Grade 07: Values and life skills

In this unit, 'Build wisely', you learn to choose actions that build trust over time. You work with notes, a worked line and a self-mark. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen and talk: hear a short story, text or example linked to 'Build wisely' and say what it means in your own words.
• Connect: name one place in your own day where it applies.
• Use it: choose actions that build trust over time. Practise with care and respect, in class and at home.
• Reflect: what went well, what was hard, and one thing you will do next time.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, The idea: Trust grows slowly through small acts that match your words, like deposits in a jar. Broken promises take out far more than a kept promise puts in. A learner wants to be trusted by the new football team.
2. Step 2, Small choice one: The learner says he will bring the team ball on Thursday. On Wednesday night he is tired and the ball is in the garden. He puts it in his bag anyway. He keeps a small promise even when no one would check.
3. Step 3, Small choice two: On Thursday he is late because of a school bus delay. He texts the captain, 'I will be 10 minutes late, start without me.' Telling the truth early is better than showing up without any explanation.
4. Step 4, A tempting shortcut: A teammate says, 'Say you were on time, the coach will not know.' The learner says, 'I would prefer to tell the truth.' He tells the coach, who says thanks for letting him know.
5. Step 5, Count the effect: Over 5 weeks, the learner keeps 5 out of 5 promises. By week 5 the captain gives him the job of looking after the equipment. Trust led to more responsibility, which takes time and cannot be rushed.
6. Step 6, Reasoning: Choosing actions that build trust means asking, 'Will I still be proud of this choice later?' A single lie could hurt several weeks of work. Being honest sometimes costs a little now but protects long-term trust.
7. Your turn: You promised a friend to keep a secret, but you were tempted to tell. What builds trust? Model answer: keep it unless someone is in danger, and if safety is at stake, tell a trusted adult and explain why to your friend.

Activity. About 30 to 40 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a worked task and a corrected copy.

Standard to meet. Choose actions that build trust over time: at least 8 of 10 marks on a short task, with one line of reasoning for each answer.

In this unit, 'Courage and conviction', you learn to describe a time to stand up for what is right. You work with notes, a worked line and a self-mark. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen and talk: hear a short story, text or example linked to 'Courage and conviction' and say what it means in your own words.
• Connect: name one place in your own day where it applies.
• Use it: describe a time to stand up for what is right. Practise with care and respect, in class and at home.
• Reflect: what went well, what was hard, and one thing you will do next time.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, Situation: In the corridor, three classmates laugh at the first learner's accent as he reads aloud. The second learner sees his face go red. She feels afraid to speak because the three children are popular and she might be teased.
2. Step 2, Name the value: The second learner thinks about fairness and respect. Courage does not mean having no fear; it means acting rightly while afraid. She decides the unkind teasing is wrong and she must not be silent.
3. Step 3, Options: She can stay silent, join the laughing, tell a teacher later, or speak up now. She weighs risk. Joining is wrong. Silence helps the teasing continue. Speaking up now plus telling a teacher is the strongest, safest combination.
4. Step 4, Speak calmly: The second learner steps beside the first learner and says, 'That's not funny. Everyone has an accent. Let him read.' She speaks in a steady voice with no insults, so she is firm without starting a fight.
5. Step 5, Follow up: After class she tells the first learner, 'I liked your reading.' She also reports the incident to the teacher, who speaks to the three children. One of them apologises to the first learner the next day.
6. Step 6, Reflect: The second learner's courage was small but real. She would have regretted silence. Standing up works best when it is calm, includes the target of the unkindness, and uses an adult for help when the situation is bigger than one student.
7. Your turn: A friend is excluded from a game on purpose. What courageous step could you take? Model answer: say 'Let her join our team', invite her in, and if the group refuses, play with her and tell a teacher.

Activity. About 30 to 40 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a worked task and a corrected copy.

Standard to meet. Describe a time to stand up for what is right: at least 8 of 10 marks on a short task, with one line of reasoning for each answer.

In this unit, 'Kindness online and offline', you learn to respond kindly to unkind messages. You work with notes, a worked line and a self-mark. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen and talk: hear a short story, text or example linked to 'Kindness online and offline' and say what it means in your own words.
• Connect: name one place in your own day where it applies.
• Use it: respond kindly to unkind messages. Practise with care and respect, in class and at home.
• Reflect: what went well, what was hard, and one thing you will do next time.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, The message: In a group chat, a classmate posts a photo of the first learner's drawing with the words 'This looks like a potato.' Several children add laughing faces. The first learner reads it and goes quiet, then types, 'Why would you do that?'
2. Step 2, Pause: The second learner sees it and does not rush. She thinks, 'How would the first learner feel, and what can I do that helps?' Before replying, she waits a minute. Pausing stops her from adding fuel to the fire.
3. Step 3, Reply kindly to the group: The second learner writes, 'That was unkind. It took hard work, and I like the colours.' She does not insult the classmate. She states what is wrong and adds one honest, true compliment.
4. Step 4, Reach the first learner privately: The second learner messages the first learner alone, 'I'm sorry that happened. Your drawing is good. Want to sit together at break?' Offline kindness backs up the online words, so the first learner does not feel alone.
5. Step 5, Report: She screenshots the chat and shows the teacher, because unkind messages that humiliate someone should be reported. She also does not forward the photo, so it spreads no further.
6. Step 6, Result: The next day the classmate apologises to the first learner in person and deletes the message. The group chat gets a rule: kind words only. Responding kindly means calm words, support for the hurt person and using an adult when needed.
7. Your turn: Someone writes 'You are so slow' in the class chat about a classmate's run. Respond kindly. Model answer: reply 'He tried his best, well done', message the classmate privately to check he is fine, and report it if it continues.

