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Unit 4
Difference and Diversity
Section 1: Starting Out ...4-7 Task 4.1 Different and same ...4 Media clip 4.1 Linda pushing Sarah off the swing ...5 Task 4.2 My poster ...7 Section 2: Moving On ...8-9 Task 4.3 The rescue ...8 Media clip 4.2 Whammi and Loribest rescue Davis ...9 Section 3: Going Further 10-11
Task 4.4 Sarah’s diary ...10 Media clip 4.3 Sarah talks to her grandad ...11 Section 4: Exploring Deeper ...12-13 Task 4.5 The party ...12 Media clip 4.4 Pointer’s playground ...13
Unit Four
Learning Intention:
Recognise and value the cultures, abilities and skills of different members of the community.
Being Creative
• Generate as many ideas and opinions as possible, by building and combining ideas.
• Experiment and investigate real-life issues.
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Difference and Diversity
What does the word different really mean? It changes meaning depending on the values of the person using it. When applied to human beings, it can have negative connotations such as alien, strange and not like us.
Alternatively, it can mean original, novel and special, suggesting that the person or people in question are really interesting and worth getting to know better.
One of the key aims of this unit is to persuade children to adopt the second, more positive attitude to human difference. In other words, we want them to look at difference and see diversity.
In order for children to appreciate what is different about other people, they should first learn to recognise what it is they have in common with them. This is important because through recognising commonalities they can develop empathy. Children are more likely to be open to, to value, or at the very least feel less threatened by the diversity offered by other races, religions and cultures if they are able to understand that we all have the same human needs and many things in common.
Commonality and diversity are interdependent. They are two sides of the same coin and we cannot recognise and appreciate one without acknowledging the other.
Children should be able to appreciate what is different, or special about themselves, in other words, their own, complex, individual identity. These perceptions and understandings begin at home and in the classroom.
This unit brings Sarah more into contact with the wider world around her and into conflict with what she perceives to be bias and prejudice. Of course, she doesn’t have the vocabulary to use these words to describe the experience, but she does know what it’s like to feel excluded because of “what she is” or, more precisely, because of “what she isn’t.”
Unit Four
Background
Learning Intentions:
We will learn more about the term mixed marriage.
•
We will learn more about similarity and difference.
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Success Criteria:
We will talk about differences, the term mixed marriage, and we will group
•
ourselves in many categories.
We will recognise and value our differences and the many things that we have
•
in common.
Links to
Living.Learning.Together.
Indigo Unit Blue Unit
LEARNING ACTIVITY
Background Notes DETAILS OF WHAT TO DO
Task 4.1
Different and Same
The point of this exercise is simply to highlight and celebrate some of the things that Sarah and Linda have in common. It’s worth pointing out to the children that only one of these features, “I have a Granny Boyd,” depends on the two girls being related. All of the other similarities stem simply from their shared humanity. Many of the children in the class share the same characteristics.
Have the children drag and drop the statements to show the similarities and
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differences between Sarah and Linda.
Extension Activities
Organise the class into pairs. Have them create their own Venn diagrams of things that are unique to them or things that they have in common with their partner.
Invite them to share their work with the class.
As a class, talk about how we are different and how we are similar, for example:
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- physical attributes (eye/hair colour);
- sports we like;
- where we live;
- favourite subjects;
- number of people in family;
- pets;
- religious beliefs; and/or - cultural traditions.
Talk about how difference is positive. It would be boring if we were all the
•
same.
Explain the importance of talking and listening to develop an understanding of
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both ourselves and others.
Ask the children to physically sort themselves into different groups according to
•
the list above.
Logon to
• www.creni.org/contents/resources/stepping_out Go to the games section. Have the children play
• Gate Game and All Change
from Stepping Out by Yvonne Naylor.
Have the children line up according to hair colour, eye colour (dark to light),
•
height (tall to small) and/or birthdays (January to December).
Section 1
Starting Out
5 Media Clip 4.1
Linda Pushing Sarah Off The Swing
In the T.V. series, Sarah is the child of a mixed marriage. She has been brought up to feel that she is part Catholic and part Protestant.
Usually this empowers her and makes her feel she belongs to two families and two traditions. Both extended families seem happy to give her this privilege.
