Diversity TechnologyProject

ED 301-02

Christi Bohrer

Multicultural Education

Websites & Activities Geared Towards 9th Grade High School Students

Table of ContentsObjectivesMaterialsDiversity Themes, Websites, & Activities

General Cultural Diversity Age Diversity Diverse Belief or Religion Class Systems Exceptionalities Disabilities Gender Diversity Language Race/Ethnicity Sexual Orientation Additional Resources for Cultural Diversity

Objectives

To help students learn about diverse culture & the society around them.

To help give an understanding for those we believe are different from us.

Materials that may be needed

Paper

Pen/Pencil

Computer (for internet access)

Books & Pictures

Videos

Overhead Projector

Diversity Themes

Websites

Activities

General Cultural Diversity

Websites:http://www.aad.english.ucsb.edu/

this is a website based on presenting diverse opinions on affirmative action.

http://www.inform.umd.edu/EdRes/Topic/Diversity/this websites at the University of Maryland provides a definition of words & phrases relating to diversity issues.

http://www.public.iastate.edu/~savega/divweb2htmthis website provides links & a directory of related internet sources.

http://www.idealist .org – Action Without Borders this website explains cultural differences & provides examples of related issues.

http://www.diversitynews.com/ - Diversity Newsgives a business/work perspective on diversity issues.

General Cultural Diversity: Activities

Have students write a poem about how everyone in the world is different, then share with the class.

There have been many cultural contributions to make society & technology what it is today. Discuss with the class what examples have made America what it is today.

Find a video that covers cultural diversity issues & have the students watch it.

Ask students to write a short research report a religious or ethnic group different from theirs.

Have students find recipes for different cultural foods. They could make the dish & bring it in for the whole class to sample.

Age DiversityWebsites:

http://www.agepositive.gov.uk/ - Age Positive

This website focuses on older people, their skills, & their abilities. It also explains laws on mandatory retirement or removal.

http://www.taen.org.uk/factsweb.html – Third Age Employment NetworkThis website gives facts & figures on decline in number of people working after age 50.

http://www.efa.org.uk/ - Employer’s Forum on AgeGives information & advocacy for age diverse work force.

http://www.diversity-whatworks.gov.uk/age/help.asp – Civil Service This website explains age discrimination laws, codes of conduct, & employer responsibility. It also discusses how to tackle the issue.

http://www.manpower.co.uk/news/pressrelease39_mainpage.asp – Manpower Company-contract workforceThis page predicts & explains increase in age diversity in the workforce.

Age Diversity: ActivitiesHave students discuss stereotypes adults may have about people their age.

Ask students to write a poem about age stereotypes.

Have students draw pictures of what they see themselves looking like as an older person.

Have students write about stereotypes & thoughts they have about older people.

Have students discuss or write in a journal how things may be for them once they pass age 40 or so.

Diverse Belief / Religion

Websites:http://www.awesomelibrary.org/Classroom/SocialStudies/multicultural/ReligiousDiversity.html – Library Source on Cultural DiversityThis site offers outlines, origins, & definitions of different religions.

http://www.religioustolerance.org – About Alternative ReligionsThis site researches different religious & ethic systems.

http://www.tolerance.org – Tolerance OrganizationThis site is based on researching bias & controlling it.

http://www.diversity-whatworks,gov.uk/relegion/background.asp – This is a website that offers general information & surveys about how staff at work may feel about their different religious backgrounds, role in society, & work.

http://www.interfaith-metrode.org/ifc.htm – Interfaith ConferenceThis website brings different religious communities together to work for social & economic justice.

Diverse Belief/Religion: Activities

Ask students to discuss their religious background & how they were raised.

Ask students to discuss how the many different religions of the world started this country & turned it into what it is today.

For homework, have students look in Ohio phonebooks & find the name & location of 3-5 different religious places of worship.

Have students draw pictures of what they associate with a few different select religions. (a menorah, cross, etc.)

Have students write a short research paper on a religion or belief of their choice.

Diversity in Class System

Websites:http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline.shows/religion/jesus/socialclass.htmlPBS website – This website offers a possible explanation of what social class Jesus was a part of & how it effected his teachings & thought.

http://www.tolerance.org – ToleranceThis website researches differences in society & how to deal with them.

http://www.aad.english.ucsb.edu/ - University of CaliforniaThis site discusses the diverse opinions on affirmative action.

http://www.multiracial.com/ - Libertarian OrganizationThis site is an activist journal covering issues of civil liberties & issues.

http://www.census.gov/ - Census BureauThis site gives general government findings on the country’s diverse population according to the census.

