Lesson Plan
Bias: See Beyond?
Students will be able to define bias, stereotypes, and discrimination, recognize examples in everyday life, and understand the impact of these concepts on individuals and society.
Understanding bias, stereotypes, and discrimination helps students develop empathy, promote fairness, and create a more inclusive school and community environment. This lesson equips them with the tools to critically evaluate information and challenge unfair assumptions.
Audience
7th Grade Students
Time
60 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, quick activities, and real-world examples.
Prep
Review Materials
15 minutes
- Review the Bias: See Beyond? Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with the content and flow.
* Print or prepare to display the Warm-Up: First Impressions Activity, Scenario Challenge: What Would You Do? Activity, and Cool-Down: One Word Reflection.
* Read through the Discussion Prompts: Challenging Assumptions to anticipate student responses and tailor follow-up questions.
Step 1
Warm-Up: First Impressions
5 minutes
- Begin with the Warm-Up: First Impressions Activity.
* Display the images and ask students to quickly jot down their first thoughts or assumptions about the people/situations.
* Briefly discuss a few responses, highlighting how quickly we form opinions.
Step 2
Introduction to Key Terms
15 minutes
- Use the Bias: See Beyond? Slide Deck to introduce and define 'bias,' 'stereotype,' and 'discrimination.'
* Provide clear, age-appropriate examples for each term.
* Facilitate a short discussion using the Discussion Prompts: Challenging Assumptions to help students connect the definitions to real-world scenarios and their own experiences (without personal sharing).
Step 3
Video: Bias in Action
5 minutes
- Play the video on the "Bias in Action: See For Yourself" slide in the Bias: See Beyond? Slide Deck.
* After the video, briefly ask students what they observed and how it connects to the concepts discussed.
Step 4
Scenario Challenge: What Would You Do?
20 minutes
- Introduce the Scenario Challenge: What Would You Do? Activity as a small group or paired activity.
* Students will read scenarios and discuss how bias, stereotypes, or discrimination might be present, and what actions could be taken.
* Bring the class back together for a brief sharing of key takeaways from their discussions.
Step 5
Impact and Action
10 minutes
- Continue with the Bias: See Beyond? Slide Deck to discuss the negative impact of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination on individuals and communities.
* Emphasize the importance of critical thinking and challenging unfair assumptions.
* Brainstorm simple actions students can take to promote inclusivity (e.g., being mindful of language, learning about different cultures, speaking up respectfully).
Step 6
Cool-Down: One Word Reflection
5 minutes
- Conclude with the Cool-Down: One Word Reflection.
* Ask students to share one word that represents what they learned or how they feel after the lesson.
* Collect responses as an exit ticket.
Slide Deck
Bias: See Beyond?
Understanding Bias, Stereotypes, and Discrimination
7th Grade Life Skills
Welcome students and introduce the topic. Explain that today we'll be exploring how we think about others and the world around us.
Warm-Up: First Impressions
What are your first thoughts or assumptions when you see these images? (Don't overthink it!)
See Warm-Up: First Impressions Activity
Explain the warm-up activity. Students will see some images and quickly write down their first thoughts or assumptions. Emphasize that there are no right or wrong answers, just honest first impressions.
What is Bias?
Bias: A strong feeling for or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.
* It's a leaning or a preference.
* Can be conscious or unconscious.
* Everyone has biases!
Introduce the concept of bias. Explain that bias is often unconscious and can be positive or negative. Give simple, relatable examples (e.g., preferring one type of food over another, having a favorite sports team).
What is a Stereotype?
Stereotype: An oversimplified and often negative idea about a group of people, often assumed to be true for all members of that group.
* A generalization about a group.
* Ignores individual differences.
* Can be positive or negative, but always inaccurate.
Define stereotypes. Explain that stereotypes are oversimplified ideas about entire groups of people. Ask students for general examples (e.g., 'all teenagers love video games' - acknowledge this isn't true for everyone). Stress that stereotypes ignore individual differences.
What is Discrimination?
Discrimination: The unfair or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people or things, especially on the grounds of race, age, or sex.
* It's an action based on bias and stereotypes.
* It means treating someone differently and unfairly.
Define discrimination. Clarify that discrimination is acting on biases and stereotypes, treating someone unfairly because of their group. Provide examples of discrimination (e.g., someone not getting a job because of their gender, or someone being excluded from a group because of their background). Emphasize that discrimination is harmful and unjust.
Watch this short video to see how bias and stereotypes can play out in real-life situations.
