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Belonging & community: addressing discrimination and extremism

Key Stage 3: Lesson 3

Discrimination and the protected characteristics

Teacher slide| *Ensure you have read the teacher guidance before teaching the lesson

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Using this PowerPoint

The slides in this presentation are divided into two sections:

Teacher slides (purple) – provide key information regarding lesson preparation
Student slides – provide a visual focus point for students during the lesson and delivery notes for teachers about the activities. Click ‘notes’ to view these.

Ensure that you select ‘Use Presenter View’ under the ‘Slide Show’ tab – this will allow you to preview the teaching notes on your monitor while the main presentation is displayed on a screen/smartboard.

Teacher slide

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Support and challenge

Challenge

Support

The lesson includes suggestions for challenge and support activities, to help you differentiate appropriately for your class.

Support activities are adapted to be more accessible for those who need it.

Challenge activities deepen and extend learning for those who need more challenge or who finish the activity quickly.

Look for these icons on the pupil slides. See delivery notes for details of the activities.

Teacher slide

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Context

This is the third of five lessons for key stage 3, forming part of a series of lessons exploring respectful and cohesive communities, inclusion, belonging and extremism. This lesson explores the characteristics that are protected by law, what constitutes discriminatory behaviour, and safe ways to challenge or report discrimination.

No lesson should be taught in isolation, but always as part of a planned, developmental PSHE education programme. These lessons would work well as part of wider learning about respectful relationships including friendships and bullying. They also lay the foundations for teaching about extremism in the accompanying key stage 4 lessons.

Teacher slide

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Students will be able to:

describe a range of cognitive biases (including implicit bias) and how these can affect decisions and behaviours
evaluate strategies to help people address biases and make fairer decisions
explain what a stereotype is and how beliefs might affect someone’s wellbeing or sense of belonging
recognise and suggest ways to safely challenge stereotypes, across a range �of contexts

To learn about the effects of discrimination and bullying and how to safely challenge them.

Teacher slide

Learning outcomes

Learning objective

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Resources required

Box or envelope for questions
Resource 1: Protected characteristics match up [1 per pair]
Resource 1a: Protected characteristics examples [1 per pair, support option �as required]
Resource 1b: Protected characteristics match up (solved) [1 per class]
Resource 2: Circles of support �[1 per small group]
Resource 2a: Circles of support cards �[1 per small group, support option �as required]

Duration

This has been designed to be taught as a �60 minute PSHE education lesson.

Teacher slide

Climate for learning

Make sure you have read the accompanying teacher guidance before teaching this lesson, which includes relevant subject knowledge and guidance on establishing a safe learning environment, the limits of confidentiality, communication and handling questions effectively.

Further guidance

Members of the PSHE Association can access our website for further guidance �www.pshe-association.org.uk

Duration

This has been designed to be taught as a �60-minute PSHE education lesson.

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Lesson summary

Activity	Description	Timing
Introduction	Introduce students to learning objective and outcomes and establish ground rules.	5 mins
Baseline assessment	Students respond to key questions about discrimination, bullying and ways to challenge them.	10 mins
Protected characteristics	Students match the protected characteristics to descriptions �and examples.	15 mins
Exploring feelings	Students discuss what a character experiencing discriminatory behaviour might be thinking and how they might feel.	5 mins
Circles of support	Students identify sources of support for a character experiencing discriminatory behaviour.	8 mins
Outcomes	Students identify actions a character might take after experiencing discrimination, and what the outcomes might be.	7 mins
Endpoint assessment	Students revisit the key questions and demonstrate progress.	7 mins
Signpost support	Remind students how to access further advice, guidance and support in relation to the lesson content.	3 mins

Teacher slide

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Discrimination and the protected characteristics

Lesson 3

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To learn that everyone is equal, regardless of their similarities and differences

We will be able to

identify special things about us that make us who we are
describe similarities and differences between ourselves and others
recognise that everyone is equal

Learning outcomes

Learning objective

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Ground rules

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Key questions

On your own, answer these questions:

What is discrimination?
How does discrimination link to �the previous lesson on bias �and stereotypes?
How can discrimination, in all its forms, be challenged?

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Protected characteristics

There are laws that protect people from discrimination in relation to particular characteristics that are outlined in the Equality Act 2010. These are called protected characteristics.

