Week 2:
Day 1: Icebreaker: Name: Diversity Letter Game:
Time required: 20 minutes
Materials required: Laptop, internet, pens and papers
Instructions: Students will form pair groups and be asked to find a word for each letter in diversity which describes diversity. For example, D could mean different, I could mean individuality, etc. They will then be asked to share briefly why they chose each word.
Purpose: To spread awareness about the importance of knowing about diversity
Main Activity: Name: Movie & discussion
Time required: 1 hour 30 mins to watch movie and 30 minutes for discussion
Materials required: Laptop and internet connection
Instructions: Students will be asked to watch a movie about systemic racism then discuss how the movie made them feel, if they have had similar experiences and why they think racism is morally wrong. The movie we have chosen is American History X.
Purpose: To help students be able to identify biases in films and develop the ability to discuss these biases.
Closing Activity: Comparing biases and privileges
Time required: 20 minute
Materials required: Pens, paper, a computer if being done online, and internet
Instructions: Students are read a list of statements in relation to our topic and must keep a tally of the number of statements which apply to them. This can be used to facilitate a discussion which students can compare their differences.
Purpose: To make students aware of barriers and challenges one might face and the differences in privilege from one youth to another.
Time required: 20 minutes
Materials required: Laptop, internet, pens and papers
Instructions: Students will form pair groups and be asked to find a word for each letter in diversity which describes diversity. For example, D could mean different, I could mean individuality, etc. They will then be asked to share briefly why they chose each word.
Purpose: To spread awareness about the importance of knowing about diversity
Main Activity: Name: Movie & discussion
Time required: 1 hour 30 mins to watch movie and 30 minutes for discussion
Materials required: Laptop and internet connection
Instructions: Students will be asked to watch a movie about systemic racism then discuss how the movie made them feel, if they have had similar experiences and why they think racism is morally wrong. The movie we have chosen is American History X.
Purpose: To help students be able to identify biases in films and develop the ability to discuss these biases.
Closing Activity: Comparing biases and privileges
Time required: 20 minute
Materials required: Pens, paper, a computer if being done online, and internet
Instructions: Students are read a list of statements in relation to our topic and must keep a tally of the number of statements which apply to them. This can be used to facilitate a discussion which students can compare their differences.
Purpose: To make students aware of barriers and challenges one might face and the differences in privilege from one youth to another.
Day 2: Icebreaker: Similarities’ and Differences
Time required: 15 minutes
Materials required: Computer, pens, paper and internet connection
Instructions: students will be put into pairs and be asked to jot down three similarities and three differences they have. They will then be asked to share these similarities and differences with the entire group.
Purpose: To help students realize that we are all different in some ways and all have also have things we share in common.
Main Activity: Advertisement Analysis
Time required: 20 minutes
Materials required: Discussion questions, computer, interne
Instructions: As a group watch 5 advertisements and discuss how the ads represent different social groups. Discuss how ads focused on how ads may have focused on stereotypes of these different social groups and what they could have done better to avoid this.
Purpose: Students will be able to identify whether prejudice is present in an advertisement.
Closing Activity: Labels
Time required: 20 minute
Materials required: Computer if done online, internet, pictures of different people, discussion questions, pens and papers
Instructions: Students will be shown different images of various people and be asked to say the first thing that comes to mind. They will be asked to jot down their first impressions and their answers will be used for discussion.
Purpose: To limit the use of labels among the group when it comes to first impressions.
Time required: 15 minutes
Materials required: Computer, pens, paper and internet connection
Instructions: students will be put into pairs and be asked to jot down three similarities and three differences they have. They will then be asked to share these similarities and differences with the entire group.
Purpose: To help students realize that we are all different in some ways and all have also have things we share in common.
Main Activity: Advertisement Analysis
Time required: 20 minutes
Materials required: Discussion questions, computer, interne
Instructions: As a group watch 5 advertisements and discuss how the ads represent different social groups. Discuss how ads focused on how ads may have focused on stereotypes of these different social groups and what they could have done better to avoid this.
