Diversity and Bullying Unit

Lesson #1

ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors:

M1. Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental,
social/emotional and physical well-being.
B-SS 2. Create positive and supportive relationships with other students.
B-SS 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary.

Materials:
o Equipment to play videos (computer, speakers, projector, smart board, etc.)
o People cut outs in various skin tones
o Markers, crayons, colored pencils, etc.

Procedure:
- Welcome students. Play the unit song “Perfect” (clean version) by P!nk as students walk
in. Be sure to stop the video at 2:12.
- Remind students of the class expectations.
o Be Respectful.
o Be Kind.
o Listen Right Away.
- Introduce today’s topic of diversity.
o Have students share what they think diversity is.
- Use the student’s definitions as a launching point to explain that diversity means the
differences between all of us. Give examples both physical (glasses, skin color) and non-
physical (ability status, religion, anxiety)
- Explain that we are going to watch a short clip and that students are expected to be on
their movie theater behavior.
o No talking.
o Stay seated.
- Video link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iFWyihDvCE
- Ask students what their thoughts and reactions are about the video.
- Debrief their thoughts and reflect content and feelings back to them.
- Use the discussion to continue to point out different ways people can be diverse and
how sometimes we can treat people differently based on how different they are from
us.
- Share how sometimes the things that we struggle with or things that make us different,
can help us connect with someone who has a similar struggle or difference.
- If a new student came from a different country, someone who is from that same country
can understand where that person comes from. Someone who struggles with math can
understand and connect with someone else who has a hard time with math.

Activity:
- Show the students the paper people cuts outs.
- On the front of their person, students will write something that they like about
themselves.
- On the back of their person, students will write something that makes them different,
something that makes them diverse.
- Students can decorate their person however they choose.
- After students start completing their people, allow students to come up to the front and
share either both sides or one side of their person with the class.
- Thank students for sharing and being vulnerable with the class. You can also
acknowledge how brave they are being for sharing with the entire class.
- Students can continue to decorate their people until it is time to go.