Discrimination is treating a person or group of people differently from others (usually less favourably) because of their characteristics."

[Adapted from the Cambridge English Dictionary]

Inclusive example

Characteristic

Explanation

Characteristic

Explanation

Discriminatory example

Teacher notes – Protected characteristics, 15 mins (slides 12-13)

Share the definition of “discrimination” with students. Use the information on the slide to explain that there are laws that protect people from discrimination in relation to particular characteristics that are outlined in the Equality Act, 2010. These are called protected characteristics.

In pairs, ask students to match the protected characteristic to its description, and an example of behaviour related to this characteristic, on Resource 1: Protected characteristics match up. Circulate around the room using Resource 1b: Protected characteristics match up (solved) to check students’ answers.

Using two different colour pencils, ask pairs of students to identify, in one colour, which of the examples in the right-hand column show inclusive behaviours towards a protected characteristic that could help promote feelings of belonging, and those that show discriminatory behaviours, in the other colour.

Resource 1b: Protected characteristics match up (solved) shows inclusive examples in green, and discriminatory in pink. These are also shown on slide 13 to support class discussion.

Key learning:

There are a range of characteristics that are protected by law, everyone will have some of these characteristics in different ways.
Ensure that students are aware that while discriminatory behaviours are often targeted towards minority groups in society, everyone has protected characteristics. For example, students may be aware of experiences of racism among Black British people, however they should be aware that any racial group would be protected from discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 and that a majority group (for example, being White British) still has a characteristic that would fall under the heading in the Equality Act 2010, and in this instance that would be race.
Students should be made aware that at different times and contexts, an individual can be in a majority group or a minority group.

Support: Give students Resource 1a: Protected characteristics examples which has the characteristic and description pre-matched, so their task is to match the definitions to the relevant example.

Challenge: Ask students to suggest an example of inclusive behaviour for one or two of the four examples of discriminatory behaviour.

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Characters seeing or experiencing examples of discrimination:

Rowan
Natalija’s grandad
Amadu’s friend
Anna
Kyle

Protected characteristics

Characters seeing or experiencing examples of inclusivity:

Kizzy
Ifan’s mum
Kavya
The school

Teacher notes – Protected characteristics, 15 mins (slides 12-13)

Resource 1b: Protected characteristics match up (solved) and the slide above, show which examples are discriminatory in pink and which are inclusive in green.

Key learning:

There are a range of characteristics that are protected by law, everyone will have some of these characteristics in different ways.
Ensure that students are aware that while discriminatory behaviours are often targeted towards minority groups in society, everyone has protected characteristics. For example, students may be aware of experiences of racism among Black British people, however they should be aware that any racial group would be protected from discrimination under the Equality Act 2010 and that a majority group (for example, being White British) still has a characteristic that would fall under the heading in the Equality Act 2010, and in this instance that would be race.
Students should be made aware that at different times and contexts, an individual can be in a majority group or a minority group. Explain to students that the term ‘global majority’ is sometimes used instead of BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic), and the concept of which group is in the majority or minority can depend on location, context, and the scale considered.

Support: Give students Resource 1a: Protected characteristics examples which has the characteristic and description pre-matched, so their task is to match the definitions to the relevant example.

Challenge: Ask students to suggest an example of inclusive behaviour for one or two of the four examples of discriminatory behaviour.

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Exploring feelings

Choose one of the examples of discrimination. �What might the character be thinking and feeling?

Kyle was watching a video about video games online. The person playing was talking about jobs women should and shouldn’t do.

Anna noticed some racist graffiti outside the school. It said horrible things about people’s skin colour.

Rowan saw someone writing on a bench near school. Some of the writing made threats towards trans people.

Amadu’s friend is struggling to get a promotion because their employer says that single people would work harder than someone who is married.

Natalija’s grandad recently had to take his employer to court because they said he was too old to work, even though he wasn’t at retirement age yet.

Teacher notes – Exploring feelings, 5 mins (slide 14)

Still in their pairs, ask students to choose one of the discriminatory examples and suggest what the character in the example might be thinking and feeling, then ask volunteers to share their ideas. If time allows, ask the class if they can agree on three keywords to describe the effect of experiencing discriminatory behaviour.

