This step looks at mindfulness mindset.

Ask students to reflect on what their inner hero and inner villain look like when it comes to mindfulness.

Provide the following explanations to assist their thinking:

Mindfulness brings us to the present moment, helping us calm down and reconnect with ourselves. It's a way to deal with overwhelm, anxiety and overthinking. It doesn't have to involve breathing exercises but can be anything that allows us to recentre and refocus, such as going for a walk, surfing, listening to music, painting or eating.

Example:

Their hero might: speak kindly to themselves, such as, ‘I can do this!’, use breathing techniques, listen to music, etc.
Their villain might: not speak kindly to themselves, such as, ‘I can’t do this!’, get overwhelmed easily, not sleep well, etc.

Step 5

This step is an optional extension activity.

Host a discussion about the difference between mind full VS mindful:

The state that allows you to be present.
Helps you to experience the present, reduce stress, overcome anxiety.
Helps you to concentrate on what is actually happening, recognising feelings and enjoying life as it is.
Meditate to clear the mind, mindfulness to stay in the present.

Step 6

Ask students to reflect on each mindset in relation to health (movement and recovery, nutrition, mindfulness) and select 1 area they would like to focus on for the coming week. Have students share it with a partner. This can be used to generate class discussion to solidify and summarise their learnings.

Teacher note: Modelling will be useful when working through each of these Health areas to help students reflect on their own mindset toward each. Consider what your own hero and villain look like for each and share this with students to help get them started - alternatively, you can refer to the examples provided under each.

Thrive: Power of mindset

Step 1

Print and display the Inner Hero and Villain wall display on a prominent wall in your classroom. Print and separate the Inner Hero and Villain Scenarios so they are ready to distribute to the class (on a weekly or fortnightly basis).

Step 2

Working in pairs, small groups or as a whole class, ask students to select a scenario and determine whether it represents the hero or villain mindset. Encourage them to refer to the wall display to prompt their thinking.

If the scenario is a villain mindset, ask students to suggest ways they could shift it to a hero mindset or learn to embrace it (if healthy to do so).

If the scenario is a hero mindset, ask students to suggest some long-term benefits of practising this mindset (for themselves and others).

Step 3

To wrap up the activity, ask students to share their scenario and response with the class and use this to facilitate group discussion.

Teacher note: Once students have worked through all the scenarios, have them create new ones that can be utilised by the whole class.

Health: Mindset and Self-talk

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