Introduce a short, age-appropriate video that provides a clear example of bias, stereotypes, or discrimination in a relatable context. After the video, ask students to briefly share what they observed and how it connects to the terms discussed.
Scenario Challenge: What Would You Do?
Work in groups or pairs to discuss the scenarios in your Scenario Challenge: What Would You Do? Activity. Think about:
* What biases or stereotypes might be present?
* How might people be affected?
* What actions can be taken to promote fairness and inclusivity?
Explain the
Why Does This Matter?
Bias, stereotypes, and discrimination can:
* Hurt people's feelings and self-esteem.
* Limit opportunities for individuals.
* Create an unfair and unwelcoming environment.
* Divide communities.
Discuss the harmful effects. Talk about how these concepts can hurt feelings, limit opportunities, and create division. Encourage students to think about why it's important to understand and challenge them.
Challenging Assumptions
How can we challenge our own biases and unfair stereotypes?
* Think Critically: Question what you hear and see.
* Learn More: Educate yourself about different cultures and experiences.
* Speak Up: Respectfully challenge unfair comments or actions.
* Be Inclusive: Welcome everyone, regardless of their background.
Brainstorm actions students can take. Encourage respectful dialogue and suggest simple ways to challenge unfairness, like being mindful of language, seeking diverse perspectives, and speaking up respectfully when they see something wrong. Refer to the Discussion Prompts: Challenging Assumptions.
Cool-Down: One Word Reflection
What is one word that describes what you learned or how you feel about today's lesson?
See Cool-Down: One Word Reflection
Explain the cool-down. Ask students to reflect on the lesson and choose one word that captures their main takeaway or feeling.
Warm Up
Warm-Up: First Impressions Activity
Instructions: Look at each image below. Without overthinking, write down the first thought or assumption that comes to mind about the person or situation. There are no right or wrong answers, just your immediate impressions.
Image 1
(Imagine an image of an older person with bright, colorful hair and many tattoos)
What are your first impressions?
Image 2
(Imagine an image of a person in a business suit holding a skateboard)
What are your first impressions?
Image 3
(Imagine an image of a messy room with several open books and a half-eaten snack on a desk)
What are your first impressions?
Image 4
(Imagine an image of a student with headphones on, staring intently at a laptop during class)
What are your first impressions?
Discussion
Discussion Prompts: Challenging Assumptions
These prompts are designed to facilitate a class discussion after introducing the concepts of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. Encourage students to think critically and share their thoughts respectfully.
Prompt 1: Identifying Assumptions
Think back to the Warm-Up: First Impressions Activity. When you made your first impressions, were you relying on any quick judgments or ideas about what certain types of people or situations are usually like?
Prompt 2: Real-World Examples
Can you think of any examples you've seen or heard (in movies, TV, books, or real life) where someone was judged or treated unfairly because of a stereotype? (Please do not share personal stories about classmates or individuals.)
Prompt 3: The Impact of Words
How do stereotypes, even seemingly harmless ones, affect individuals or groups? What happens when people are constantly defined by what others assume about them, rather than who they really are?
Prompt 4: What Can We Do?
What are some small but important actions we can take in our daily lives, at school or outside, to challenge stereotypes and prevent discrimination? How can we encourage others to be more open-minded and inclusive?
Activity
Scenario Challenge: What Would You Do? Activity
Instructions: Read each scenario below. In your small groups or pairs, discuss the questions that follow. Be prepared to share your thoughts with the class.
Scenario 1: The New Student
A new student, Alex, joins your class. Alex comes from a different country and has a unique accent. Some students assume Alex won't understand the lessons or be good at sports because of their accent.
Discussion Questions:
- What biases or stereotypes might be at play here?
- How might Alex feel in this situation?
- What could you or your classmates do to challenge these assumptions and make Alex feel welcome?
Scenario 2: Group Project Choices
Your teacher assigns a group project. When forming groups, a few classmates immediately suggest that "the smart kids" should work together, and "the athletes" should work together, ignoring individual strengths and preferences.
Discussion Questions:
- What biases or stereotypes are influencing the group choices?
- What is the potential impact of these kinds of groupings on the project and on student relationships?
- How could you advocate for a more inclusive and fair way to form groups?
Cool Down
Cool-Down: One Word Reflection
Instructions: In one word, describe what you learned or how you feel after today's lesson about bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.
Your word can be:
- Something new you understood.
- An emotion you feel.
- A question you still have.
- An action you might take.
Write your word below: