Teacher guide · Confidence Lab · Harder · about 60 min

🧭 Lead the Expedition

Pupils practise confidence and real life thinking and problem solving through "Lead the Expedition": Take charge of a four-person team, handle arguments, get everyone home.

Lesson guide

1. Hook · 5 min
Show the 🧭 mission title and read the opening: "Meet your team before you set off.". Take three quick guesses.
2. Model · 5 min
Think aloud through the first step together. Use Echo the Parrot's line as your prompt: "Say it clearly — I'm listening."
3. Do · 35 min
Pairs work through the 22 steps on screen or on the printed sheet. Circulate and ask "why?"
4. Discuss · 10 min
Use two or three of the discussion questions. Ask pairs to share different answers, not just correct ones.
5. Reflect · 5 min
Exit ticket: one sentence on how they used confidence today.

Discussion questions

What was the hardest choice in "Lead the Expedition", and why?
Explain why you gave Sam the pace job instead of the heavy pack — explain your reasoning to a partner.
Hour 2. Nia races ahead out of sight. What do you say when she stops — explain your reasoning to a partner.
Your call as leader — explain your reasoning to a partner.
Where could you use confidence outside school this week?
If you did this again, what would you change?

Adapting it

Support: Read prompts aloud, pair with a confident partner, and accept spoken or drawn answers for writing steps.

Stretch: Ask pupils to create their own extra step for a partner and explain the correct answer.

Curriculum links

National Curriculum: English: spoken language — articulate and justify answers
PSHE: Relationships: communicating feelings and listening to others
PSHE: Health & wellbeing: resilience and managing setbacks

Pupil sheet

🧭 Lead the Expedition

Name: ____________________ Date: __________

1. Meet your team before you set off.
Clue — Nia: Fast, brave, hates waiting. Wants to reach the summit today.
Clue — Rafi: Careful and quiet. Worried about the weather. Rarely speaks up.
Clue — Jo: Funny, keeps everyone's spirits up, forgets things constantly.
Clue — Sam: Strongest walker but has a sore ankle and won't admit it.
2. Give each person the job that fits them.
Nia → ________________
Rafi → ________________
Jo → ________________
Sam → ________________
3. Explain why you gave Sam the pace job instead of the heavy pack.
4. Hour 2. Nia races ahead out of sight. What do you say when she stops?
☐ Nothing — she's fastest.
☐ You're our best scout, but I need you in sight so we don't split up.
☐ Do that again and you're going home.
5. Hour 4. The weather turns.
Clue — Rafi: 'The clouds are stacking. I think we've got an hour, maybe less.'
Clue — Nia: 'The summit is 40 minutes away. We can make it. Come ON.'
Clue — The map: A safe hut is 25 minutes back down the ridge.
6. Your call as leader.
☐ Push for the summit
☐ Turn back to the hut and try again tomorrow
☐ Split up — some go up, some go down
7. Tell Nia your decision without crushing her. Write exactly what you'd say.
8. Order how you get everyone moving.
___ Check Sam's ankle
___ Give each person a job
___ Give the reason
___ Say the decision clearly
___ Set off together
9. At the hut, Jo has lost the stove. Everyone's cold and annoyed.
☐ Tell Jo off in front of everyone
☐ Sort warmth first, talk to Jo quietly later
☐ Pretend it didn't happen
10. Write the quiet word you'd have with Jo afterwards.
11. Next morning you summit. Write what you say to the team at the top.
12. Score yourself as a leader: one thing you did well, one you'd change.
13. Chapter 2. Halfway point — check on your team.
Clue — Supplies: Two days of food less than the plan said.
Clue — Morale: Two members haven't spoken since this morning.
Clue — The route: The pass ahead is blocked by snow.
Clue — The weather: A clear window tomorrow, storms after that.
14. What do you deal with first?
☐ The fallout between the two members
☐ Repack the bags
☐ Nothing — push on
15. What would you actually say to the two who've fallen out?
16. Order the safest way to change your route.
___ Agree a turn-back time
___ Ask the team
___ Check the map
___ Set off
___ Tell base camp
17. One member wants to push through the storm for the summit. You…
☐ Hold the turn-back time you all agreed
☐ Let them go alone
☐ Take the whole team up
18. Repack for the last push: 12 kg between you (at least 4 items).
Budget: £12
☐ Rope — £3
☐ Stove — £2
☐ Extra food — £3
☐ First aid kit — £2
☐ Camera — £1
☐ Spare tent — £4
☐ Radio — £1
Total spent: £______
19. Someone's favourite item got left behind. How do you tell them?
20. Match each job to the person best suited to it.
Navigating → ________________
Keeping spirits up → ________________
Rationing food → ________________
Talking to base → ________________
21. You make the wrong call and lose an hour. Best leadership move?
☐ Own it out loud and adjust the plan
☐ Blame the weather
☐ Say nothing
22. Write the expedition debrief: what your team did well and what you'd change.