Class Diversity: Activities

Ask students to discuss or write about stereotypes people may have about different economic classes.

Ask students to go to the internet or find articles about how the economy effects society.

Have students discuss what they would do if they won the lottery.

Ask students to discuss what it would be like if they had been born on the city streets. How would they survive?

Have students write a short description of what they think it would be like to be a homeless person that travels from place to place.

Exceptionalities

Websites: http://www.hardee.k12.fl.us/ese/exceptionalities.html – Teaching the Gifted

This site explains characteristics of having an exceptionality, or being gifted.

http://www.cloudnet.com/~edrbsass/edexc.htm – Learning with DisabilitiesThis site has links to lesson plans & activities for special ed & gifted students. There are also articles about people such as Helen Keller that succeeded despite a disability.

http://www.kidneeds.com/diagnostic_categories/articles/dual_exceptionalities.htmDisabilities & Special Needs – This site answers some questions about children with exceptionalities. It also helps in determining who may fall into this category.

http://www.hpedsb.on.ca/ec/speced/docs/exceptionalities.html – Exceptional ChildrenThis site provides links & information for families of children with exceptionalities.

http://www.ericec.org/digests/darchives/e427.html – Dual ExceptionalitiesThis site explains the differences between being gifted & having a learning disability.

Exceptionalities: Activities

Ask students what they believe their strong points & weaknesses are. What if they had no control over this?

Ask students to discuss what they believe an exceptionality is. Is it good or bad? Why?

Have students watch a movie about a “gifted” character. Good Will Hunting, Beautiful Mind, etc.

Ask students to write a short story about what they think it would be like if they had been born with an exceptionality.

Ask students to go to an internet or book source to find someone known in history who was thought to have lived with an exceptionality. Write a paragraph describing the person.

DisabilitiesWebsites:

http://www.cloudnet.com/~edrbsass/edexc.htm – Learning with DisabilitiesThis website contains links & lesson plans for special ed students. It also gives examples of people in history that have lived with disability, for example, FDR.

http://www.cdipage.com/teacher.htm - Teacher’s HelpThis website gives teachers suggestions on classroom accomodations for kids with learning disabilities.

http://www.specialchild.com – Special ChildrenThis website is for parents of children with disabilities. It offers advice & beneficial services.

http://www.ada-ohio.org - Adolescents with DisabilitiesThis websites provides explanations of different disabilities that children in the state of Ohio are living with. This is also an advocate site for young adults with developmental disabilities.

http://www.taalliance.org/ptis/regohio – AdvocatesThis site is dedicated to advancing educational interests of children with disabilities. It also offers help & information to families of children with disabilities.

Disabilities: Activities

Invite a guest speaker who has a disability to speak or answer any questions the students may have.

Introduce the common names & scientific names of disabilities through use of books, articles, videos, or pictures.

Have students role play. Get a group of students together & nominate one to a certain disability in a situation. This lets them see what it feels like & to adapt to the needs of others.

Have each student write a description of themselves & what makes them different. Then discuss it with the class.

Have each student write a story or at least think of what it would be like to have to live with a specific disability like Autism.

Gender Diversity

Websites:http://www.mith2.umd.edu/WomensStudies/ - University of Maryland

Provides links and discussions on women’s issues.

http://www.usc.edu/isd/archives/ethnicstudies/gender.html – University of Southern CaliforniaThis website gives links & research guides for women’s & gender studies.

http://www.diversity-whatworks.gov.uk/gender/background.aspCivil ServiceGives facts & figures about the current perception of women & employment.

http://www.worldbank.org/html/schools/issues/genderhtm – World BankThis website gives teachers & parents ideas & links to other sites for help dealing gender differences.

http;//www.brown.edu/Administration/ - Gender DifferencesThis website addresses gender differences in common. Gives styles in classroom to encourage participation of both genders.

Gender Diversity: Activities

Start a discussion by asking the class how they think their life would be different if they had been born the opposite sex.

Have students discuss what stereotypes people have about the opposite sex.

Ask students to write a poem about their gender.

Ask students to write a list of pros & cons to being a male or female.

Have students write a small research report on a famous female in history.

