The School of Play Curriculum
Primary School Grade 3 & 4
Week Twenty Nine invites students to embrace change, think flexibly, and enjoy the unexpected. Inspired by Pluto, a small yet powerful symbol of mystery and uniqueness, this week helps children discover that change doesn’t need to feel scary or overwhelming. Instead, through playful surprises, shifting challenges, and imaginative prompts, students learn to stay calm, curious, and open-minded. They practise adjusting to changing rules, responding to new situations with confidence, and viewing unexpected moments as opportunities for fun and learning rather than frustration.
Through activities like Change It Up, “New Way” Drawings, Obstacle Switcheroo, and Adapt & Appreciate, students explore both the playful and meaningful sides of adaptability. They experience physical challenges that shift mid-game, engage in creative risk-taking as they draw familiar things in new ways, and reflect on positive experiences that came from surprises in their own lives. By the end of the week, students realise that flexibility is a superpower, one that helps them bounce back, enjoy the unexpected, and appreciate the beautiful possibilities that come with change. Just as Pluto does, they learn that being unique, adaptable, and open to the unknown makes them wonderfully resilient and ready for adventure.
Weekly Lessons
Change It Up
Change It Up is a joyful, flexible game that helps students practise one of Pluto’s greatest lessons: adaptability. By beginning with a familiar game and then suddenly shifting the rules, students experience what it feels like when life takes an unexpected turn. They must listen closely, think quickly, and adjust with curiosity rather than frustration. This playful unpredictability mirrors Pluto itself, a small, surprising world that reminds the Playful Astronauts that change can be exciting rather than scary. Each twist in the game becomes an opportunity for students to stretch their minds, try something new, and laugh through the process.
As the rules flip, reverse, or become wonderfully silly, students learn to stay calm and open-minded, even when things don’t go as planned. Mistakes become part of the fun, and flexibility becomes a shared celebration. The game encourages children to enjoy the unknown, adapt with confidence, and discover that they can handle surprises with a smile. Change It Up transforms uncertainty into adventure, showing students that just like Pluto, being different, unpredictable, or changing direction is not only okay, it’s a sign of creativity, resilience, and growth.
Respectful Relationships
Communication and Empathy
Change It Up supports students to:
- Listen carefully to shifting rules and instructions, strengthening attention and shared understanding.
- Respond kindly when classmates make mistakes, recognising that everyone is learning to adapt.
- Talk about how they felt during the changing game, helping them express emotions around surprise, challenge, and flexibility.
Cooperation and Social Skills
Change It Up helps students to:
- Work together to follow new rules, supporting each other through moments of confusion or challenge.
- Celebrate playful mistakes and encourage their peers, fostering a classroom culture of positivity and teamwork.
- Practise taking turns, following group cues, and playing fairly even when the game changes quickly.
Safety and Acceptance
Change It Up encourages students to:
- Feel safe to try new things without fear of getting it “wrong,” building confidence in a supportive environment.
- Accept that everyone adapts differently and that mistakes are a normal part of learning and play.
- Embrace change with openness and curiosity, helping them feel more secure when routines or expectations shift.
"New Way" Drawings
“New Way” Drawings invites students to stretch their imagination by taking something ordinary and transforming it into something completely unexpected. Just like Pluto, small, surprising, and wonderfully unique, this activity shows students that things don’t always have to follow the same rules. By flipping familiar ideas upside-down, changing colours, or inventing brand-new forms, children learn that adaptability can be playful and exciting. They practise thinking differently, trying unusual ideas, and embracing creativity with confidence, discovering that “new” can be magical rather than scary.
As students share their imaginative creations, they build pride in their own ideas and appreciation for the creativity of others. Each drawing becomes a celebration of flexibility and open-mindedness, showing that when we allow ourselves to explore possibilities, the world becomes more vibrant and full of wonder. “New Way” Drawings turns adaptability into an artistic adventure, helping students see that thinking in new ways, just like Pluto, can lead to surprising discoveries, joyful expression, and beautifully different ideas worth sharing.
Respectful Relationships
Communication and Empathy
"New Way" Drawings supports students to:
- Talk about the choices they made in their artwork, helping them express ideas, preferences, and creative reasoning.
- Listen to classmates explain their thinking, building respect for different perspectives.
