Long to Belong!

Outcome: Children to explore the importance of belonging and some of the potential dangers. Children to recognise what it feels like to be excluded

Bible Verse: But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellences of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light

Key Question:How do we belong?

Quote for the week:The truth is: Belonging starts with self-acceptance. Your level of belonging, in fact, can never be greater than your level of self-acceptance, because believing that you're enough is what gives you the courage to be authentic, vulnerable and imperfect.

Brene Brown

Form Focus / Activity

5 mins

/ Introduction
  1. On the board, write the word ‘belonging’ on. Ask students to suggestwords/short phrases you associate with the idea of ‘belonging’. Write these around the word: close if there is a strong connection, further away if it is weaker.
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  1. Watch one or two of the following True Tube films (from the section SOCIETY/community).
  • Long to Belong [3:13]

  1. Return to the word ‘belonging’ and add more words/phrases suggested by watching the films.

10 minutes

/ Main Lesson
  1. Watch Episode 1 of Being Victor at MTV.co.uk/Being Victor or at [7:30].
  1. How would Vinnie feel when he arrives at Eva’s to find that he hasn’t been invited to the party and when his sister says no one wants him there? What does he think when Danny takes an interest? Fill in his thought bubbles and say how he’s feeling on Sheet 1.1 Not Belonging. Why does Vinnie not ‘belong’?
  1. Compare what you have written with a friend. Do you think Vinnie should want to belong to this group? Why?

2 minutes
/ Plenary and Reflection
  1. Discuss the positive and negative consequences of wanting to belong. Look in particular at the roles family and friends play in helping you feel that you belong.
  2. Write a short paragraph about what ‘belonging’ means to you (what it offers and the dangers).

Sheet 1.1 / Not Belonging

Vinnie arrives at Eva’s; she opens the door and is joined by Danny.

Lesley shows that she despises her younger brother and wants nothing to do with him

Danny persuades Vinnie to be one of the boys – drink shots and play ‘Strip’ Black Jack

Vinnie does not belong because …