Diverse LanguageWebsites:

http://www.cal.org/ncle/digests/Myths.htm - U.S . LanguagesThis website describes language diversity in the United States & discusses the dominance of English.

http://www.newsweekeducation.com/onlineactivities - NewsweekThis article asks if English is taking over as Universal Language.

http://www.asu.edu/educ/sceed/ - University of ArizonaThis site explains the diffusion of language throughout the years.

http://www.ed.gov/pubs/ModStrat/pt.1.html – Education & LanguageThis site is about language diversity in American public schools.

http://www.lsada.org/Comrie.html – Language DifferencesThis site explains diversity between languages spoken in the United States.

Language: Activities

Ask students if anyone knows a foreign language. If so, could they share an example with the class.Break up students into 2 groups, put one group out in the hall. Form a “special language” with group # 1 & not 2. Reintroduce the groups after a bit of practice & see how well they can learn to communicate. Be sure group #1 does not speak English.Find a holiday with a foreign denomination, like Cinco de Mayo. Bring in foods & signs with the language’s writings. Give students simple words to learn from this language.Have each student pick a foreign language. Then give them a few days to learn a sentence or two to discuss & demonstrate for the class.Help the students learn to count to 10 in another language.

Ethnic Diversity

Websites:http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issuesaction/alertlist - U.S. Congress – This website gives info on ethnic issues effecting the U.S.

http://www.providence.edu/polsci/rep/ - Providence UniversityThis site gives political discussion over ethnic issues.

http://www.balchinstitute.org/ - Balch Institute for Ethnic StudiesThis site gives info on immigration statistics

http://www.census.gov/ - United States Census BureauThis website offers information on population according to the census.

http://wwwmultiracial.com/ - Libertarian OrganizationThis site is an activist journal covering issues of civil liberties & lawsuits.

Ethnic Diversity: Activities

Ask students to discuss stereotypes people may have about another race.Find an article on different hate groups & what is being done to stop them. Then discuss with class.Ask students to write a small research report on what different people of ethnic backgrounds have done to contribute to our country’s growth.Invite a guest speaker from a diverse cultural or racial background. They can educate the students & in turn, the students can answer any questions they may have.Ask students to pick an ethnic historical figure, like Martin Luther King , Jr., & have them give a short research speech to the class about this person’s contributions.

Sexual OrientationWebsites:

http://www.southalabama.edu/asd – South Alabama UniversityThis site was designed to help students & staff embrace diversity of sexual orientation. Gives links & definitions of different terms.

http://www.positive.org – Positive ThinkingThis website gives teens info on sexuality to affirm decisions about sex, sexuality, & reproductive controls.

http://www.psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow – Psychology Department from UC DavisThis site provides info about sexual prejudice (homophobia), hate crimes, & AIDS stigma. It also provides factual info to promote use of scientific knowledge for education.

http://www.apa.org/pubinfo/answers.html – Public InformationThis site answers questions about sexual orientation & homophobia.

http://www.chebuctoins.ca/Health/TeenHealth/ - Teen HealthThis website provides info & links on sexuality issues, STDs, & more. The site is geared more towards teens.

Sexual Orientation: Activities

Ask students to discuss what stereotypes they may have for people of another sexual orientation.

Ask students to see of they can find a famous person that has a different sexual orientation. Then they can write a short research paper on the contribution.

Find a video (after school special) on dealing with a different sexual orientation & ask the students to watch the video.

Have students write a poem about their sexuality.

Ask students to imagine what it would be like to live with alternative lifestyle to their own. How would their friends make

them feel? Would they be supportive?

Additional Resources for Cultural Diversity

Websites:http://www.latino.sscnet.ucla.edu/diversity1.html

This website is from the UCLA. It provides links & explanations of different ethnic groups.

http://www.inform.umd.edu/Edres/Topic/Diversity/ - University of MarylandThis site offers an index of multicultural & diversity resources. It also provides definitions of words, policies, & phrases relating to diversity issues.

http://www.diversity-what works.gov.uk/disability/background.asp – DiversityThis site offers facts & figures on people with disabilities in the workforce.

http://www.uiowa.edu/~commstud/resources/GenderMedia/ - Gender & Race IssuesThis website offers a look at gender & racial issues from media/political science approach.

http://www.public.iastate.edu/~savega/divweb2.htm – Internet Link CollectionThis site gives a collection of diversity related internet sources.