Exercise 4.1. – All different, all equal

Living Democracy » Textbooks » Teaching Democracy » Chapter 4 – Perceiving others » Exercise 4.1. – All different, all equal

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.

Chapter 4 - Perceiving others

Exercise 4.2. - Difference

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