DATE: Monday, November 29th, 2021

WEBB WAY VALUE WORD: Creating a Caring Community

SSS LESSON: Spot the Stereotype (8th)

Gathering: “Rose and Rosebud” Check -in and Chalk-Talk

Activity: The Danger of a Single-Story Analysis
Closing: SPOT and Debrief

Supplies: Rethink Video- SPOT the Stereotype , Post- it Notes, dry erase markers, Nearpod
Interactive Video-The “Danger of a Single-Story” OR The reading
https://bit.ly/dangersinglestory22

Teacher Prep: Read me! J and check links!

Goal: Students will learn what stereotyping is and ways to spot stereotyping.

I.GATHERING: “Rose and Rosebud” Check-in and The Chalk- talk

1. Say: Let’s start by doing a quick check- in called the “Rose and Thorn”
2. Ask each student to share one “rose” (positive thing from their holiday break) and a
“rosebud” (something they’re looking forward to soon).
3. Draw the following diagram on the board and write the terms “Stereotype, Prejudice,
and Discrimination” as shown here:

4. Ask students to define each of the terms in their own words and be prepared to share
out their answers. Hand out post-it notes or have students write directly on the board.
5. To help students with thinking start with, “Have there ever been times that people have
made assumptions about you, your actions, or personality that are not “in-line” with how
 you view yourself? Stereotypes tend to begin with assumptions we make about other
people, places, or events.”
6. While students are responding to the chalk talk, allow them to share out some of their
responses and/or provide examples. (Teacher Choice: You can turn this into a quick poll,
padlet, or mentimeter).
7. Say: Now that you all have had the opportunity to respond, how are these terms
related to one another?
8. After taking a few responses from volunteers, explain the following to students,
9. Say: “A stereotype is a belief about an individual based on the real or imagined
characteristics of a group to which that individual belongs. Stereotypes can lead us to
judge an individual or group negatively.
10. Say: “Prejudice occurs when we form an opinion about an individual or a group based
on a negative stereotype. When a prejudice leads us to treat an individual or group
negatively, discrimination occurs. Now that we have a common understanding of these
terms and their relationship, let’s watch the following video to come up with strategies
for SPOTTING stereotypes.”
SSS VIDEO: Go to Rethink Platform >>Social Awareness: Cultural Competence – Spot the
Stereotype
II. ACTIVITY: The Danger of a Single-Story Analysis --Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Note: How students engage with the material is up to you! Please choose from the following
methods:
o Option 1: Share the following Nearpod Code: __QL29T________ Students will watch
the Ted Talk “The Danger of a Single Story” and answer questions, embedded in the
video, on their own, students will need their own headphones.
o Option 2: Click the following link to add the video to your Nearpod Library and teach
the lesson as a live interactive video OR click the link and share your own student-
paced code!
o Option 3: Have students read the article version, The Danger of a Single-Story, then,
answer the following debrief questions: ( Students will complete this part in groups or on
their own). Share this https://bit.ly/dangersinglestory22 and have them write their
responses on paper or dry erase on their desks.
1. What does Adichie mean by a “single story”? What examples does she give? Why
does she believe “single stories” are dangerous?
2. Is there a single story that others often use to define you? Can you think of other
examples of “single stories” that may be part of your own worldview? Where do
those “single stories” come from? How can we find a “balance of stories”?
3. Adichie herself admits to sometimes defining others with a single story. Why is it
that people sometimes make the same mistakes that they so easily see others
making?
 o Option 4: Read the story together as a class https://bit.ly/dangersinglestory22 and then
ask students the debrief questions above as a class.
CLOSING: Ask-How can the strategies from the S.P.O.T. protocol keep you from defining
others by a single- story?
1. Stop and think! Ask, Is my opinion about a person based on what I know about the
person?
2. Put off judgement. Get to know a person and judge the person based on who he or she
is, not based on a stereotype of a group he or she belongs to.
3. Opt to think differently. Challenge your thinking about certain groups of people that you
may have stereotypes about.
4. Take a stand against stereotyping. Speak out against ANY stereotyping you hear.