Working Together wellbeing lesson plan
A primary wellbeing lesson for Years 5 and 6 that helps Australian teachers introduce the value of teamwork through a structured, ready-to-teach lesson. Students explore how working with others, including people with different backgrounds, cultures and perspectives, can help a group achieve more than one person working alone. Students learn to recognise the strengths different team members bring, understand how diversity and different perspectives can support a shared goal, and practise simple strategies for working well with others.
Goal Setting, Mindset & Self-Worth
Snapshot
Working Together
The lesson gives teachers a structured way to introduce teamwork skills alongside respect for diversity and different perspectives.
Prep time:
5 to 10 minutes
Lesson length:
45 to 50 minutes
Key Focus
Understanding how teamwork and valuing different perspectives help a group achieve shared goals
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 how working with others can help a group achieve more than working alone
recognise that team members can bring different strengths, ideas and perspectives
recognise when someone is being left out or treated unfairly within a team
Understand
understand how diversity of background, culture and experience can strengthen a team's thinking
understand why fairness and respect matter when working towards a shared goal
Practise
practise identifying their own strengths and how they can contribute to a team
practise simple strategies for including others and sharing tasks fairly
practise responding safely and respectfully when teamwork does not go smoothly
Who this lesson is for?
This lesson is designed for upper primary students in Years 5 and 6 who are building skills in collaboration, self-awareness and working with others. It suits students who are ready to reflect on their own strengths, consider different perspectives and think about what fair and respectful teamwork looks like.
It is suitable for:
primary wellbeing lessons
Health or PDHPE teaching
pastoral care or advisory sessions
class culture and group work preparation
diversity, inclusion or respectful relationships programs
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 group work or projects Use when students are about to start collaborative tasks and need a shared understanding of what good teamwork looks like.
Building classroom culture Use when reinforcing expectations around fairness, respect and inclusion during group activities.
Supporting inclusion in team activities Use when students need practical strategies for including classmates with different strengths, backgrounds or ways of contributing.
Reinforcing growth mindset and goal setting Use when connecting teamwork to broader work on self-awareness, effort and working towards shared goals.
Preparing for transition Use when class or team groupings are changing and students need to build new working relationships.
Creating structured wellbeing discussion Use when you want a calm, teacher-led discussion about collaboration, diversity and respectful behaviour in teams.
The lesson can be used proactively with the whole class. It does not need to follow a specific incident.
Why this lesson matters
Teamwork is a skill students use across school life, from classroom projects to sport and group problem solving. Learning how to work well with others, including people who think or bring different things to the group, helps students build practical skills they can use beyond any single task. This lesson supports proactive skill building rather than responding after a group activity has gone wrong. It gives students language for recognising different strengths, understanding why diverse perspectives can help a team, and knowing how to respond if teamwork feels unfair. Building these skills early can support a classroom culture where students feel more confident contributing to group work and more aware of how their behaviour affects others in a team.
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 own strengths and how they contribute to a team.
Collaboration Students practise sharing tasks and working towards a shared goal with others.
Perspective-taking Students consider how different backgrounds and experiences shape a team member's ideas.
Inclusion Students identify simple ways to include others and notice when someone is left out.
Growth mindset Students connect effort and working with others to achieving more than they could alone.
Communication Students practise expressing ideas and listening to others during team discussions.
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 not to name classmates or share stories about other people
Frame discussion around general scenarios rather than personal experiences
Make clear that the lesson is about building teamwork skills, not identifying anyone's actions
Be prepared to follow your school's child safety, wellbeing or child protection procedures if a student discloses harm or says they feel unsafe.
During delivery
Use general examples such as group projects, sports teams or class activities
Encourage students to reflect on their own strengths without asking anyone to speak on behalf of a group or background
Give students time to discuss what fair and respectful teamwork looks like
Allow students to respond through discussion, written reflection or small group talk depending on confidence
Supporting safe discussion
Remind students that privacy matters and personal stories should not be shared without permission
Reinforce that unfair treatment or exclusion within a team can be raised with a trusted adult
Keep discussion focused on scenarios rather than naming specific people
Adaptation options
Use small group discussion for confident classes
Use written reflection or partner talk for quieter groups
Spend more time on strengths and self-awareness if students need support identifying their contribution to a team
