Before showing the other programmes, use programme 10, 'The Big Meet Up', to give students an overview of the Year Dot project, the 15 young people taking part in it and what they are trying to achieve.
Start by discussing with students what they think a project called 'Year Dot' might be about and who might want to take part in it. Then ask them to watch the programme with a view to answering the following questions:
Encourage students to use the notes sheet [Word file, 40KB] to jot down ideas as they watch the programme and as a memory-prompt in the follow-up discussion.
Encourage students to take advantage of the opportunity to interact with the Year Dotters.
Give them a guided tour of, or allow them to explore, the Year Dot website (particularly the Get involved page) and Year Dot on MySpace (see Find out more for links). Remind them of safe internet practices as necessary.
Ask them to choose one or more Year Dotters to follow, contact or support, and allow them three or four weeks to do so. At the end of the agreed period, discuss students' activities, using the following prompts as appropriate:
Use the Year Dot approach to help students think about and prepare for forthcoming transitions in life, learning and work.
Ask students to create their own 'Year Dot' profile using their preferred medium. Their profiles should contain a description of what they want to achieve in the next year or so, an outline of 'where they're at' and a personal 'to do' list. If they need inspiration, encourage them to visit the 'who we are' page of their favourite Year Dotters, which they can access via the photos on the home page of the Year Dot website (see Find out more for link).
If appropriate:
Each programme illustrates some of the qualities, skills, attitudes and experiences that help people succeed in life, learning and work. Ask students to identify and keep a running record of those they spot when watching the programmes and/or browsing the Year Dot website and Year Dot on MySpace pages (see Find out more for links). Review the list with students, encouraging them to compare their own attributes with those on the list, and discuss any issues arising.
Each programme raises issues that touch many young people's lives. Ask students to debate a statement based on one such issue. Start the activity by asking students to vote for or against the statement. Then split them into two groups (for and against), ask them to prepare and present their arguments and take another vote.
The following statements are provided as starting points:
Channel 4 Learning's Citizenship and PSHE website.
Notes to support Channel 4 Learning programmes.
Full listings for the week ahead, plus downloadable wallcharts for this term.
Watch again for free on your PC with Channel 4's on demand service 4oD.
