Educational objectives | The students learn to know and accept each other in a group. The students discover what they have in common that they were unaware of. The students become aware of attitudes and practices related to difference. |
Resources | A piece of chalk or a string to make a line on the ground. |
Procedure
- The teacher calls out a series of characteristics one by one. As soon as it is mentioned, those who recognise that they have the characteristic cross the line. Examples: all those who …
- are wearing jeans
- have blue eyes
- are older
- have visited other countries in Europe
- regularly read a newspaper
- have been subjected to discrimination
- have homosexual friends
- have prejudices, etc. The students can be asked to suggest characteristics, but the teacher must be aware of what might be sensitive.
- The students discuss the following issues:
- Did anyone find themselves in a group with someone with whom they thought they had nothing in common?
- How does it feel to be part of a large group?
- How does it feel to be alone?
Variation
As soon as a characteristic is mentioned, students move in the class to form groups composed of people with the same characteristics. They stay together for a moment in order to discuss what they have in common. What they say concerns preferences and behaviour, for example.