The KeyCode project (2020-1-FR01-KA201-080108) is funded, by the European Commission through the French National Agency for the Erasmus+ Programme, with the aim of addressing the challenges that young students face in consolidating their European identity.

The KeyCode project is funded, by the European Commission through the French National Agency for the Erasmus+ Programme, with the aim of addressing the challenges that young students face in consolidating their European identity.

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Teaching Resources

Change your glasses


Duration
4 lessons

Age Group
13 - 14

Objectives
Promotion of EU citizenship, EU and democratic values and human rights
Enhancement of empathy outside school (friends, family, strangers
Development of empathic behavior at school

Needed material
Digital camera or mobile phone
Computer
IWB

Emotional Intelligence Areas
Empathy
Internal motivation

Description
This is a very simple outdoor exercise in which participants go out and explore their places through someone else's eyes. In particular it asks participants to imagine how someone who is disadvantaged or marginalized lives. The main objectives are:

- To raise awareness of the inequalities in society
- To develop skills of observation and imagination
- To foster solidarity and motivation to work for justice

It is very important that the participants understand that they can not escape
from the fact that they are looking through their own eyes and imagining what
it is like to be someone living at the margin of society.

Lesson Plan
1. The group brainstorms those people who are disadvantaged or living at the margin of society, for example a person with disabilities or a homeless person.

2. Each participant is asked to choose one such person whom they are curious about in order to go out and explore the locality through that person’s eyes.

3. Participants are told that the point is not to act out the role, but to go out and imagine what it would be like to be the other person. What would it be like to be in that person’s shoes? For instance, would they be able to enjoy all the amenities? Where would they buy bread (if they can afford it)? Where would they live?

4. Participants are told that as they go around the locality they should take pictures either with digital cameras or on their mobile phones as documentation. Agree a time for everyone to return.

5. On their return, each participant chooses a picture which represents a disadvantaged person. Participants use it to write a story about him/her, imagining who he/she is and build up a picture of his/her life, taking into account:
What might their name be?
How old are they?
What are they doing?
Where are they going?
Where do they live?
Do they have a partner or family, or are they single?
Are they employed? What is their job? Or are they unemployed?
What might make them happy?
Do they have hobbies? What might they be?
What do they like to eat and drink?

6. Participants read their story.

Assessment
The last part of the activity focuses on debriefing and discussion. Students are asked to draw conclusions, to justify their choices, to tell what they have learnt about themselves and to discuss with each other. So the discussion takes into account broader issues which give participants the opportunity to reflect on their own assumptions, beliefs, social stereotypes and violated human rights. The main goal of the debate is to enable them to reflect on their attitudes towards such marginalized groups and to foster their ability to interact with the community.

Links for further information
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TESTING AND ASSESSMENT