Developing Positive Habits wellbeing lesson plan
A senior secondary wellbeing lesson for Years 11 to 13 that helps Australian teachers introduce habit formation and values-based decision making through a structured, ready-to-teach lesson. Students look at how everyday habits shape academic performance and personal wellbeing, and practise identifying habits that genuinely reflect what matters to them.
Goal Setting, Mindset & Self-Worth
Snapshot
Developing Positive Habits
The lesson gives teachers a structured way to introduce habit formation and values-based reflection with senior students.
Prep time:
5 to 10 minutes
Lesson length:
45 to 50 minutes
Key Focus
Building habits that align with personal values and support academic success
Lesson Format
Teacher-led discussion and structured activities
What students will learn
By the end of the lesson, students will be supported to:
Recognise
Recognise habits that currently support or work against their academic and personal goals
Recognise the difference between a habit driven by pressure and one aligned with personal values
Recognise common barriers that make new habits difficult to sustain
Understand
Understand how consistent habits contribute to academic success over time
Understand why habits are more sustainable when they connect to something personally meaningful
Practise
Practise identifying one habit they would like to build or adjust
Practise linking a chosen habit to a personal value or goal
Practise setting a small, realistic step towards a new habit
Who this lesson is for?
This lesson is designed for senior secondary students who are developing greater independence over their study habits, routines and personal goals.
It is suitable for:
senior wellbeing lessons
PDHPE or Health teaching
pastoral care or advisory sessions
study skills and academic mentoring programs
goal setting or personal development units
Suitability should be based on more than age alone. Teachers should consider the lesson focus, student maturity, cohort needs, classroom culture, existing discussion norms and available support pathways.
Best used when
Use this lesson when students need clear, practical language for recognising unkind behaviour and knowing what to do next.
Introducing goal setting or personal development work Use when students are starting a unit on habits, goals or personal growth.
Beginning a new term or school year Use when students are resetting routines and would benefit from reflecting on what habits support them.
Preparing for exam or assessment periods Use when students need to think about study routines that support consistent performance.
Running advisory or pastoral care sessions Use when advisory time calls for a calm, reflective discussion rather than a reactive one.
Supporting senior study skills programs Use alongside study skills or academic mentoring content to connect habits with personal motivation.
Revisiting personal goals partway through the year Use when students need to check in on habits they set earlier and adjust their approach.
The lesson can be used proactively with the whole class. It does not need to follow a specific incident.
Why this lesson matters
Senior students juggle increasing academic demands, personal responsibilities and decisions about their future, often with less day-to-day structure than in earlier years. Habits that are built without any connection to personal values can feel like pressure rather than progress, which makes them harder to sustain. Helping students notice this link early gives them a more realistic way to think about change. The lesson supports a practical, reflective approach to habit building, helping students see that small, values-aligned adjustments are often more sustainable than large or externally driven changes.
How this lesson supports wellbeing
This lesson supports student wellbeing by building practical social and emotional skills students can use in everyday school life. It helps students develop:
Capability How the lesson supports it
Self-awareness Students reflect on their current habits and what drives them.
Values clarification Students identify personal values that can guide habit choices.
Goal setting Students practise setting one small, realistic habit goal.
Growth mindset Students consider habits as changeable rather than fixed traits.
Academic confidence Students connect consistent habits with manageable academic progress.
Agency Students make their own choices about which habit to focus on.
For teachers and school leaders, the lesson contributes to broader wellbeing, respectful relationships, child safety and pastoral care goals in Australian primary schools.
Teaching notes & Delivery Considerations
This lesson includes content about unkind behaviour, exclusion and asking adults for help. It should be taught with calm, clear discussion norms.
Before teaching
Remind students that sharing is optional and personal examples should stay general rather than detailed
Frame the discussion around habits and values in general terms, not personal disclosures
Make clear there is no single right habit or pace of change
Identify support options, such as a school counsellor or careers advisor, students can follow up with if the topic raises questions about study pressure
During delivery
Use everyday examples such as study routines, sleep, screen use or time management
Give students quiet time to reflect before any group discussion
Reinforce that habits can be adjusted gradually and do not need to change overnight
Allow students to respond through discussion, written reflection or partner work depending on preference
Supporting safe discussion
Encourage privacy around personal goals and routines
Avoid asking students to share on behalf of a group or comment on other students' habits
Keep the focus on the student's own reflection, not comparison with peers
Adaptation options
Use partner discussion for confident groups and independent reflection for quieter students
Spend more time on values clarification if students are unsure what matters to them
Extend the goal setting step for students who want to plan further ahead
