TEACHER S GUIDE: DIVERSITY

Transcription

1 TEACHER S GUIDE: DIVERSITY LEARNING OBJECTIVES Students will understand that differences between people are positive. Students will learn that some people handle diversity in negative ways. Students will be able to identify steps to help them handle diversity. Estimated Viewing Time: Completing the entire episode will take approximately minutes. A breakdown of time by segment follows: WATCH: TRY: APPLY: 4-5 minutes 3-5 minutes 4-6 minutes SYNOPSIS OF THE WATCH SEGMENT Nermal is excited about trying out for the Kingpins bowling team but gets very disappointed after finding out that he and his friend Otto the Octopus cannot play on the team because they are different (the team is made up of dogs only). Garfield sneaks off to become Professor G and contacts Nermal through the hotline. Dr. Nova explains to Nermal that some people don t know how to deal with differences so they label people based on outside appearances (called stereotyping). Even positive stereotypes are unfair because you don t recognize the inside of the person. Professor G notes that not everyone appreciates diversity or the differences people have. Dr. Nova then tells Nermal and Otto the five steps they can use to appreciate differences themselves. First, they can recognize it is unfair to judge people before they get to know them (called prejudice and discrimination). Second, they can ask questions to get to know other people better. The third step is to take a stand when they notice prejudice or discrimination. Fourth, Nermal and Otto can explore the differences they have with others, which leads to step five enjoying and celebrating the fact that everyone is different in some way. BUILD BACKGROUND Ask students to get into small groups based on their hair color: black, brown, red, or blonde. SAY: Notice how you all have different color hair. Your hair color is based on your parents hair colors. There s nothing you can do to control your actual hair color because you are born with it (using hair dye doesn t change the real color). So, what can you know about other people just by looking at their hair color? Can you know if that person prefers wearing a hooded jacket rather than a jacket and hat? All of you who prefer to wear a hooded jacket, put up your hand! Could you have guessed that (name a student) would like wearing a hooded jacket just by looking at (his/her) hair color? We all like different things, and what we like isn t related to the color of our hair, just like all the other ways we are different.

2 INTRODUCE VOCABULARY Write and discuss the definition of each keyword. Pause after each definition to answer questions and provide examples. Use each keyword in a sample sentence to show students how each is used in context. different not the same label a short description of someone, like short or smart assume to believe something without proof assumption a belief about something without proof stereotype a simple view of someone based on how they look positive something good negative something bad unfair against what is fair or just diversity differences and variety between things or people judge to form an opinion about something prejudice an opinion formed without all the facts bad attitude a negative way of looking at something discrimination unfair treatment of someone based on an assumption about them or prejudice question a sentence that requires a reply from someone opinion how someone feels about something, not necessarily based on facts unique different from anything else take a stand to act in a way that you believe rather than going with the popular opinion just because it s popular inclusive to include all sorts of things or people respect to treat someone with honor and esteem explore differences to talk with others about ways you are not alike celebrate differences to enjoy ways you are not like others and they are not like you GUIDE THE VIEWING OF DIVERSITY SAY: Now, we re going to complete an interactive lesson containing characters from Garfield and Friends. The lesson will help us learn more about diversity. After students complete the interactive lesson, have them join the rest of the class in a circle or another seating arrangement conducive to an informal class discussion.

3 TRY Answer Key Students answer questions about what they should do in different situations to help power the Stereotype Smasher. 1. Your team excludes a friend because she s short. They think short people aren t good at sports. What should you do? Ask a question. Does size really equal skill? 2. A friend from a different country invites you to a holiday party, but you re not familiar with her country s customs. What should you do? Go and learn about her country. It ll be fun! 3. You overhear someone say that you re not smart because you don t wear glasses. What should you do? Recognize that the person is making a prejudiced statement. 4. You see a person making fun of someone who s different. What should you do? Take action by telling the bully to stop. APPLY Answer Key Click on statements that are stereotypes and reveal the big picture underneath each puzzle piece. Then answer the question with the best answer. 1. Ollie is an owl, and everyone knows that owls are wiser than everyone else. How is this stereotype unfair? Even though it s positive, this stereotype assumes something about Ollie and owls that may not be true. 2. Sara walks on four legs, and someone who walks on four legs never has any fun. What could you do to learn more about Sara? Ask Sara questions about what it s like to walk on four legs so you can understand her better. 3. Lanolin wants to be a scientist, but girls are never good at science. What could you do to stand up for Lanolin? Encourage Lanolin to pursue her dreams and let her know that she s just as smart as anyone else. 4. Mr. Howard is old, and the old are always mean. How could you explore your differences with Mr. Howard? Talk to Mr. Howard about your life and find out about his. 5. Jasmine is from another country, and everyone from that country is strange. What could you do to celebrate Jasmine s diversity? Have a party and ask Jasmine to bring some foods from her country.

