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Central Okanagan Public Schools
SD No. 23
Together We Learn
Lesson Resources - Middle/Secondary

 

 
Idea
Note(s)
Breakfast at School
The idea: Last year, OKM held a “Pancake Breakfast” at their school whereby they welcomed sleepy students to school with smiley-faced pancakes at 7am!
Materials required: a lot of pancake mix and honey or other spreads, tables, grills, etc. and lots of helpers!
Connection to Harmony Day: you’re making someone’s morning by providing them free food – Harmony Day is all about giving and appreciation! 
Other notes:
-          If you wanted to, you could charge a small fee (quarter?) for the pancakes and the money you collect could go to a charity/cause of your choice! Money could also be collected as donations.
-          As students come to the table, give them a “quiz” about another culture or inform them about the premise on with Harmony Day stands.
-          This type of event can be sponsored by a company (if you look on the label of the pancake mix, there are instructions regarding this).
Lunchtime Event
The idea: Many schools have lunchtime events held in the main foyer for Spirit Week, why not dedicate one of those to a Harmony Day? Students put together a music and prizes based event that promotes the ideas of Harmony Day
Materials Required: prizes, decorations, connections with the media, mike, stage, central location in the school, posters, etc.
Connection to Harmony Day: you are spreading the message of Harmony Day and making it exciting!
Other notes:
-          Could include games and quizzes, and/or contests regarding Harmony Day with basic prizes (candy, coupons, free food, clothing, etc.)
-          You could also invite media personnel to speak – for example, popular radio show hosts. Last year, OKM brought in all the well-known hosts from SunFM to run the show as a collaboration of Harmony Day and SunFM’s “I am Me” Campaign (also celebrating diversity)
Audio/Visual Contests
The idea: Contests can be either performance based or written. Some ideas include: drama skit, public speaking, video, poem/song lyrics, painting or other artistic form of expression, etc.
Materials required: Variable, but, they made need to borrow things like cameras, mikes, art tools, space in the school for film, etc.
Connection of Harmony Day: theme-based
Other notes:
-          Provide strong incentive for participation ie. get sponsors on board for awesome prizes
-          These contests can be promoted through lunchtime events as in Sprit Week
Assembly
The idea: Promote Harmony Day on it's own or as part of a month that is in recognition of humanitarian unity and cause.
Materials required: variable, but, the same sort of things as lunchtime events
Connection to Harmony Day: depends on your execution of events; theme-based
Other notes:
-          Include prizes, games, contests, speakers, etc.
-          Students will love missing class and participating in contests etc. However, teachers may not be up for it. In this case, we would encourage schools to promote Harmony Day as a part of a larger event recognizing humanitarian cause(s).
Culture Booth
The idea: Promote the concept of harmony by asking people of different "culture" groups to create a session/info booth about them.
Materials: variable.
Connection to Harmony Day: celebration of diversity
Other notes:
·         Don't limit to ethnicity (for example, having a booth that informs us about Japanese culture), but broaden to include popular activities in the school community (for example, a gamers’ booth, a snowboarder's booth, a drama booth, a lazy person's booth, an athletic booth, etc).
·         This would require huge prep and much advance notice. It may also be difficult to motivate students to get involved. We would suggest going to different student groups during lunch and break times to do a survey about different booths and getting them to "sign up," to confirm commitment. Set flexible deadlines and perhaps provide a brief structure template to simplify and help students understand that this isn't a gigantic task.
 
Other important notes/ideas:
·         Get sponsors on board with the event and cause. All businesses love advertisement, and this is a good way for them to showcase their charitable side and promote themselves. Ask grocery stores, cinemas, athletic shops, and other relatable businesses to get involved. These can be very helpful as they often will contribute with prizes that students want (trick them into participation just as we sometimes trick them into learning!)
·         Bring in the media – they create a hullabaloo which attracts even the sleepiest of the sleepy! Ask the local newspapers, news stations, or radio hosts to come over.
·         If possible, look to bring in special guests that are associated with a cause that covers the ideas of Harmony Day. This could be an author or a philanthropist, or someone who has overcome a major challenge (motivational speaker).
·         Possible individuals: Ben Lee, Mohini Singh, Rolli Cacchioni, Aboriginal Canadian Elders and writers, authors, motivational speakers, etc.
·         Hand out little pamphlets, hand-made cards, etc. with facts about anything related to humanity (problems faced by people in the world – water, war, poverty, abuse, and interesting positive info about changes in the world – methods of collective healing, reconstruction efforts after devastating natural disasters, etc.) and the message of Harmony Day.

Art Ideas
Exploring Fusion of Cultures
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Art Displays​
Set up a finger print tree for the entire school.
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Set up displays and art work with student comments on what Harmony Day means to them.

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Set up a multi-cultural display in the school foyer or a classroom.

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Create your own Harmony Day T-shirts celebrating what Harmony Day means to our students.

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Click on the LIGHT BLUE headings to access the resource.


 

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Discussion and listening skills

A useful way to stimulate discussion on a range of cultural diversity issues and develop constructive discussion skills.

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Role play, questioning and discussion 

A role play style activity that explores the concept of stereotypes and the assumptions that underlie them.


Lesson Plan – Driven OutScreen Shot 2015-01-21 at 4.46.05 PM.png

Hypothetical scenario and discussion 

This is a short activity which can serve as an introduction to the issues that refugees and migrants can face.


Lesson Plan – Culture, Race & EthnicityScreen Shot 2015-01-21 at 4.47.10 PM.png

Understanding concepts: reading, recording and reassessing​

Students are introduced to these concepts and how they differ from each other, then apply them to their own experiences.

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Lesson Plan – Po​pular Culture & DiversityScreen Shot 2015-01-21 at 4.47.47 PM.png

​Reading, listening and interpretation of son​g lyrics.

Students explore themes of cultural diversity through the lyrics of popular songs.​

 

 

 2011 Census results –Teacher’s Kit


Aboriginal Peoples

My Genealogy

 

Immigration

 

Immigration and Citizenship


Linguistic Diversity

 

Census Canada Activities​





      These three links include activities which use the Dr. Seuss classic, the Sneetches, to help students understand the judgments and inferences we make regarding people.
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Everybody Is Unique:A Lesson in Respect for Others

 

Respect Quiz Grades 7-12

Human Rights Watch Website


Youth Service America


Values.com - The Foundation for a Better Life

Inspirational quotes, videos and billboards. Use these as exemplars for creating student work.


Random Acts of Kindness Foundation

Stories, educator resources and links for creating a "Random Acts of Kindness" event