David Watkins © 2006
LESSON PLAN
TEACHER: / DATE: / CLASS:SUBJECT: PSD - LGBT History Month / TIME: / NUMBER
IN CLASS:
OVERALL LEARNING OBJECTIVE (as written in Half Termly Plan):
Pupils will able to understand the use of pink triangles and rainbow flags in the gay community.
RESOURCES:
Whiteboard
Power Point presentation
Different shapes on pieces of card
KEY WORDS: gay, homosexual, lesbian, community, flag, symbol
MOA: Aural (Shape exercise, class discussion), Visual (Arranging the rainbow flag)
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Y / THIS LESSON WAS WRITTED FOR A YEAR 9 MLD GROUP
1. Introduction -5 mins
Introduce lesson with plan projected onto whiteboard.
Explain it is LGBT month and we are going to look a little closer at the gay community.
2. Main – Whole Group
1) Famous Celebrities: 5 mins
What do these people have in common? These are all very popular figures, liked and respected by many in our society. But it wasn’t always like this. There wasn’t always respect. In fact gays and lesbians were once treated very differently. Let’s have a look at one way gays and lesbians were treated.
2) Shape exercise:15mins
Use cards with different shapes on them. There should be several circles, a few squares, a few stars and one triangle. For larger classes, you can introduce different shapes or more of each type, but there should only ever be one triangle card and lots of circles.
Each pupil selects a card and is told to look at it but not to show anyone else.
Explain that the pupil with the triangle must not let themselves be known….. yet. Pick a child and ask them to describe their shape without saying the name of the shape. Allow other children to guess the shape. When the shape has been guessed e.g. circle, ask all children with a circle to stand in a group. Explain that you really like this group, that it is your favourite shape and that they may feel very honoured and privileged. You could perhaps hand out house points to this group or biscuits. Continue this with all shapes. Separate stars from squares. Explain that stars and squares are okay but you prefer circles. Offer circles more biscuits, house points. Now ask who has the triangle. Ask the pupil with the triangle to stand in the corner. Ask the pupil with the triangle to hold the triangle against their chest. Explain that no one is allowed to talk to the pupil with the triangle or look at them. Reiterate that this is only a game. Ask the pupil how it feels to be alienated. Explain that is has nothing to do with the pupil, only the symbol he is now wearing. Explain concept of pink triangle and it’s use in Nazi Germany to segregate homosexuals. Mention use of black triangle for lesbians and yellow star of David with superimposed pink triangle for homosexual Jews. Remind them that in this demonstration the triangle does not symbolise anything, only used to illustrate a point.
3) Pink Triangle: 10mins
Go back to PPP. Look at Slide 5
Discuss use of pink triangle throughout 20th century and how it was turned to form a symbol of good.
4) The Rainbow Flag: 15mins
Go back to PPP. Look at Slide 6
Explain in 1970’s the gay community looked to a new, fresh, modern symbol. Show pictures of rainbow flag in pride parades. Bring out cut up rainbow flags. Discuss what each colour means. Children must sequence the colours in order.
3. Plenary and homework opportunities -5 mins
Ask children to keep eye out for rainbow flags. Where do we see them? When do we see the colours of the rainbow and what are they representing e.g. not just on the gay flag but also in adverts, products, at the supermarket, indicating a sense of fun, adventure and freedom. What do we feel when we look at the colours of the rainbow.