KEY INFORMATION

Recommended age group: 7–11
Time required: one 45–60 minute session
Equipment: pens and pencils.


ACTIVITY IDEA

These activities can be completed in the classroom or at home, with group or 1:1 discussion.

Key definitions

Inspiration

  • A person or thing that fills you with ideas, enthusiasm or creativity. (Oxford School Dictionary)
  • When intense and personal affection is begotten from the stories and accomplishments of Paralympic athletes, and the effect is applying this spirit to one's personal life. (International Paralympic Committee)

Part 1

  1. Gather the group around and play the 'inspiration' video below, showing interviews with Olympian James Rodwell and Paralympian Susie Rodgers MBE. The relevant interviews run from 00:42–03:34. Whilst the film is playing get the young people to think about what inspires the athletes interviewed in the film.
  2. Engage pupils in a discussion regarding what they see in the film. Ask them what other things/people might a young person your age find inspiring. Why are these things inspiring?
  3. Through the discussion, lead the group to a definition of inspiration.

Part 2

EITHER

Learn through active play with Inspiration Captains

  1. Once the group are comfortable with the meaning of inspiration, use the Inspiration Captains activity guide to explore inspiration in action. The group will take part in a fun run whilst two team captains act as either the 'Marvellous Motivator', or the 'Downbeat Demotivator'. 
  2. At the end of the role ask the group to review the captains and the effects (positive or negative) of their motivational style. What techniques or actions helped inspire the team? Observers can complete the Inspiration Bingo template as they watch each captain. 

OR

Create an Inspiration Rosette

  1. Once the group are comfortable with the meaning of inspiration, get them to think about one person or thing that personally inspires them. Hand out an Inspiration Rosette template to each young person.
  2. Get the group to complete the Inspiration Rosette template, noting what person/thing inspires them, why they are inspired and the impact of this inspiration.
  3. When the whole group have finished their rosettes, get some to present theirs to the rest of the group, ensuring that they understand why people/things can inspire some people and the impact of different types of inspiration.

Part 3

  1. Pupils should now understand what inspiration is and how it can have a positive impact. Explain they are now going to look at how they too can inspire others.
  2. Split the class into smaller groups of three or four and hand out the Inspiration Role Play activity cards.
  3. Ask the groups to act out this role play scenario for the rest of the group to discuss. Draw out how the young people in the scenarios inspired each other.
  4. To finish, ask pupils to create an ‘inspiration pledge’ describing what they will do to inspire others. Pupils should add this to their Inspiration Rosette Template.

Key learnings

Pupils will understand that different things can inspire people in different ways, with a small or lager impact. They will also understand that they can inspire others by being the best they can be.

MAKE IT ACTIVE

Add an active starter activity to get your pupils moving and thinking with an inspiration twist on Simon Says.

  1. Ask pupils to stand in their own space.
  2. Every time you want the group to copy a movement, you must say: Simon’s Inspired by……
  3. If you just say Simons Says or the movement, the group MUST NOT copy your movement.
  4. For example:
    1. “Simon Says play tennis”- DO NOT copy
    2. “Simon’s Inspired by amazing tennis shots”- MUST jump on the spot (copy the movement).
    3. “Play tennis”- DO NOT copy
  5. Continue the game using inspirational examples (e.g. Simon’s inspired by rocking guitar riffs, beautiful paintings, your best dance moves etc.)