Year 6
Text:
The Thing by Simon Puttock and Daniel Egneus
lesson plan by Andrew Moffat / equalitiesprimary |
Learning
intention: To welcome difference and stand up to discrimination
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Success
criteria: I know there are some things I have not yet experienced , I am
curious about new and different experiences, I understand how some people are
labelled by rumours and assumptions and I can stand up to prejudice and
discrimination.
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Starter:
Define “discrimination” and “prejudice” ask children to give examples of how and
why someone can suffer discrimination
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Main:
Read “The Thing”. Discuss the reactions of the four animals that first find
the thing. Is the reaction the same from all animals? What other reactions
are there? Look at the page where animals say, “That thing does not belong.
It has to go.” Why do you think some animals say that? Why do you think there
was “quite a lot of bad feeling”? Is this reaction and behaviour an example
of prejudice or discrimination? Encourage debate.
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Role
play: Why do you think The Thing chose to remain silent? Give everyone a
small card; all the cards are blank but one has a small picture of the thing
on it. Give out the cards and explain to the children they must not show
anyone their card. If you have the card with The thing on it your job is to
keep that fact hidden. In the story The Thing arrived but chose not to reveal
who or what it was. You win the game if no one recognises it is you who has The
thing; you can talk to people but you must keep your identity hidden. If you
don’t have The Thing on your card you win the game by working out who does
have it.
Give
children five minutes to mingle and find out who has The Thing. Children
should simply ask people if they have The Thing. Everyone will deny they have
The Thing but one person is lying; can you work out who is lying?
After
five minutes sit the children in a circle and say you want each to reveal who
they think has The Thing. Encourage children to give a reason for why they
think that person has The Thing. The person who has The Thing is going to
have to lie again at this stage to keep their identity hidden. When everyone
has named someone, go around the circle again and ask the children to hold up
their cards one at a time to reveal who does have The Thing. Did the person
with The Thing manage to remain hidden for the duration of the game?
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Post role play discussion: How did the
person with The Thing feel about having to lie to everybody?
When different
people were accused of having The Thing at the end, how did they feel?
Did
anyone hear rumours during the game about who had The Thing?
In
this story, what could The Thing represent? Some people like The Thing and
welcome it, trying to make it feel welcome. Other animals say The Thing does
not belong here.
Ask,
“Can you think of any real life situations where people might hide their
identity?” In what situations might someone hide who they were?
How can we make sure in our
school that no-one has to hide who they are?
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Plenary: What do you think of the story ending?
How did the thing affect the animals in the story? What have the animals
learned from their experiences with The Thing? Is there a message in this
book?
Say
to children when they named someone as having The Thing in our game, what
could they have added to help if someone really did have The Thing card? For
example it might be good to add an encouraging comment like, “It doesn’t
matter to me if you have the thing – you’re still my friend” or You know I’ll
support you whether you have the thing or not”
Afl questions: What is the Equality Act 2010? How is the Equality Act 2010 relevant to this story? Why do we say there are No Outsiders in our school? |
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