Activity. About 30 to 40 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a worked task and a corrected copy.

Standard to meet. Respond kindly to unkind messages: at least 8 of 10 marks on a short task, with one line of reasoning for each answer.

In this unit, 'Citizenship', you learn to take part in a class decision fairly. You work with notes, a worked line and a self-mark. You see it, say it, then do it alone.

• Listen and talk: hear a short story, text or example linked to 'Citizenship' and say what it means in your own words.
• Connect: name one place in your own day where it applies.
• Use it: take part in a class decision fairly. Practise with care and respect, in class and at home.
• Reflect: what went well, what was hard, and one thing you will do next time.

Step by step.

1. Step 1, The decision: Class 7A has 28 students and must pick one trip: Museum, Park or Science Centre. The class agrees to decide fairly, with every voice heard, using a vote after a short discussion.
2. Step 2, Discuss fairly: Each student gets one minute to speak, with no interruptions. The first learner speaks for the museum, the second for the park, the third for the science centre. Listening before voting is part of fair participation.
3. Step 3, First vote: A secret paper ballot gives Museum 11, Park 9, Science Centre 8. Check: 11 plus 9 plus 8 is 28, so every student voted once. A majority needs more than 14, so nobody has one yet.
4. Step 4, Run-off: The class holds a second vote between the top two, Museum and Park. The 8 Science Centre voters now choose: 5 vote Museum and 3 vote Park. Museum has 11 plus 5, which is 16; Park has 9 plus 3, which is 12.
5. Step 5, Accept the result: 16 plus 12 is 28, and 16 is more than half of 28. Museum wins. Park supporters feel disappointed but accept it, because the process was fair, and the teacher plans a future park picnic.
6. Step 6, Reflect: A good citizen takes part, listens, votes honestly and respects the outcome. Minority views are heard, and the class tries to include the Park idea later, so the decision serves everyone as far as possible.
7. Your turn: 20 students choose between 3 games with votes 8, 7, 5. Is there a majority? What next? Model answer: majority needs more than 10, so no; hold a run-off between 8 and 7 games, and the 5 voters choose again.

Activity. About 30 to 40 minutes of class work, then one short practice task for home. Keep evidence: a worked task and a corrected copy.

Standard to meet. Take part in a class decision fairly: at least 8 of 10 marks on a short task, with one line of reasoning for each answer.

On the slide: L1 Basic · Kind and safe

Notes: Show one kind action and state one safe rule, such as telling a trusted adult when worried. Notes: role-play sharing a toy; learners name three trusted adults and practise saying clearly, stop, I do not like that.

On the slide: L2 Awareness · Feelings and honesty

Notes: Name four feelings and say why telling the truth matters. Notes: use a feelings chart for happy, sad, angry and scared; read a short story of a broken cup and let learners practise saying what happened and offering to help fix it.

On the slide: L3 Foundation · Friends and small savings

Notes: Settle a small disagreement by listening and save a small amount regularly. Notes: practise the sentence I feel ... when ...; for money, save 10 from a weekly 50, which reaches 80 after 8 weeks, and learners say what they would plan to buy.

This course: Grade 07 Values and life skills is at this level. Its units include Build wisely; Courage and conviction; Kindness online and offline; Citizenship.

On the slide: L4 Practitioner · Choices, budget and online safety

Notes: Weigh choices, keep a simple budget and protect personal information online. Notes: use stop, think, choose; split an income of 200 into needs 120, wants 50 and savings 30, which adds back to 200. Learners list four things never to share online.

On the slide: L5 Specialist · Wellbeing and responsibility

Notes: Plan study, rest and sleep, and give a respectful no under peer pressure. Notes: teenagers usually need about 8 to 10 hours of sleep, so waking at 6:30 means bed by 21:30 for 9 hours. Learners plan one week and rehearse a calm refusal in pairs.

On the slide: L6 Advanced · Ethics and behaviour evidence

Notes: Evaluate ethical frameworks and psychology evidence on habits, stress and decision making. Notes: compare consequence, duty and character approaches on one dilemma. Practice: 1,000 saved at 5 per cent a year for 10 years compounds to about 1,628.89; learners say why early habits matter.

On the slide: L7 Super expert · Design a wellbeing programme

Notes: Design and critique an evidence-based wellbeing or ethics programme with safeguarding and evaluation. Notes: survey 120 pupils before and after; 78 positive (65 per cent) rising to 96 (80 per cent) is a 15-point rise. Learners state limits, such as no comparison group, and how consent is protected.