New
New
Year 4

Family changes

I can explain the ways that families can change.

New
New
Year 4

Family changes

I can explain the ways that families can change.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Families can change for a number of reasons.
  2. Change can be good and bad.
  3. Change can be challenging.
  4. We might need support in times of change.
  5. We are sometimes separated from our loved-ones because of illness, death, work-demands or distance.

Keywords

  • Change - the way things become different to how they used to be

  • Challenging - when something is difficult to solve

  • Support - to provide help and encouragement to others

Common misconception

Change is exceptional.

Most people experience changes in their lives. These might include losing a loved one, being separated from a family member, being evicted, or moving school. Change may look and feel different for everyone.


To help you plan your year 4 RSHE (PSHE) lesson on: Family changes, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Remind pupils of the support in your setting where they might access support with sudden changes.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the word to the definition.

Correct Answer:unique,being one of a kind or different from others

being one of a kind or different from others

Correct Answer:feature,something important or interesting about someone

something important or interesting about someone

Correct Answer:religion,believing in and worshipping a god or gods

believing in and worshipping a god or gods

Q2.
Every family has many things that make them .

Correct Answer: special, unique, different

Q3.
Which statements are true?

All families follow the same religion.
Correct answer: Some families are religious and some are not.
All families have the same make-up.
Correct answer: Families come in different shapes and sizes.

Q4.
What does 'ethnicity' refer to?

Correct answer: the foods our family eats and enjoys
how many people are in our family
Correct answer: the countries and cultures we are from
whether our parents are together or separated
Correct answer: the history and traditions we follow

Q5.
How should we treat people who have a different ethnicity or culture to us?

Correct answer: respectfully
differently
Correct answer: kindly
unkindly

Q6.
How can we learn about different ethnicities and cultures?

Correct answer: by reading factual books
by watching funny films
Correct answer: by talking to other people
by doing science experiments

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the word to the definition.

Correct Answer:change,the way things have become different to how they used to be

the way things have become different to how they used to be

Correct Answer:challenging,when something is difficult to solve

when something is difficult to solve

Correct Answer:support,to provide help and encouragement to others

to provide help and encouragement to others

Q2.
Families can for a number of reasons.

Correct Answer: change

Q3.
Which statements are true?

Correct answer: Change can be good and bad.
Only adults experience change.
All change is easy.
Correct answer: Change can be challenging.

Q4.
Which of the following are examples of changes in a family?

Correct answer: someone in the family might die
someone in the family grazes their knee
a family decides to go to the park on a Sunday
Correct answer: a new baby might be born into a family

Q5.
How might someone feel during change?

bored
Correct answer: confused
Correct answer: upset
Correct answer: excited

Q6.
What can we do to help ourselves manage our emotions during times of change?

Correct answer: speak to our trusted adult
Correct answer: write our feelings down
do exercise for eight hours
only eat chocolate
Correct answer: do things we enjoy