LESSONS

• 1 BACK TO THE FUTURE This page asks students to imagine they have been asked to bury ten objects that say a lot about themselves, before considering what these items reveal about their character.
• 3 PET HATE This page asks students to identify their pet hates, or issues about which they feel strongly. Students write a letter to a newspaper, outlining an issue of their choice and suggesting ways in which the issue could be resolved.
• 5 MY EARLY LIFE This worksheet asks students to study a piece of prose and discuss how the author reveals information about herself and others through her writing. Students then write a similar autobiographical piece to illustrate facts about their own life.
• 7 TALKING OF ME This page is designed to give students practice in talking about themselves. It also encourages students to identify situations in which different styles of speech are commonly used.
• 9 COLOUR CODES On this page, students are asked to consider some of the ways in which colours are associated with feelings. Colour is used to encourage students to identify particular moods before discussing things that evoke this mood.
• 11 IN MY HEAD This page asks students to consider first person writing that focuses on self consciousness. It also provides a chance for students to reflect on their own thoughts and to use first person writing to explore their own state of mind.
• 13 THE PERFECT FRIEND This worksheet encourages students to identify the qualities they find important in friends. The topic is initially approached through the poem, which students are encouraged to annotate and discuss.
• 15 FACT OR FICTION? This page asks each student to disclose a new piece of information about him or herself. The activities offer students an opportunity to correct misconceptions and challenge assumptions.
• 17 SPEECH This page allows students to practise talking informally and giving a formal speech. Students are asked to explore the differences between the content and styles of speech.
• 19 WHOSE BEDROOM? This worksheet asks students to draw up a profile of the owner of the bedroom in the illustration. Students are then asked to write short descriptions of their own bedrooms. This activity allows students to give information about themselves and challenge others misconceptions.
• 21 RULES AND YOU This page asks students to name some of the rules set for them and to discuss why these exist, and then look at their feelings about each one.
• 23 GOOD POINTS This page asks students to pinpoint and discuss their personal strengths and helps them to build up sensitivity to others.
• 25 IDEAL DAY This worksheet asks students to analyse an account of a day someone particularly enjoyed and to write a piece of prose about a similar day they have experienced.
• 27 PEOPLE AND PLACES This page asks students to comment on a passage describing the home and grandmother of a black girl growing up in a relatively poor home in segregated American society. Students are asked to read the piece and say what they can discover about the girl's environment, and then to write their own autobiographical piece about their favourite place or person.
• 29 BEHIND THE IMAGE This page explores the idea that appearance can affect how people are viewed by others. Students are asked to consider some assumptions that may be made about themselves and look at how their personal presentation may influence how others see them.
• 31 DIARY DATES This page explores some conventions of diary keeping and asks students to discuss what makes an interesting entry. Students consider the confidential nature of diaries before writing their own entries.
• 33 YOU! This is a fun page asking students to consider a poem written by an anonymous Igbo from Nigeria. Students are asked to discuss the differences between the similies and allusions used here and those used in Western poetry.
• 35 DIFFERENT FACES This page asks students to identify the different roles they play in society and to examine the behaviour expected of them in each role.
• 37 LOOKING BACK This worksheet asks students to consider how they have changed over the years. Students are asked to compare their current hopes and fears with those of three years ago.
• 39 COAT OF ARMS This fun page asks students to say what the three people illustrated are trying to say with the imagery on their clothing. Students are then asked to design their own coat of arms and motto, explaining what it says about them.
• 41 TURNING POINT This page develops first person writing and introduces the link between describing experiences and describing conscious decisions and ideas. Students are asked to consider a strong piece of autobiographical writing and to respond in terms of a personal experience of their own.
• 43 HAIKU TASK This worksheet introduces students to Haiku, a traditional Japanese form of poetry. After learning about this type of poetry, they are asked to write Haikus revealing a facet of their own character.
• 45 PRIORITIES This page asks students to name some personal qualities and skills they consider to be important and then to prioritise them. The final exercise is designed to lead to a discussion about goals, aspirations and personal priorities.
• 47 FRIENDS This page invites students to explore the nature of friendship.
• 49 SCHOOL DAYS This page encourages students to discuss worries that they might have about school. Students are asked to comment on a letter outlining a common cause of distress before pinpointing things they like and dislike in their own situation.
• 51 PARENTS AND YOU This page asks students to look back and consider how their feelings about their parents have changed as they have got older. Students are asked to sum up their feelings about their parents and consider how they might feel about them in the future.
• 53 FEARS AND WORRIES This page asks students to compare worries they had as younger children with those they have today. Students are then asked to compare current fears before swapping practical tips about how these fears may be conquered.
• 55 HARD DECISIONS This page invites students to identify situations in which friends may apply peer pressure. Students are then asked to write a script explaining how they would deal with such pressure.