The art of being brave
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Resource Description
Using ‘hot-seating’ pupils consider what it means to be brave. It is important that bravery is seen in conjunction with
knowing limits, assessing risk and self control. This activity allows development of this important matter.
National Curriculum
Key Stage 2/Citizenship
Key Stage 2/English
Key Stage 2/PSHE
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The art of being brave
Key Vocabulary
Lesson Plan
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Objectives
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Define what it means to be brave and identify what this
means in different situations
Recognise the consequences of different choices and
consider alternative courses of action
Starter: whole class discussion
Read ‘The art of being brave’ information sheet as a
class; individual pupils can read out quotes or get ‘in
character’ and be hot-seated as a crew member to
answer questions. Ask pupils what it means to be
brave and what characteristics a brave person has.
(For example, able or ready to face and endure
danger or pain, putting others before yourself, while
being self-reliant, assessing the risk, believing in
yourself.) Encourage pupils to define bravery in their
own words by prompting them to use other words
such as courageous, bold and having guts. Work
towards a class definition.
Encourage pupils to recognise that acts of bravery
include such qualities and skills as: knowing your
limitations; working as a team; assessing the risk;
having the courage of your convictions and learning
self control.
Support younger or less able pupils by asking them
for examples of when they have been brave and
prompt them to identify the qualities or skills they were
using. Emphasise that volunteers do not seek glory
and that they don’t really see themselves as heroes or
heroines.
bravery
consequences
courage
teamwork
risk
casualty
Main activity
Pupils to complete ‘Brave words and actions’
worksheet. Younger or less able pupils can work in
pairs.
Plenary
Discuss how pupils said they would cope in each
scenario. Encourage them to recognise the
importance of thinking about the consequences and
limiting the risks. (For example, seeking help to
protect themselves is also a brave thing to do when
faced with bullies.)
Development
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Pupils can write up real or imagined
experiences of being brave.
The ‘what-ifs’ worksheet – pupils to
examine possible consequences of
events in scenarios by assessing
the potential risk and suggesting
ways of avoiding an accident.
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The art of being brave
The art of being brave
Every day the courage of the RNLI crews is put
to the test saving lives at sea. They know that
bravery is not only about being willing to face
danger, fear or pain; it is also about knowing
when and how to be brave.
Read about the sort of decisions that have
been made and explore what being brave
might really mean.
"I once disobeyed an
order.
I would normally never do
this. To work as a team
you must follow the
leader, but this time was
different. The sea had
become too rough for our inshore lifeboat so I
was ordered to return to shore but I believed I
could still get to the casualty and carried on.
The rescue was a success so I guess that
sometimes - just sometimes - you have to
believe in yourself"
'It was a force 9 gale when
we went on a shout. The
sea was rough with waves
three metres high. I was
sick for four hours and
could hardly stand up.
When we got to the boat in
trouble, I knew I might put
the others in danger so I stayed below deck. "
Thinking things through
carefully is the first step
to making a brave
decision.
"The engines had failed on a huge tanker nine
miles out to sea in a storm
and it was heading towards
the rocks. We had gone
alongside the tanker to take
the crew to safety and we
had already rescued two
people when the tanker
began to move along in a faster-moving
current. I decided to move our boat away even
though one crew member was still on board. It
was the hardest decision I have ever made, but
it was the right thing to do. If I hadn't we would
have all been in great danger.”
"The waters were freezing
and there was a man
overboard. He would not
survive much longer so I
had to get him out quickly,
but I couldn't move my
hands because they were
so cold. I could feel myself
starting to panic so I shouted out to a crew
mate. The two of us pulled him in to safety".
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The art of being brave
Brave words and actions
It’s your turn to put
bravery to the test!
Being brave is not easy. Finding the right
words and doing the right thing in a difficult
situation can be a big challenge.
what I would do/say
1) Look at these pictures, decide
what you think is going on and
work out how you would rise
to each challenge.
2) Write down what you would
say or do.
what I would do/say
Dealing with bullies
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what I would do/say
what I would do/say
Telling the truth
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The art of being brave
Work out the ‘what-ifs’
before they happen
The ‘what-ifs’
During training exercises, lifeboat crews learn
what to do in emergencies. Different types of
rescue situations are acted out and people
pretend to be hurt. This means that the crew
members are better prepared during real
rescues. Working out what might happen and
then practising different ways of solving
problems helps us to find the best solutions.
What if
Look at these situations and work out what
might happen and what you would do if you
were there. Write down your ideas in the
'consequences' and 'solutions' column.
Consequences
What might happen next?
Solutions
What would you do?
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