There are times, however, when Sarah is made to feel neither Catholic nor Protestant. For example, when her cousin Linda tries to usurp her claim to Granny’s swing, she says that Sarah is an
“outsider.”
Sarah doesn’t actually have to go outside her own extended family to experience a sense of discrimination and rejection, based on perceived difference. All exclusions are forms of prejudice and intolerance, against others who don’t quite fit.
Sarah has been learning and perfecting the attributes that will help her to understand and deal with these forms of bullying - empathy and fairness.
After viewing the clip, talk about the term mixed marriage.
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Ask the children if they have ever heard this term and if they know what it
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means.
Ask the following questions:
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- Do mixed marriages only happen in Northern Ireland?
- Are they only between a Catholic and a Protestant?
- Can you come up with different examples of mixed marriages?
- Does coming from a mixed marriage make you better/less than anyone else?
- What did Linda mean by saying that Sarah was “not one of them?”
Talk about Sarah’s grandparents and how they are alike but at the same time
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different.
Ask the children how many of the differences have to do with religion.
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Ask them how Sarah felt when she was told she was “not one of them.”
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De-brief by asking the children to talk about what they have learned from
•
the clip.
Extension Activity
Read
• Something Else by Kathryn Cave (Primary Values) to the class. Explore what it might feel like to be different and to be left out.
Explore the sometimes, serious nature of teasing. Ask the children to come up
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with experiences of being teased and the effect it can have.
7 Task 4.2
My Poster
This activity is a way of celebrating the unique, special qualities of each child in a way that also incorporates the basic characteristics of being human. If possible, we want the children to appreciate their own individuality by understanding that they are a unique combination of differences and similarities, all of which can be viewed in a positive way.
We don’t want to encourage boastfulness. Ideally, we want the children to attach equal value to the things that they share with others and the things that set them apart.
Have the children create
• I am unique posters that celebrate their special qualities.
Talk about what Sarah discovered about similarities and differences in the
•
previous lesson.
Explain that even though people may appear to be different they often have a
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lot in common.
Extension Activity
Have the children work together on their I am unique posters to help each other decide which features match their own.
Talk about what makes people unique, for example their features and talents. Have the children put their unique qualities around the poster.
Invite the children to work with a partner to create a new friend. They choose
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what the new friend looks like and what special talents they might have.
Alternatively, have them use ICT to design their own poster. Use a digital
•
photograph and include a description highlighting their talents and uniqueness.
Ask the children to research family traits and similarities that they might
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possess. Use ICT to create a unique image of themselves with different parts of their families.
Learning Intentions:
We will learn more about the term mixed marriage.
•
We will learn more about similarity and difference.
•
Success Criteria:
We will talk about differences, the term mixed marriage, and we will group
•
ourselves in many categories.
We will recognise and value our differences and the many things that we have
•
in common.
Links to
Living.Learning.Together.
Red Unit Violet Unit
LEARNING ACTIVITY
Background Notes DETAILS OF WHAT TO DO
Task 4.3 The Rescue
This task is designed to show the children how a range of diverse talents and skills can be combined to achieve a common goal. What is special and unique about each of us is to be treasured because it fits into a larger pattern. It takes a combination of different ideas, outlooks, experiences, abilities and skills to complete any kind of worthwhile project or task, and it is this diversity that makes the world go round.
The emphasis of this task is on creativity, and working with others. Hopefully the children will recognise the strength of having a variety of ideas and abilities.
This exercise requires seven participants.
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Either divide the class into groups of seven or into seven groups, each of which
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assumes the identity of one individual.
It may be useful to give each group a name.
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Give each group, or each child in a group of seven, a special magical ability
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from Pointer the Wizard to enable them to rescue Davis.
Encourage creativity and problem-solving skills to determine where and when
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each ability can best be utilised to achieve their objective.
Once completed, print out a written record of each group’s story and
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personalise it by adding the names of the children. This will give them a sense of achievement and empowerment.
Review the activity by talking about what was learned.
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Section 2 Moving On
9 Media Clip 4.2
Whammi And Loribest Rescue Davis
This activity involves a rescue scenario based on the clip. While it doesn’t specifically relate to the themes of difference and diversity, the clip provides the children with background information for the activity.