4 MONITOR COMPREHENSION Begin a class discussion by asking students what they thought about the story on Diversity. ASK: Why did Nermal think he and Otto should try out for the Kingpins bowling team? (they are good bowlers) Why wouldn t the Kingpins let them try out? (because they weren t dogs and only dogs were allowed on the team) How did Nermal feel? (disappointed and unsure of himself) Dr. Nova said people think she is smart just because she wears glasses. Even though being smart is a good thing, why is this still an example of discrimination? (because they are basing their opinion of Dr. Nova on the way she looks without getting to know her) When Dr. Nova and Professor G point out that not everyone appreciates diversity, how do they explain what Nermal can do to appreciate diversity himself? (they give five steps for appreciating diversity: (1) recognize that it s unfair to judge people without getting to know them; (2) ask questions to get to know other people; (3) stand up against prejudice when you see it happening; (4) explore differences between yourself and others by doing new things and meeting new people; and (5) celebrate the difference between yourself and others) What surprise did the Kingpins have at the end of the lesson? (some members they thought were dogs really weren t dogs) SAY: Learning to appreciate diversity means you will avoid being prejudiced when you meet other people. It takes a lot of practice, though, because it is very easy to judge people based on how they look or something else you know about them. When you catch yourself making a judgment about someone before you get to know them, take the extra effort to talk with them and ask questions to find out what they are really like. You might just find some really cool new friends! CONSOLIDATE LEARNING Now that students know about diversity, ask them what they can do to get to know other people who are different from them. Encourage students to come up with a way to get to know others and let them follow through with the activity. They might decide to sit at lunch with someone they don t know. They might invite speakers from different cultures into the classroom. They might also come up with a way to celebrate diversity for the whole school, perhaps by having a cultural fair at a PTA meeting or by creating podcasts of interviews with different students around the school. EVALUATE Conclude the activity by asking students to share any of their questions or comments. Encourage students to continue the conversation at home with their parents or caregivers. Administer the Diversity Quiz to assess whether students have met the learning objectives for the lesson. After evaluating the results of the assessment, you may wish to go over any learning objectives that the students did not grasp.

5 QUIZ ANSWER KEY 1. false 2. true 3. true 4. false 5. true 6. a 7. b 8. c 9. open possible answers: teachers are different, not all teachers act the same way, it judges people without knowing them on the inside 10. open possible answers: everyone deserves respect and friendship, differences keep life from being boring

6 QUIZ: DIVERSITY NAME DATE TRUE OR FALSE Read each sentence carefully. In the space provided, mark a T for true or an F for false next to each statement. 1. Positive stereotypes are okay. 2. Exploring differences actually can help people see how much they have in common. 3. Stereotypes are assumptions about a group of people. 4. You can know exactly what someone is like if you already know someone else in that same group. 5. Celebrating diversity shows you appreciate that every person is unique. MULTIPLE CHOICE Answer each question with the best response. 6. A club won t let someone from a different group join. This is an example of: a. discrimination b. including others c. asking questions 7. You can stand up for someone who s being mistreated by: a. changing the subject b. saying something to include the person c. ignoring the situation 8. One way to avoid stereotypes is to: a. be friends with people who are a lot like you b. avoid situations where you would meet new people c. get to know people as individuals

7 NAME DATE SHORT ANSWER Answer each question the best you can. 9. A student in your class says that all teachers are strict. This is a stereotype because 10. Appreciating differences is important because