What Is Belonging? | Introductory Lesson
Duration
One 50-min class periodSubject
- English & Language Arts
Grade
6–12Language
English — USPublished
Overview
About This Lesson
As human beings, our need to connect, to find our place within groups and communities, is fundamental. This need for connection, to figure out where and how we belong, takes on special importance during middle and high school. Adolescents are deeply attuned to their peers. They seek respect and belonging in groups where they can be supported, heard, and understood. By surfacing themes of belonging, and the many borders that can shape it, ELA teachers can empower students to explore these concepts through the texts they read, in their interactions with others, in their schools, and in their lives.
Students will begin this lesson by completing an anticipation guide, which offers the opportunity to develop schema and assess initial understandings of belonging. Then, through an analysis of short passages by thought leaders Geoffrey Cohen, the Othering & Belonging Institute, and Brené Brown, students will engage in conversations to challenge preconceptions and develop new insights. Finally, they will reflect on new understandings of how belonging can shape our lives and the world around us.
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A Note to Teachers
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