The Dangers of Discrimination Print

A Lesson Plan from Life Planning Education: A Youth Development Program

Purpose: To understand how discrimination feels

Materials: Newsprint and markers or board and chalk; Leader's Resource, You Have to Live in Somebody Else's Country to Understand (pdf); paper; pens/pencils

Time: 20-30 minutes

Planning Notes:

  • If you have immigrants in your group, ask several of them to prepare presentations about their culture of origin, to follow this activity. They could bring photographs, music, clothing and/or food to help the group understand something about their culture.

Procedure:

  1. Begin by going over what is meant by the word immigrant: a person from another country or culture. Remind the group that the United States is a country created by immigrants, with the exception of Native Americans. Ask teens if they know the countries their relatives and ancestors came from, and list those on newsprint or the board.
  2. Point out that a new immigrant to the U S. will usually look, dress or speak differently than others in school or the neighborhood. Being different can cause a person to be treated badly —discriminated against—especially if people in the school or neighborhood are prejudiced. Remind the group of the definitions of prejudice and discrimination from previous activities.
  3. Explain that you are going to read a poem by a teenage girl who immigrated to the U.S. When you read it, pause for dramatic effect.
  4. Then ask teens to write their reactions to the poem. After 5 to 10 minutes, they should form small groups of three to talk about what they have written.
  5. Allow about 10 minutes of discussion, then call everyone back to the large group and conclude the activity using the Discussion Points.

Optional Activity

Have participants consider what might have happened after Noy Chou wrote this poem. Ask them to write poems to her as if they were in her class.

Discussion Points:

  1. Why do you think this girl, Noy Chou, wrote her poem?
  2. What did you think about the poem?
  3. Has anyone ever treated you this badly? How did you feel? What did you do?
  4. How were Noy Chou's classmates and teacher discriminating against her?
  5. If you were Noy Chou, what would you have said or done to make others accept you?
  6. If Noy Chou was in your class and you saw these things happening, what would you do?
  7. Why are people often afraid to speak out against acts of prejudice and discrimination?
  8. What negative consequences might happen as a result of this discrimination? To her? To her family? To classmates?