Teacher guide · Confidence Lab · Easier · about 30 min

🩺 Brave Nurses

Pupils practise curiosity through "Brave Nurses": Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole.

Lesson guide

  1. 1. Hook · 5 min

    Show the 🩺 mission title and read the opening: "Florence Nightingale was called…". Take three quick guesses.

  2. 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. 3. Do · 10 min

    Pairs work through the 3 steps on screen or on the printed sheet. Circulate and ask "why?"

  4. 4. Discuss · 10 min

    Use two or three of the discussion questions. Ask pairs to share different answers, not just correct ones.

  5. 5. Reflect · 5 min

    Exit ticket: one sentence on how they used curiosity today.

Discussion questions

  • What was the hardest choice in "Brave Nurses", and why?
  • Florence Nightingale was called… — explain your reasoning to a partner.
  • Mary Seacole helped soldiers by… — explain your reasoning to a partner.
  • Why do you think they were brave — explain your reasoning to a partner.
  • Where could you use curiosity 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: History: chronology, sources and significant people and events
  • 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

🩺 Brave Nurses

Name: ____________________   Date: __________

  1. 1. Florence Nightingale was called…

    ☐ The Iron Lady

    ☐ The Lady with the Lamp

    ☐ The Queen

  2. 2. Mary Seacole helped soldiers by…

    ☐ Building ships

    ☐ Caring for them in the Crimean War

    ☐ Writing songs

  3. 3. Why do you think they were brave?