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

Purpose: To meet and learn about people from diverse backgrounds

Materials: Copies of the handout, Diversity Scavenger Hunt, for each participant; newsprint & marker or board & chalk

Time: Session 1: 15 minutes; Session 2: 30-45 minutes

Planning Notes: You will ask teens to interview people to explore diversity and individual differences. Stress that they will need to explain why they are asking about people's experiences, and remind them to be respectful when asking questions.

Procedure: Session 1

1. Write the following saying on newsprint or the board: Ignorance is the parent of fear … Fear is the parent of hatred.
   
   Ask someone to explain the saying. Make sure everyone understands that each of us is different in some way and that learning to accept and appreciate differences is the goal of this exercise.
2. Ask participants to name groups of people who may suffer from the impact of prejudice. If no one acknowledges racism and homophobia, be sure to do so.
   
3. Ask someone to explain the concept of a scavenger hunt. (If necessary, clarify that it is a game in which participants look for items.) Explain that in this game, participants will find and learn about people from diverse backgrounds. Hand out the Diversity Scavenger Hunt sheet, and go over instructions for the activity:
• On your handout is a list of people who represent many different groups or backgrounds.
• Find people in your community who meet the descriptions on the list. When you find someone, ask if she or he will talk with you for a few minutes about her or his teenage years, difficulties she or he has faced, and/or special moments in her/his life.
• Take notes, and have the person sign your handout in the right space.
• Get as many signatures as you can.
4. Give participants a date to complete the activity. Encourage them to ask parents, neighbors, and friends for help in finding people to interview.

Procedure: Session 2

1. When teens return to the next session, ask volunteers to share what they learned from the people they interviewed.
2. Conclude the activity using the Discussion Points.

Discussion Points:

1. Was it easy to find people who matched the descriptions on the handout? How diverse is your circle of friends and family members?
2. What was the most interesting thing you learned from your interviews?
3. Were you surprised by something you learned? Did you have expectations that caused this surprise? Describe someone who was very different from your expectations.
4. How has this activity changed your feelings and attitudes about people you did not know before?