Diversity
Awareness
Sandy Weaver Brian Merhar
Professional
School counselor
MSUM Intern 2000-01’
Stillwater
High School
Stillwater High School
Stillwater,
MN
Stillwater, MN
Description of the Lessons
This
guidance lesson on diversity awareness is a classroom activity for 7th
through 9th graders to assist them in learning about how they are
similar or different from other students. The
students will participate in an activity where stereotypes of other cultures are
observed. This lesson explores
prejudice, isolation, and exclusion of students in their school system. Processing of all activities with the class is mandatory so
that all students understand it is ok to have differences.
Lesson #1:
Each
student is given a piece of paper and a magic marker.
Instruct each student in the class to write five words to describe
themselves on the paper under their names.
Each student will then tape the piece of paper to the wall or blackboard
in the classroom. Process with the class which words are repeated and occur
across many students. Discuss
the characteristics that students have that are unique to them.
Direct discussion so that students grasp each other’s thoughts,
feelings, and emotions. Explore
what happens in school when students are perceived as different using specific
examples. Discuss the issues of
prejudice, isolation, and exclusion for those students who are different.
Reflect feelings and emotions that arise as the discussion continues.
Have
students formulate a list of possible solutions to problems that come out of
kids being picked on because of differences.
The list should be written out on a blackboard or overhead so that visual
learners can witness the possible solutions.
Have students use concrete examples that will help kids be included even
if they have been excluded in the past because of differences.
Summarize the reasons kids have been excluded or isolated and relate the
solutions that the class came up with and call on students to practice the
solutions during school.
Lesson #2:
Review
lesson #1 highlighting how students within the school have been isolated or
excluded because of their differences. Generate
a list of times and experiences where the students have witness prejudice,
isolation, or exclusion of individuals in their communities or places besides
school. Have them use specific
examples of what they have seen or witnessed.
Divide
the kids in to groups of four to six students.
Assign a specific example that was just discussed in class to each group.
Give each group seven minutes to prepare a short skit of the incident and
a possible solution to incident. Have
each group perform their dramatization in front of the class discussing the
solution that the group used for each incident.
Process the activities asking the students what other ways could you deal
with this particular situation. Summarize
and review what they learned from the activity and relate it to helping out
other who feel discriminated against because of differences.
Connections to Related Standards, Competencies and Domains
Minnesota
Graduation Standard 5b, Inquiry and Research, are covered through this guidance
activity. The social science
process of psychology, sociology, and human geography are touched upon.
This diversity activity is in the personal/social domain addressing
differences and similarities of people. Problem
solving techniques of excepting people with differences is highlighted.
The educational domain is also included in this activity where students
learn about similarities and differences between them and their peers.
References and Resources
Wittmer, Joe & Thompson, Diane (1995). Large Group Guidance Activities: A K-12 Sourcebook. Educational Media Corporation, Minneapolis, MN.
Minnesota Department of Children, Families, and Learning, Minnesota profile of Learning Content Standard: Inquiry and Research, Social Science Process.
Gysbers, N. C. & Henderson, P. (2000) Developing and managing your school guidance program. Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.