• Age: 12-16 years old (secondary level)

• Time: Beginning of the year

• Content area to increase relevance and connection to students' lives: Learning Indicator N.CP: I can identify some basic cultural beliefs and values.

• What materials would you use to help your students internalize the meaning of your activity? Poster, journals, role-play cards.

Activity:

Day 1. Create our own classroom culture

Objective: Establish the importance of respect and introduce classroom ground rules to create a positive and productive learning environment.

Class discussion: "What does a safe classroom look and sound like? Collaborate to draft a list of ground rules. Prepare a poster with the collaborative rules. Rules could include respect, no slurs or hurtful language, raising your hand to talk and waiting to be called on, challenging ideas rather than people, speaking up, and using inclusive language.

Day 2.  Explore how different people from different cultures define respect.

Objective: Students will explore and compare how respect is defined and demonstrated in different cultures, and reflect on how these diverse perspectives influence interactions within the classroom.

Assignment:  Respect interviews: Student will interview a family member or friend from different backgrounds (including their own) about what "respect" means in their culture. They will come back to share their report in class.

Day 3. Understanding Slurs, Hurtful language, and their impact.

Objective: Define slurs/hurtful comments. Discuss why they are harmful. Practice role-play (without using slurs, practice what would you say). At the end, write a personal reflection of "How do words affect people?

I think the important thing to take away is Jane talking about the results of her doing this demonstration in her class... I am sure many of you are thinking you would be fired if you did what she did with her third grade class.

The following links are resources that can be used by teachers to create activities for students that address complex issues (often generalized into the label of "bullying") 

You will look over one of these resources and discuss the material, then formulate a plan for how this could be presented to students in school. You can connect with classmates in the discussion board if you want but NO response posts are required. 

Consider the following to present your idea to the class in your first post:

• What age group of students would your activity be appropriate for? 

• What time of the school year would you plan for this activity?

• Would you be able to integrate your activity within a specific content area to increase relevance and connection to students’ lives?

• What materials would you use to help your students internalize the meaning of your activity?

Resources for the activity:

1. SPEAK -UP AT SCHOOL: How to Respond to Everyday Prejudice, Bias and StereotypesLinks to an external site.

2. The Kids Guide to Working Out ConflictsLinks to an external site. (preview version from Free Spirit PublishingLinks to an external site.) 

3. Responding to Everyday BigotryLinks to an external site.

4. What did you just say? Responses to racist comments from the fieldLinks to an external site.. & Specific, Candid, and Helpful Responses to Expressions of Racism and BiasLinks to an external site.

5. Responding to Micro Aggression in the ClassroomLinks to an external site. & Here's how to respond to MicroaggressionsLinks to an external site.

6. For the artists in the room: The Art of Restorative QuestionsLinks to an external site.