Purpose: Students will be able to identify whether prejudice is present in an advertisement.
Closing Activity: Labels
Time required: 20 minute
Materials required: Computer if done online, internet, pictures of different people, discussion questions, pens and papers
Instructions: Students will be shown different images of various people and be asked to say the first thing that comes to mind. They will be asked to jot down their first impressions and their answers will be used for discussion.
Purpose: To limit the use of labels among the group when it comes to first impressions.
Day 3: Icebreaker: Races and backgrounds
Time required: 20 minutes
Materials required: None
Instructions: Participants stand in a circle and one participant is chosen at random to state something about their culture. The participant then also chooses the direction of which the circle will start, and other participants follow and state something similar in their culture or start a new circle. The goal is to complete a full circle as many times as can be done.
Purpose: To show participants can have similar cultures and realize there are less things that make them different from each other from a cultural standpoint.
Main Activity: Can You?
Time required: 20 minutes and a 10 minute discussion
Materials required: Computer if being done online, internet, pens and papers, list of questions.
Instructions: A List of questions regarding opportunities and oppression towards racialized individuals is made. List is read to participants and those who are not affected by the question can take two steps forward and whoever the question applies to cannot until the race is won. Examples of questions are “have you ever been stopped and searched illegally by police” or “have you ever been accused of stealing by staff of a store”.
Purpose: A quick way to highlight inequalities due to systemic racism and bring awareness to the disparities that it causes among youth.
Closing Activity: Ka hoot
Time required: 15 minute
Materials required: Laptops, tables, chairs, and internet
Instructions: Participants log in to a laptop and enroll in the Kahoot activity. The Kahoot questions will be based around different advocacy resources for those experiencing discrimination and systemic racism, participants will compete to win the Kahoot.
Purpose: : To bring awareness to the different resources available for those who need advocacy due to systemic oppression and discrimination, and help participants really remember them by playing a competitive Kahoot game based on the issue.
Time required: 20 minutes
Materials required: None
Instructions: Participants stand in a circle and one participant is chosen at random to state something about their culture. The participant then also chooses the direction of which the circle will start, and other participants follow and state something similar in their culture or start a new circle. The goal is to complete a full circle as many times as can be done.
Purpose: To show participants can have similar cultures and realize there are less things that make them different from each other from a cultural standpoint.
Main Activity: Can You?
Time required: 20 minutes and a 10 minute discussion
Materials required: Computer if being done online, internet, pens and papers, list of questions.
Instructions: A List of questions regarding opportunities and oppression towards racialized individuals is made. List is read to participants and those who are not affected by the question can take two steps forward and whoever the question applies to cannot until the race is won. Examples of questions are “have you ever been stopped and searched illegally by police” or “have you ever been accused of stealing by staff of a store”.
Purpose: A quick way to highlight inequalities due to systemic racism and bring awareness to the disparities that it causes among youth.
Closing Activity: Ka hoot
Time required: 15 minute
Materials required: Laptops, tables, chairs, and internet
Instructions: Participants log in to a laptop and enroll in the Kahoot activity. The Kahoot questions will be based around different advocacy resources for those experiencing discrimination and systemic racism, participants will compete to win the Kahoot.
Purpose: : To bring awareness to the different resources available for those who need advocacy due to systemic oppression and discrimination, and help participants really remember them by playing a competitive Kahoot game based on the issue.
Week 3:
Day 1: Icebreaker: Name: Commonalities:
Time required: 15 minutes
Materials required: 15-30 chairs
Instructions: All participants stand in a circle with one participant in the middle. The participant in the middle calls out a characteristic, for example, liking rap music or having two sisters and participants that the call out applies to must find a new chair. The participant in the middle must also grab a chair and whoever stays without a chair has to be the participant in the middle and call out another characteristic.
Purpose: For participants to get to know each other better and explore what they have in common despite other differences.