Key learning:

Discriminatory behaviour can have various effects, for example causing emotional harm, fear or anger, as well as feelings of isolation.
In some of the scenarios, students may also identify that there could be thoughts and feelings relating to the economic impact of discriminatory behaviours, for example, those experienced by Natalija’s grandad and Amadu’s friend.
Students should be made aware that discriminatory behaviour is unacceptable, and your teaching should reflect your school’s policies on discriminatory behaviour and bullying.

Support: Print or display Slide 20 and ask students to use the emojis to focus on how the character might feel.

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Circles of support

As a group, choose one of the examples of discrimination and consider what the following people could do to support the person experiencing discriminatory behaviour:

The character or other individuals
Groups in the community
The wider community as a whole

Teacher notes – Circles of support, 8 mins (slide 15)

Combine pairs into groups of four and ask students to choose one of the examples of discriminatory behaviour to focus on. Using Resource 2: Circles of support, ask them to consider how the character themselves, other individuals, groups, or the wider communities the character is a part of, could help to support the person experiencing discriminatory behaviour.

Key learning:

There are a range of actions that individuals, groups and communities can take to support someone experiencing discrimination, help to prevent it, or counter discriminatory messages.
Some actions may help to support a person emotionally, for example, by safely defending someone experiencing discrimination, challenging other people’s viewpoints where these are unfair, or by listening to and comforting someone who has experienced discrimination.
Other support might be to counter discrimination with more inclusive messages. An example of this might be for a community to paint a diverse mural with an inclusive message in place of the racist graffiti in Anna’s scenario.
While discrimination is always unacceptable, some actions may also be illegal. For example, unfair dismissal in the scenario with Natalija’s grandad. In these situations, someone could take legal action, or in other cases of criminal behaviour such as hate crime the police may become involved.

Support: Ask students to focus on Kyle’s scenario and use Resource 2a: Circles of support cards to sort the cards into actions an individual, group or community could take, placing them on Resource 2: Circles of support.

Challenge: Ask students to consider what could be done on a national level to address the type of discriminatory behaviour in their example. Students could draft a short letter to an MP outlining the issue and giving one suggestion for a national action that could challenge this type of discrimination.

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Outcomes

My mum told me all about the racist graffiti she found near school. When she told me, I felt really uncomfortable. I felt like I should have told her when it happened because I saw someone who goes to my school do it.

They told me not to tell anyone, and they called me some of the names they used in the graffiti and made fun of me because I use crutches sometimes. I spoke to my friend Rowan about it.

Teacher notes – Outcomes, 7 mins (slide 16-17)

Read Kizzy and Rowan’s scenario. Explain that Kizzy and Rowan know who is responsible for the racist graffiti in both Rowan’s and Anna’s scenarios from Resource 1: Protected characteristics match up.

As a class, discuss what actions Kizzy and Rowan might take and what the potential outcomes could be from these. Take feedback and if time allows, ask students to raise their hand to vote for what they think the safest and most effective course of action would be.

Key learning:

Suggested actions might include: contact the police, tell a trusted adult at school, tell Kizzy’s mum Anna, tell other friends, contact a service online/on the phone, or do nothing.
Students may also suggest directly confronting the person, though when discussing this, stress the need to assess whether this would be safe in this context or whether further support would be needed.

Outcomes from each action could vary. However, students may identify the following points:

Contacting the police may result in the police investigating the incidents, and charging the person who is responsible. For example, they might charge them in relation to a hate crime, as threatening behaviour is involved. A hate crime in the UK is when someone is harmed or treated badly because of certain things about them, including protected characteristics, like their skin colour, religion, or if they have a disability. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and the Criminal Justice Act 2003 also make it clear that it's illegal to harm, or cause distress to someone because of these characteristics.
Talking to someone at school might mean that Kizzy and Rowan are able to access support from a trusted adult. The school can take steps to address the issue, and to support Kizzy and Rowan, and anyone who is experiencing threatening behaviour in the school.
Talking to Kizzy’s mum Anna might mean that they are able to report the behaviour and the graffiti, and that Kizzy, Rowan and Anna seek further support together, for example through local councillors, the school or the police.
Contacting online services such as Childline can help Kizzy and Rowan talk through how the incidents have made them feel and have someone listen or offer support.
Doing nothing means that the person feels that they are able to do this again without being challenged and may lead to further discrimination of Kizzy or her peers.

