Expectations & Diversity (K-5)
Diversity Beans - Expectations & Diversity Lesson Plan (K-5)
Objective: Use Diversity Beans to discuss expectations and diversity.
Materials Required: Approx. 6 - 8 Diversity Beans per student.
Procedure:
A. Give each student 6 Diversity Beans, one of each color.
B. Discuss the possible flavors for each color with reasons for each possibility.
C. Tell the class the different flavors and have them match the colors and flavors.
D. Have the students place the beans in the order that they like them, line them up from the bean they most want to eat to the bean they least want to eat. Have the students record their order of preference.
E. Ask the students why they have ranked the Diversity Beans in the order they ranked them.
F. Ask if any students don't want to taste a specific color and discuss why.
G. Have the students select a Diversity Bean to taste and have them record the color and their expectation.
H. Have the students taste the Diversity Bean and have them record the result.
I. Discuss the results. Ask which students tasted a red bean and see what flavor they tasted. Have the students share with the class their results.
J. Ask the class if this changes anyone's expectations for the next bean. Discuss why.
K. Have the students select a Diversity Bean to taste. Have them record the color and their expectations.
L. Have the students taste the beans and record the results.
M. Discuss the results and ask if the student's expectations are changing.
N. Ask the students if they would still rank the beans in the same order. Discuss why or why not. Allow the students to change their order if they want to. Record any changes.
O. Have the students select and taste the next bean, have them record the results.
P. Discuss with the students possible explanations for the results. Discuss how the results are changing their expectations.
Q. Discuss with the students why they ordered the beans in the way they did to start. Ask if color and taste expectations are valid reasons now that they have tasted the beans. Discuss characterizing beans based on color/appearance.
R. Discuss how people characterize each other when they first meet. Ask the students if they characterize each other based on appearance before they even get to know each other.
S. Discuss whether appearance is truly an indicator of what a person is like. Relate the appearance of people to the color of beans. Discuss the results of the tasting of the beans in terms of what it could mean for people (you can't judge people by their appearance).
T. Discuss with the students that we should judge people based on attitudes, behaviors and actions.