A flexible, ready to use pack for your first lessons with new A Level Philosophy students. Perfect for ice breakers, induction week, or early lessons that introduce students to the subject.

This resource contains a range of modular activities you can mix and match depending on your lesson length and class needs. Use it as a short ice breaker, a full induction lesson, or a longer introductory session across multiple periods.

What’s included
• “What is Philosophy?” ice breaker — accessible questions to get students talking
• Hobbies activity (“I know that…”) — a personal, low pressure starter that introduces students to their new peers and works brilliantly with new classes
• Philosophical questions overview — logic, epistemology, ethics, metaphysics
• Philosophical method explained — conceptual analysis, argumentation, thought experiments
• The Last Person Thought Experiment — engaging ethical discussion with built in prompts
• Epistemology puzzle: “How much can you know?” — simple, memorable reasoning activity
• Course overview slides — clear explanation of the AQA specification
• Benefits of studying Philosophy — skills, progression routes, and career relevance

Highlights
• Works for any lesson length
• Ideal for new Year 12 classes
• Encourages discussion from the very first lesson
• Helps students understand what Philosophy is and what the A Level involves
• No preparation required — just open and teach

Designed for flexibility
You can run this as:
• a 15–20 minute ice breaker,
• a 30–40 minute induction lesson,
• a full 60–90 minute introductory session, or
• a multi lesson starter unit.

Part of the Visualising Philosophy Project
This resource is part of the Visualising Philosophy Project, a growing collection of visually structured, cognitively informed materials designed to make complex philosophical ideas clear, memorable, and engaging for A Level learners. Teachers looking for full length lessons can explore the Visualising Philosophy A Level bundle, which develops innovative visual pedagogy across the entire Normative Ethics topic.