Lesson plan · Effort and practice
Practice makes progress
Older pupils explore three sayings about effort and turn the idea of slow improvement into a comic.
- 50 minutes
- Ages 9–12, Ages 12+
- 3 activities
Big question: Is anyone born good at something?
The session
- 10 min
Warm up: which saying fits?
Play a few situation cards. Groups decide which saying fits each one and give a reason.
Activity: Which saying fits? (scenario cards)
- 25 min
Main activity: the ragged colt
Draw a three-part comic: starting out, practising, getting good at something.
Activity: Ragged colt comic (comic strip)
- 10 min
Share
Swap comics with a partner. What was the hardest part of the journey in their comic?
- 5 min
Close
Ask everyone to name one thing they will practise this week.
To take home
Practice tracker: Choose one skill and practise it for a few minutes every day for a week, keeping a simple record.
The sayings
Each saying page has its meaning, source and audio to play to the group.
By the end
- Explain each saying and how they connect
- Describe something they improved at through practice
- Tell a short story of improvement in pictures
Before you start
- Print: Which saying fits? (scenario cards)
- Print: Ragged colt comic (comic strip)
- Print: Practice tracker (weekly tracker)
Preview edition. Not yet tried with a class. Timings are estimates; adjust to your group.