- Understand that everyone’s imagination works differently, encouraging openness and appreciation of others’ ideas.
Cooperation and Social Skills
This activity helps students to:
- Share materials and space respectfully while creating their artwork.
- Celebrate creative risks taken by peers, promoting a positive and encouraging classroom culture.
- Work together during discussion time, taking turns to speak and responding kindly to each other’s imaginative ideas.
Safety and Acceptance
"New Way" Drawings encourages students to:
- Feel safe to try something unusual or unexpected in their artwork without fear of judgment.
- Accept that differences in thinking and creativity are valuable, not something to correct.
- Build confidence by embracing unique ideas and by knowing their individuality is celebrated in the classroom.
Obstacle Switcheroo
Obstacle Switcheroo turns adaptability into an exciting adventure as students navigate a playful obstacle course that changes each time they complete it. Just like Pluto, where paths shift, surprises appear, and nothing stays the same, this activity helps children learn that change can be fun rather than frustrating. As obstacles switch, reverse, or transform, students practise adjusting their movements, trying new strategies, and staying calm when plans don’t go exactly as expected. Every new version of the course becomes a chance to grow in confidence, courage, and flexible thinking.
With each round, students discover that challenges don’t have to be scary, they can be energising, creative, and joyful. By cheering each other on and laughing through the surprises, children learn that adaptability is a strength they carry with them, both on the playground and in life. Obstacle Switcheroo helps young astronauts understand that when the path changes, they can change with it, stepping forward bravely into whatever comes next, just like Pluto teaches us through its mysterious, shifting orbit.
Respectful Relationships
Communication and Empathy
Obstacle Switcheroo supports students to:
- Listen carefully to instructions and adjust their actions when the course changes.
- Understand that others may feel uncertain or surprised when obstacles shift, building empathy for different reactions.
- Share how they felt during each change, helping classmates understand different emotional experiences.
Cooperation and Social Skills
This activity helps students to:
- Take turns safely and respectfully while moving through the obstacle course.
- Encourage peers who may feel unsure, promoting kindness and positive teamwork.
- Celebrate each other’s efforts, recognising that everyone adapts at their own pace.
Safety and Acceptance
Obstacle Switcheroo encourages students to:
- Stay calm when things change unexpectedly, knowing that mistakes and confusion are part of learning.
- Accept that everyone responds differently to change and that all efforts are valued.
- Feel safe to try new movements or challenges without fear of getting it wrong, embracing adaptability as a shared classroom expectation.
Adapt & Appreciate
Adapt & Appreciate encourages students to look back on a moment when something unexpected turned into a happy surprise. Just like Pluto, small, different, and full of mysteries, this activity shows children that change can often lead to joy, excitement, or discovery. By thinking about times when a new plan, a surprise, or a sudden change brought fun instead of worry, students learn that adaptability isn’t just about coping. It’s also about noticing the good things that appear when life shifts in a different direction.
Through drawing and sharing, students explore the positive feelings that come from embracing the unexpected. They celebrate moments of joy, connection, or curiosity that might never have happened without a change in plans. Adapt & Appreciate helps young learners understand that surprises can be special gifts, and that staying open, flexible, and grateful, just like our playful friend Pluto, can turn any twist or turn into a beautiful memory worth holding onto.
Respectful Relationships
Communication and Empathy
Adapt & Appreciate supports students to:
- Share their thoughts and feelings about a moment that surprised them, helping others understand their emotional experience.
- Listen to classmates describe how a change made them feel happy or excited, building empathy for different perspectives.
- Use kind and encouraging words while discussing each other’s surprise moments, promoting emotional connection.
Cooperation and Social Skills
This activity helps students to:
- Participate respectfully in partner or group sharing by taking turns and listening carefully.
- Celebrate peers’ surprise moments, strengthening social bonds and classroom positivity.
- Express appreciation for new or unexpected experiences, encouraging an open and adaptable mindset.
Safety and Acceptance
Adapt & Appreciate encourages students to:
- Feel safe expressing their emotions about change, whether the surprise felt exciting, strange, or joyful.
- Accept that everyone responds differently to something new, and that all feelings are welcome and valid.
- Embrace flexibility by recognising that unexpected moments can lead to fun, learning, and connection, just as Pluto teaches us to appreciate the unexpected.
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