Main Activity: Break the Code
Time required: 20 minutes and 10 minute discussion
Materials required: None
Instructions: Participants break up into groups of 4 or 5 and one participant per group is to leave the room, as the rest of the group comes up with a movement or set of movements that is called a code. The participant that was outside comes back into the room with their group and must guess what the code is. After the code is guessed correctly, another group member must be the person that goes outside the room. All participants reflect on how they felt being the person that had to leave the room and excluded from the code.
Purpose: To give participants the experience of being excluded by other group members and reflect on how it feels and how they can relate to it in everyday interaction.
Closing Activity: Comparing biases and privileges
Time required: 25 minutes
Materials required: None
Instructions: Participants are broken up into groups of 3 and each group decides which group member’s story of discrimination or feeling powerless in a situation. The group members silently act out the story as other groups will have to try and summarize the story. Once the story is correctly summarized, the group that acted out the story will then state what they could have done in the situation to make sure it does not happen again.
Purpose: To explore alternative situations where acts of discrimination and racism can be successfully avoided and/or de-escalated.
Time required: 15 minutes
Materials required: 15-30 chairs
Instructions: All participants stand in a circle with one participant in the middle. The participant in the middle calls out a characteristic, for example, liking rap music or having two sisters and participants that the call out applies to must find a new chair. The participant in the middle must also grab a chair and whoever stays without a chair has to be the participant in the middle and call out another characteristic.
Purpose: For participants to get to know each other better and explore what they have in common despite other differences.
Main Activity: Break the Code
Time required: 20 minutes and 10 minute discussion
Materials required: None
Instructions: Participants break up into groups of 4 or 5 and one participant per group is to leave the room, as the rest of the group comes up with a movement or set of movements that is called a code. The participant that was outside comes back into the room with their group and must guess what the code is. After the code is guessed correctly, another group member must be the person that goes outside the room. All participants reflect on how they felt being the person that had to leave the room and excluded from the code.
Purpose: To give participants the experience of being excluded by other group members and reflect on how it feels and how they can relate to it in everyday interaction.
Closing Activity: Comparing biases and privileges
Time required: 25 minutes
Materials required: None
Instructions: Participants are broken up into groups of 3 and each group decides which group member’s story of discrimination or feeling powerless in a situation. The group members silently act out the story as other groups will have to try and summarize the story. Once the story is correctly summarized, the group that acted out the story will then state what they could have done in the situation to make sure it does not happen again.
Purpose: To explore alternative situations where acts of discrimination and racism can be successfully avoided and/or de-escalated.
Day 2: Icebreaker: Drawing Cities
Time required: 20 minutes
Materials required: pencils, paper, chairs and tables
Instructions: Participants will be divided into groups of 5. Each group will be told to draw a different city street for 7 minutes. After the time is up, the group members will discuss why they drew the street to look like it did in the picture. This includes talking about stereotypes that influenced them to draw the city street as they did, and how the stereotypes determined what they included or not in the picture.
Purpose: To help others practice more self-awareness and mindfulness when it comes to their own personal biases that they may not know about.
Main Activity: Building a Character
Time required: 30 minutes and a 10 minute discussion
Materials required: Flipchart with stand and pens
Instructions: Facilitator draws an outline of a character. Participants give ideas to the facilitator to fill out what the character looks like. The facilitator then puts the character in an emergency situation regarding the issue of racism. The participants once again give ideas on what happens next in the story. Participants are then asked to imagine the character is related to them in some way, the n reflect on how that made them feel and the realistic qualities of the situation.
Purpose: To help raise awareness towards the realistic threat systemic racism can pose to individuals and help individuals understand it by also having it relate back to them personally.
Closing Activity: Connecting Experiences
Time required: 20 minute
Materials required: pens, sticky notes, chairs, tables
Instructions: Participants are split into groups of 5. Each group of 5 has a table with sticky notes and pens and are to take turns sharing an experience where they experienced systemic racism or discrimination. Group members then put their experiences together and make a story where at the end they discuss strengths they have and can use to combat the experience.
