the birth of a terrorist
lesson plan
Duration: 1 hour – 1 ½ hours / Target audience: 15-18 years old
Aims: The lesson will -
- Explore issues around vulnerabilitiesand influences and how these can be exploited by terrorist organisations.
- Raise awareness of the risks of radicalisation.
- Provide an understanding of how someone can become a terrorist.
- Encourage debate around issues linked to terrorism.
- Explore terms such as extremism, ideology and propaganda.
- Raise awareness of the Prevent strategy and how it supports those who are vulnerable to extremism and terrorism.
- Provide information on how to report concernslinked to terrorism and violent extremism.
- Identify how these issues relate to young people.
Objectives: By the end of the lesson learners will be able to:-
- Have some understanding of what being vulnerable means.
- Have some understanding ofradicalisation.
- Understand how vulnerabilities and influences can be linked to terrorism.
- Recognise and understand the need to support and protect vulnerable people.
- Highlight potential opportunities where guidance or intervention may be necessary.
- Know how to report concerns relating to this issue.
- Understand that there is support available for those vulnerable to violent extreme views.
- Have an understanding of how Prevent fits into safeguarding policies.
- Feel more comfortable to discuss issues around terrorism and violent extremism.
Accommodation required: Suitable class room with tables and chairs placed in classroom style appropriate for group work.
Training materials required:Laptop and projector. Screen.
Learner materials required:
- Copy of ‘The birth of a terrorist’ DVD,
- Trainer notes/lesson plan
- PowerPoint presentation
- Flip charts/paper and pens
Time / Content including training methods, audio visual aids and resources needed.
Prep / Housekeeping and introduction
Make sure audience is split into 3 small groups, numbers depending on class size.
5 minutes / This lesson will be looking into the issues of terrorism and how a vulnerable person can be radicalised to act out violence in a name of a cause. The film is based on a number of real case studies and will help you understand key themes such as how being vulnerable can lead a person into terrorist activity and how this can affect young people.
The session will provide you with a chance to debate and discuss themes linked to terrorism outside of the violent act itself such as the process involved in someone becoming a terrorist. We encourage you to involve yourself and take part in the discussions and activities.
Outline the Prevent strategy -
The focus of the Prevent strategy is stopping people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism. It does this using 3 key objectives –
•Respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism and the threat faced from those who promote it.
•Prevent people from being drawn into terrorism and ensure that they are given appropriate support.
•Work with sectors and institutions where there are risks of radicalisation which needs to be addressed.
More information can be found here –
Introduce the film
12 minutes / Play the DVD – state that there are some scenes and language that they may find offensive.
10 minutes / Start PowerPoint presentation. Break out sessions. Make sure audience is split into 3 groups with each group answering one of the points on each slide. Give the groups 5-10 minutes to discuss this and prepare to present answers to the class.
Break out session 1 – Vulnerabilities
What does being ‘vulnerable’ mean?
Why was Aaron vulnerable?
How does being vulnerable make you a terrorist?
Get the pupils to explain what they think vulnerable means and what it means to be vulnerable.
Discuss why Aaron was vulnerable (family breakdown, bullying, poor college performance, Alcohol abuse, feeling of worthlessness, lack of support, angry at his life situation, limited social circles etc). Use the images, words, narratives that appear during the film to identify these.
Discuss how this may lead Aaron to terrorism. This may include Aaron turning to ‘the wrong crowd’ for support, searching online for a meaning to his life, being groomed by extremists online or through online gaming, escapism from his life situation, joining a cause etc. Describe how he may start on a ‘pathway’ to terrorism which begins with his vulnerabilities and the influence of others which then develops into action.
Group feedback. Give each group the opportunity to feedback to the class.
5-10 minutes / Break out session 2 – Influences
What can influence your thoughts?
What has influenced Aaron?
How can negative influences be challenged?
Gain examples of how thoughts can be influenced. This can include any type of influence such as media, charismatic individuals, the internet etc
Focus on propaganda and how this was used to radicalise Aaron. Discuss social media and the major influence this can have to communicate messages including film and images. It may be relevant to discuss the Syria conflict and how IS have used social media to glamorise the conflict to attract young people.
Discuss methods of challenging views (counter narratives). This may include talking to the individual, counter messages via the media, exploring consequences and seeking professional support. Explore areas such as interpretation of statements, images etc and how groups will manipulate quotes or pictures to support their own cause.
Group feedback. Give each group the opportunity to feedback to the class.
5-10 minutes / Break out session 3 – Signs
What are the concerns in Aaron’s behaviour?
What was the trigger?
When would you be concerned for Aaron?
Discuss the concerns in his behaviour. These should be obvious
signs such as move away from friends, not attending college, becoming more socially isolated, increased internet activity etc. More subtle signs such as more aggressive tone in narrative can also be used.
The trigger in this situation is the family breakdown but ensure that other triggers can be identified by the group.
Let the group decide when they would be concerned for Aaron and open this up for debate.
Group feedback. Give each group the opportunity to feedback to the class.
5-10 minutes / Break out session 4 – Support
Who should be helping Aaron?
When should support be put in place?
What type of support could be put in place for Aaron?
Should this be family, friends, police, school/college, social services etc?
This section is open for discussion and ideal for gaining feedback from young people with regards to who and what type of support should be put in place. Include suggestions around when, during the film, support should be offered to Aaron and types of support available. Ask the students when they would intervene and how.
Group feedback. Give each group the opportunity to feedback to the class.
10 minutes / Key points –
This should be a general discussion around the outlined key points. Open these questions to the whole class and discuss answers.
Highlight the range of support options that are available to manage such a case. Include partner agency support such as counselling, challenging ideology, support groups, educational input, social services, police support.
Encourage discussion around the students views on what part communities/partner agencies should play in helping support vulnerable people. Gain opinion on what students would do if this was a friend or family member.
Highlight other guidance and information that is available. Give examples of good local practice (some research prior to the lesson may be required).
If appropriate finish the session with contact information being made available and options for further discussion if required. Other training and educational products will also be made available so reference to these may also be included.
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