Support: Give students the following actions and ask them to decide what they think a likely outcome could be from each action: reporting the threatening behaviour and graffiti to the police; talking to a trusted adult at school; talking to Anna, Kizzy’s mum; doing nothing.

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Kizzy is a couple of years below me, but since we both go to drama club, she told me about some graffiti her mum found.

When she described what she'd seen, I knew who she was talking about because they're in my year and I saw the same person writing transphobic graffiti on a bench. They've actually made threats towards people in town because they think the person they're threatening is gay, or because of where the person is from.

Outcomes

Teacher notes – Outcomes, 7 mins (slide 16-17)

Read Kizzy and Rowan’s scenario. Explain that Kizzy and Rowan know who is responsible for the racist graffiti in both Rowan’s and Anna’s scenarios from Resource 1: Protected characteristics match up.

As a class, discuss what actions Kizzy and Rowan might take and what the potential outcomes could be from these. Take feedback and if time allows, ask students to raise their hand to vote for what they think the safest and most effective course of action would be.

Key learning:

Suggested actions might include: contact the police, tell a trusted adult at school, tell Kizzy’s mum Anna, tell other friends, contact a service online/on the phone, or do nothing.
Students may also suggest directly confronting the person, though when discussing this, stress the need to assess whether this would be safe in this context or whether further support would be needed.

Outcomes from each action could vary. However, students may identify the following points:

Contacting the police may result in the police investigating the incidents, and charging the person who is responsible. For example, they might charge them in relation to a hate crime, as threatening behaviour is involved. A hate crime in the UK is when someone is harmed or treated badly because of certain things about them, including protected characteristics, like their skin colour, religion, or if they have a disability. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and the Criminal Justice Act 2003 also make it clear that it's illegal to harm, or cause distress to someone because of these characteristics.
Talking to someone at school might mean that Kizzy and Rowan are able to access support from a trusted adult. The school can take steps to address the issue, and to support Kizzy and Rowan, and anyone who is experiencing threatening behaviour in the school.
Talking to Kizzy’s mum Anna might mean that they are able to report the behaviour and the graffiti, and that Kizzy, Rowan and Anna seek further support together, for example through local councillors, the school or the police.
Contacting online services such as Childline can help Kizzy and Rowan talk through how the incidents have made them feel and have someone listen or offer support.
Doing nothing means that the person feels that they are able to do this again without being challenged and may lead to further discrimination of Kizzy or her peers.

Support: Give students the following actions and ask them to decide what they think a likely outcome could be from each action: reporting the threatening behaviour and graffiti to the police; talking to a trusted adult at school; talking to Anna, Kizzy’s mum; doing nothing.

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What have we learnt?

Remember our learning outcomes?

Look at your answers to the questions from the start of the lesson.

Are there any changes you’d like to make?
Is there anything you’d like to add to show your new learning?

Write this in a different colour pen.

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Sources of support

Speak to a parent or carer, tutor, head of year, school nurse, or other trusted member of staff in school.

Childline �www.childline.org.uk�or call 0800 1111

Victim Support�www.victimsupport.org.uk/children-and-young-people

or their page on hate crime�www.victimsupport.org.uk/you-co/hate-crime

Something's worrying me,�can I talk to you?

I need your help with something . . .

I have something that’s been bothering me . . .

Teacher notes – Reflection on today’s learning and signposting support, 3 mins (slide 19)

Remind students that if they have concerns or would like to talk to someone about any of the topics explored in the lesson, they could talk to a trusted adult such as a parent or carer, or a member of staff in the school such as a head of year or form tutor.

They could also contact organisations such as:

Childline who have a range of advice pages on different forms of discrimination, and can put young people in touch with a Childline counsellor: www.childline.org.uk 0800 1111
Victim Support has a service for children and young people called You & Co:�www.victimsupport.org.uk/children-and-young-people�There is a specific page relating to hate crimes:�www.victimsupport.org.uk/you-co/types-crime/hate-crime

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More activities

Report and support poster

Design a poster to be displayed in places such as toilets in schools and community-spaces, that advises people on how to access support regarding discriminatory behaviour or bullying.

Aim for the poster to be uplifting and supportive.

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Angry

Scared or Worried

Sad

Happy

Disgusted

Surprised

Embarrassed

Loving

Bored

Confused

Overwhelmed

Curious

Excited

Amused

Something else

?

How might someone feel?