After viewing the clip, talk about the different talents that were needed to
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rescue Davis.
Ask the children to consider how important it was that Loribest and little
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Whammi had different talents so they could help each other.
Invite them to talk about situations when they were only able to complete an
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activity because someone else worked with them, for example designing a poster - children who were good at art and good at spelling/writing working together.
Have the children write a diary entry for the rescue.
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Extension Activities
Explore the range of people and talent needed to run a film, football match or school.
Extend the children’s range of magical abilities and how and when these can be
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used in other situations.
Use the analogy of a super goalie. Create a model of the super goalie and
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include details of his/her special abilities.
Have the class discuss scenarios where they could put into practice some of
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these special abilities with the aim of joining Pointer’s team.
Section 3
Going Further
Learning Intentions:
We will learn more about difference and similarity and the feelings/perceptions
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around them.
Success Criteria:
We will share and record out thoughts/opinions in order to gain better insight
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into differences, similarities, feelings and perceptions.
Links to
Living.Learning.Together.
Indigo Unit
LEARNING ACTIVITY
Background Notes DETAILS OF WHAT TO DO
Task 4.4 Sarah’s Diary
Sarah processes the information from the conversation with her grandfather by writing about it in her diary. The diary activity has been included several times to encourage children to develop the habit of recording their thoughts to gain insight.
The first part summarises the conversation that took place to clarify the main points. The second part has some words missing, and the act of choosing the correct word encourages the children to think more deeply about the issues and ideas being discussed.
They can make value judgments, for example whether it is a good or bad thing to hate someone who is different. They can also see that we all have the same feelings.
Even if a child chooses the wrong words, the fact that it is incorrect leads them to give a little more thought to their perceptions.
Give the following instructions to the children:
Summarise the conversation to clarify the main points.
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Choose the correct word to complete Sarah’s diary.
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Write a diary entry for your day.
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and Protestant communities, to understand the nature of the conflict between them. It is like seeing the two halves of her identity at war with each other. After hearing the report on the radio, she asks her grandfather about the nature of the relationship between Catholics and Protestants. Her grandfather tells her that some people dislike anyone who is different because they fear them, but that we are all fundamentally similar as well as different. He asks Sarah what difference she sees between him, her Protestant grandfather, and her Catholic grandfather. In Sarah’s eyes, there is no difference because they are both her grandfathers who love her. Sarah replies that the only difference is in the amount of hair that they have, showing that when differences are reduced to insignificant, superficial traits such as this, the idea of any potential conflict appears ridiculous.
- Untrue;
- Silly; and - I don’t know.
Read each of the following statements aloud to the class. After you read each
•
statement, invite them to hold up one of the opinion cards to show what they think:
- Protestants can also be Catholic;
- All Protestants are British;
- Protestants and Catholics can marry;
- Some Catholics/Protestants keep St Patrick’s Day/Remembrance Sunday;
- All Protestants/Catholics are Christian; and
- All Catholic/Protestant Churches keep Easter/Christmas.
Extension Activities
Invite the children to recall situations when they felt mistreated. Ask them to
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consider who they turned to:
- at home;
- at school; and - in the community.
Explore the children’s multiple identities. Ask each child to draw him/herself
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on a large sheet of paper. Next, draw six lines around the picture. Invite them to place words on the lines that describe their identity, for example sister, daughter, granddaughter, niece or member of football team/church choir.
Alternatively, use the
• Gate Game available at www.creni.org/contents/
resources/stepping_out Sort members of the class into different groups.
Explain that our many identities form who we are and determine how we
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react in different ways depending on the identity that we have at the time. For example, sometimes we might be a younger or older sister/daughter/cousin/
grandson/goalie and sometimes we might be a big brother or sister.
Read
• William’s Stories aloud to the class. This is available online at www.creni.
org/contents/resources/stepping_out
Organise the children into small groups. Have them draw and make a t-shirt
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that illustrates both individual and group identity. Have a fashion show.
Learning Intentions:
We will be able to appreciate and value difference and diversity..
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Success Criteria:
We will express our appreciation of difference, diversity and respect.
