Optimism & Evidence secondary
This lesson teaches students to challenge Gremlin Beliefs by seeking evidence and thinking flexibly. Using an optical illusion, opinion-line debates, and a story (Mia and Ava at the arcade), students discover the difference between optimistic and pessimistic thinking, and learn that our brains can tell inaccurate stories when they lack evidence.
Learning Outcomes
Outcome 1:
Understand the difference between optimistic and pessimistic thinking.
Outcome 2:
Know the importance of respect for different perspectives.
Outcome 3:
Discover how to use evidence to create more flexible and accurate thinking.
What's included
A quick look at the classroom-ready resources that come with this lesson.
About the Organisation
Bounce Forward is a registered charity on a mission to transform how we think about mental health, shifting the narrative from deficit and crisis to strength, prevention, and psychological fitness. They create evidence-based programmes, curricula, and training that give young people, school staff, and the adults around children the knowledge, language, and daily habits to build genuine mental resilience. From whole-staff training to five-year school curricula, everything they do is practical, grounded in science, and designed to make a lasting difference not just in the moment, but across a lifetime.