Students express their stance on statements by moving to different parts of the classroom and describe the reasons behind their choices.
Objectives
- Cognitive: Students will be able to choose a position on various statements and explain their positions.
- Affective: Students will feel comfortable expressing their viewpoint in a group setting and demonstrate increased tolerance of others’ opinions.
Materials
A large space; signs (Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly Agree); pre-planned statements
Teacher Prep
Prepare 5 signs with Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly Agree; prepare statements to read or show
Statement ideas:
- Honesty is always the best policy.
- Fairness and equality are not always the same thing.
- You must make mistakes to learn.
- It is always important to consider the greater good.
- I would rather be successful than well-liked.
Optional: Align this activity with subject-area content, ensuring that all statements are accessible and thought-provoking regardless of background knowledge.
Exercises
Time | Activity | Notes |
---|---|---|
2 min |
|
Check that students understand the positions on the continuum before beginning. |
10 min |
|
Set expectation that the speaker is uninterrupted and not challenged.
Encourage all students to share comments from the groups. |
3 min |
|
What’s it like to have a different opinion than others?
What was it like to listen respectfully to others opinions, even when you disagreed? |
Teacher Reflection
How did you feel after the activity? Did students participate and seem engaged?
Remember to ask the students to share their feedback on the activity: What went well? What suggestions do they have for making the activity better? Think about what you might do differently next time.
Emotional Intelligence Tips
- Offer lower-stakes examples at first.
- Encourage students to be patient, respectful, open, and reserve judgment
- Encourage an open mind as students share different perspectives and reasons.
- Model validation of each students’ opinion and reasoning