Purpose: To encourage participants to use strength based approaches to combat discrimination or systemic racism they may experience in the future and develop coping methods by knowing that others in the group have had the same or similar experience.
Time required: 20 minutes
Materials required: pencils, paper, chairs and tables
Instructions: Participants will be divided into groups of 5. Each group will be told to draw a different city street for 7 minutes. After the time is up, the group members will discuss why they drew the street to look like it did in the picture. This includes talking about stereotypes that influenced them to draw the city street as they did, and how the stereotypes determined what they included or not in the picture.
Purpose: To help others practice more self-awareness and mindfulness when it comes to their own personal biases that they may not know about.
Main Activity: Building a Character
Time required: 30 minutes and a 10 minute discussion
Materials required: Flipchart with stand and pens
Instructions: Facilitator draws an outline of a character. Participants give ideas to the facilitator to fill out what the character looks like. The facilitator then puts the character in an emergency situation regarding the issue of racism. The participants once again give ideas on what happens next in the story. Participants are then asked to imagine the character is related to them in some way, the n reflect on how that made them feel and the realistic qualities of the situation.
Purpose: To help raise awareness towards the realistic threat systemic racism can pose to individuals and help individuals understand it by also having it relate back to them personally.
Closing Activity: Connecting Experiences
Time required: 20 minute
Materials required: pens, sticky notes, chairs, tables
Instructions: Participants are split into groups of 5. Each group of 5 has a table with sticky notes and pens and are to take turns sharing an experience where they experienced systemic racism or discrimination. Group members then put their experiences together and make a story where at the end they discuss strengths they have and can use to combat the experience.
Purpose: To encourage participants to use strength based approaches to combat discrimination or systemic racism they may experience in the future and develop coping methods by knowing that others in the group have had the same or similar experience.
Day 3: Icebreaker: Cultural Circle
Time required: 15 minutes
Materials required: Computer, pens, paper and internet connection
Instructions: students will be put into pairs and be asked to jot down three similarities and three differences they have. They will then be asked to share these similarities and differences with the entire group.
Purpose: To help students realize that we are all different in some ways and all have also have things we share in common.
Main Activity: Advertisement Analysis
Time required: 20 minutes
Materials required: Discussion questions, computer, interne
Instructions: As a group watch 5 advertisements and discuss how the ads represent different social groups. Discuss how ads focused on how ads may have focused on stereotypes of these different social groups and what they could have done better to avoid this.
Purpose: Students will be able to identify whether prejudice is present in an advertisement.
Closing Activity: Labels
Time required: 20 minute
Materials required: Computer if done online, internet, pictures of different people, discussion questions, pens and papers
Instructions: Students will be shown different images of various people and be asked to say the first thing that comes to mind. They will be asked to jot down their first impressions and their answers will be used for discussion.
Purpose: To limit the use of labels among the group when it comes to first impressions.
Time required: 15 minutes
Materials required: Computer, pens, paper and internet connection
Instructions: students will be put into pairs and be asked to jot down three similarities and three differences they have. They will then be asked to share these similarities and differences with the entire group.
Purpose: To help students realize that we are all different in some ways and all have also have things we share in common.
Main Activity: Advertisement Analysis
Time required: 20 minutes
Materials required: Discussion questions, computer, interne
Instructions: As a group watch 5 advertisements and discuss how the ads represent different social groups. Discuss how ads focused on how ads may have focused on stereotypes of these different social groups and what they could have done better to avoid this.
Purpose: Students will be able to identify whether prejudice is present in an advertisement.
Closing Activity: Labels
Time required: 20 minute
Materials required: Computer if done online, internet, pictures of different people, discussion questions, pens and papers
Instructions: Students will be shown different images of various people and be asked to say the first thing that comes to mind. They will be asked to jot down their first impressions and their answers will be used for discussion.
Purpose: To limit the use of labels among the group when it comes to first impressions.