Learning outcomes
By the end of the lesson students will:
● Understand and summarise the challenges set by others in a short video and blog
post.
● Answer comprehension questions about motives, difficulties, outcomes, and
reactions.
● Give and receive supportive feedback about attempting challenges.
● Write a clear, organised blog post about a personal challenge and its results.
Lead-in speaking questions
Time: 5–8 minutes. Students work in pairs or small groups. Each pair shares two quick ideas
with the class.
● When did you last try something new? What did you try? Why did you try it?
○ Sentence starters: “Last month I tried ___.” “I tried it because ___.”
○ Example answer: “Last week I cooked a new recipe. I tried it because I
wanted to learn.”
● Why is a challenge good to do?
○ Sentence starters: “A challenge is good because ___.” “It helps me ___.”
○ Example answer: “A challenge is good because it helps me learn.”
● What kinds of challenges can people do?
○ Words to give: sport, art, talking to people, school work
○ Question form: “Can you name one challenge? What is it?”
○ Example answer: “Running 5 km is a sport challenge.”
● Which is harder: starting a challenge or finishing it? Why?
○ Sentence starters: “I think starting/finishing is harder because ___.”
○ Example answer: “Starting is harder because it is scary at first.”
● Who would you ask for help if you had a hard challenge? Why?
○ Sentence starters: “I would ask ___ for help because ___.”
○ Helpful ideas: friend, teacher, parent, coach
○ Example answer: “I would ask my friend because they help me practice.”
Final writing task
Students write a short blog post (120–180 words) about a personal challenge they set,
following this structure:
● Title line: short, catchy (e.g., Running for Wheels)
● Paragraph 1: Why you chose the challenge and what the goal was.
● Paragraph 2: How you prepared, the obstacles you faced, and support you received.
● Paragraph 3: The outcome, what you learned, and advice for others thinking of a
similar challenge.
Provide this prompt on the board and a simple checklist:
● Clear title and three short paragraphs
● Specific details (dates, distances, names, numbers where appropriate)
● One sentence of reflection/lesson learned
● Correct use of past tenses and linking words
Model paragraph (example)
● Last year I decided to run the city marathon to raise money for a local charity that
provides wheelchairs. I had never run before, but after talking with the charity I
registered and started training three times a week. At first I could only run two
kilometres, and my friends laughed because they knew I was not an athlete. After
two months I reached 10 kilometres, but a month before the race I injured my ankle
and worried I could not finish. On race day, with warm weather and cheering crowds,
I stopped twice but the people around me encouraged me to continue. I crossed the
finish line in five hours and ten minutes, hurt but proud. The charity received enough
donations to buy four wheelchairs and I learned that small daily steps and support
from others make big goals possible.
Time for writing: 15–20 minutes. Peer feedback: swap and give two positive comments and
one suggestion (5 minutes).