English · Year 7

Active learning ideas

Exploring Themes of Identity and Belonging

Active learning helps students connect abstract ideas about identity to personal experiences they can see and discuss. When students move, talk, and create together, they move beyond generic observations to notice how characters’ choices reveal belonging or conflict.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS3: English - Reading for Meaning
• KS3: English - Contemporary Fiction

• 20–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Think-Pair-Share
• 20 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: The Identity Suitcase

Students imagine a character from the novel is moving to a new country. They must choose three items the character would pack that represent their identity, then share and justify their choices with a partner.

Analyze how the protagonist's cultural background influences their decisions.

Facilitation Tip

During Think-Pair-Share, give students two minutes of silent journaling first so quieter students have time to gather their thoughts before discussion.

What to look for

Ask students to write the name of one symbol from the novel that represents belonging. Then, have them write one sentence explaining why the protagonist connects with this symbol.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Inquiry Circle
• 35 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Symbol Search

Groups are assigned a theme (e.g., 'belonging' or 'rebellion'). They must find three symbols in the text that represent that theme and create a visual 'map' showing how the symbol changes as the character grows.

Explain what symbols in the novel represent the idea of home or belonging.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'How does the protagonist's family influence their decisions about where they belong?' Encourage students to cite specific examples from the text to support their answers.

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Role Play
• 30 min · Pairs

Role Play: The Cultural Clash

Students act out a scene where a character has to explain a part of their culture or identity to someone who doesn't understand it. This helps students explore the tension between internal identity and external perception.

Differentiate how external conflicts force the character to reassess their own identity.

What to look for

Provide students with a Venn diagram. Ask them to compare and contrast the protagonist's identity at the beginning of the novel with their identity at the end, listing at least two key differences in the appropriate sections.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Approach this topic by making identity visible through symbols and everyday objects students can relate to. Use role play to show how cultural expectations feel when they clash, and avoid rushing to conclusions—let students discover contradictions in a character’s journey over time. Research in adolescent literacy shows that analyzing symbols deepens comprehension and empathy.

Successful learning looks like students identifying specific details in the text that explain a character’s evolving sense of identity. They should support their ideas with evidence and recognize how background shapes decisions about place and belonging.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Symbol Search, watch for students who assume symbols of belonging are only objects like flags or family photos.

  During Symbol Search, redirect students by asking them to consider everyday items that might carry meaning, such as a backpack, a phone, or a piece of clothing, and explain how these reveal identity in subtle ways.

• During Think-Pair-Share, watch for students who think cultural background only matters for characters from other countries.

  During Think-Pair-Share, prompt students to share ‘unspoken’ traditions from their own lives, such as routines, foods, or celebrations, to help them recognize culture in every character.

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Methods used in this brief

• Think-Pair-Share
• Inquiry Circle
• Role Play