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Links to
Living.Learning.Together.
Green Unit
LEARNING ACTIVITY
Background Notes DETAILS OF WHAT TO DO
Task 4.5 The Party
This is a fun activity. It involves getting the children to appreciate diversity because it makes the world a richer, more interesting place. We begin with a rather dull picture of a party without colour or variety. The children can make it look more interesting by changing the colours and/or shapes of the objects in the picture.
Encourage the children to use their creative and artistic skills, as well as their individuality. They will hopefully see that they make the picture more exciting by making every object or person in it different from everything and everyone else. They can also print out and compare their pictures at the end, to see how theirs’ is different from everyone else’s.
Have the children change the colours and/or shapes of the objects in the
•
picture to make it look more interesting.
Have them work together to collaborate and compose an acrostic verse using
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the main theme RESPECT.
Here is a sample verse:
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Rights! We all have the right to learn Everyone has the right to their religion Some people have different coloured skins People have their own special talents Everyone belongs to a family
Children have their own likes and dislikes The whole world should respect each other.
Section 4
Exploring Deeper
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of difference and diversity can go against the grain. Some teachers may feel uncomfortable discussing differences such as disability, skin colour or religion for fear it will make some individuals stand out.
It’s important that teachers create a safe place for the children to discuss differences.
The Whammies look the same but have different coloured patches on their stomach. They exclude those whose patch is a different colour. The little Whammi is on a journey through the Dark Forest to find his family. All Whammies have a need to belong, as do humans. Along the way, the little Whammi creates his own family by forming relationships with other Whammies. This illustrates that we belong when we can make connections with others.
There are differences in the personalities and physical appearances of the Whammi and his two best friends, Loribest and Davis, but this hasn’t stopped them from belonging. Cuzzlind has missed this point and created a sense of belonging and identity by excluding others who don’t bear his colour patch. The Dark Forest represents an ideal world.
Justice and fairness (represented by Pointer the Wizard) intervenes so that everyone is included and all resources shared. In the real world, we rely on our own internal sense of justice and fairness. This instinct needs to be embedded from an early age, through the development and employment of empathy skills.
Organise a walk from school to assess the children’s knowledge of their local
• area.
Observe and take digital photographs of the buildings, for example, churches,
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other places of worship, community centres, banks, shops, other schools, police station, fire station and/or a clinic.
Arrange a visit to a place of worship (other than their own). Encourage the
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children to talk about any similarities and differences.
Access
• Our Traditions produced by the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education and three primary schools in Portadown. This includes photos of local buildings. Consider collaborating or doing something similar.
Invite visitors to come and talk to the class about the local community. You
•
might consider inviting family members, a member of the police or fire service, a religious leader or a town councillor.
Access
• Our Traditions or Joined Up by Nichola Lynagh and Mary Potter (pages 251-255). Use the symbol clustering cards and the Symbols in Northern Ireland activity on page 248.
Logon to the Cain website at
• http://cain.ulst.ac.uk This is a good source of common signs and symbols used in Northern Ireland.
Explore the different groups we belong to, for example beavers, scouts,
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rainbow guides, Irish dancing, Gaelic team, football team, church choir, Girls’
Brigade, Boys’ Brigade, youth club/group, church or community, library, Watch Club (Ulster Wildlife Trust), YOC (Young Ornithologists), chess club, swimming club or horse riding club.
Ask the children to do a presentation about a group they belong to. They can
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work individually or with others who belong to the same group.
Encourage any children who do not belong to a group outside of school
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to make a presentation about a group inside school. Again, they can work individually or with others who belong to the same group.
Have the children make a poster that describes the group they belong to.
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Have them include information about any badges and symbols, achievements, photos and newspaper clippings.
De-brief with a game that celebrates our multiple identities, for example,
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People Bingo (Active Learning and Teaching Methods for KS1 and KS2, page 56 from the KS1-2 Curriculum Support & Implementation Box). Alternatively, use Variety is the spice of life on page 241 or Same Difference on page 233 of Joined Up at http://www.corrymeela.org/sitepage/freeresources.aspx Logon to
• http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/en/154.htm Access the Think of me, think of you section. As a class, look at the information on multiple heritage backgrounds and joining in.
