Teaching sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

20 minutes

Tune In: Exploring the unique aspects of Commonwealth countries

15 minutes

Find Out: Avoiding oversimplification and stereotyping

20 minutes

Take Action: Broadening our perspectives

5 minutes

Reflection

Learning intentions

Students will:

explore some basic information about Commonwealth nations
develop greater awareness about stereotypes
investigate other ways to find more unique information about some nations.

Success criteria

Students can:

explain what a stereotype is and how to avoid misconceptions
recognise the diversity across and within nations, including those in the Commonwealth.

Tune In: Exploring the unique aspects of Commonwealth countries

Teacher note: To prepare for this lesson, print the Commonwealth Countries on A3 paper and cut each flag into individual pieces of paper (you can decide how many countries and which ones). Place these in a box or hat for students to draw from. When you print the Student Worksheet, ensure it’s printed double-sided, with Task 1 on one side and Task 2 on the other.

Step 1

Explain that for today’s lesson, students will explore the unique aspects of different Commonwealth countries. Before getting started, check to ensure students know what is meant by ‘Commonwealth countries’ and/or ask them to list as many as they can. You could make this a timed competition by asking pairs to list as many as they can in a specific time frame. Compare the class’s list with the map of countries with the Commonwealth map.

Step 2

Distribute the Student Worksheet to each student. Divide the class into small groups and ask someone from each group to randomly pick a Commonwealth country’s flag from the box/hat. Invite groups to read out the country they selected, then write it on the Student Worksheet on the side that says ‘Task 1’.

Step 3

As a group, students should attempt to fill in the prompts on their Student Worksheet without searching online and just based on their own knowledge. Allow them roughly 10 minutes to record their answers using dot points and/or drawings. The prompts on the Student Worksheet are:

flag
food
fashion
festivals
famous (sites, people)

Step 4

Invite groups to share their answers, noting interesting or common aspects.

Step 5

Facilitate a class discussion about cultural understanding by posing the question: Do you think someone from the country you investigated would understand Australian culture by doing the same activity?

Find Out: Avoiding oversimplification and stereotyping

Step 1

Explain that the prompts on the Student Worksheet are supposed to represent the ‘5 Fs of culture’ - Flags, Food, Fashion, Festivals and Famous. Emphasise that while these elements provide a quick overview of a nation, they can lead to oversimplification and stereotyping.

Step 2

Elicit from students their understanding of stereotyping and provide the following definition:

A stereotype is:

an idea, belief or assumption that is unquestioned
a generalisation about a group that doesn't take into account individual differences
an unreasoned preconception, sometimes without basis in fact.

Remind students that stereotypes are a thought. To expand on this definition, explain that stereotypes are:

oversimplified ideas, beliefs or assumptions that are unquestioned yet widely held
generalisations that may be based on characteristics or traits about particular groups that don’t take into account any individual differences among the members of the group
unreasoned preconceptions that are made without a basis in fact
often related to factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion or other social categories
connected to biased judgments and assumptions about individuals based on their membership in a particular group.

Combating stereotypes involves recognising and challenging these assumptions to promote a more accurate and fair understanding of diverse groups of people.

Step 3

Now, ask students how they think stereotyping applies to the task they’ve just completed. Encourage students to highlight examples from their Student Worksheets and discuss what additional information could provide a more nuanced understanding. Use the prompts below to help guide the discussion:

Looking at your worksheet, can you identify any potential stereotypes or assumptions?
Where do you think common stereotypes and assumptions come from?
What are some ways we can avoid stereotyping or making assumptions?

When answering the final question, prompt students to consider the importance of conducting research based on reputable sources and not solely relying on media portrayals or what they’ve heard from others.

Take Action: Broadening our perspectives

Step 1

For the next part of the lesson, encourage students to develop their understanding of their country and culture by thinking beyond the ‘5 Fs of culture’ and conducting online research. Ask groups to turn over their Student Worksheet to reveal Task 2 on the opposite side. Discuss some of the alternative ways to learn about other nations using the list provided, as well as students’ own ideas. Prompts on the Student Worksheet include:

language
beliefs
sport
art and music
books
industries/trading

Step 2

Once students have finished, invite groups to share what new information they learned about their country that surprised them and challenged their initial assumptions. Encourage students to reflect on their initial assumptions and propose additional research topics that could deepen their understanding.

Extension opportunity: Students could create a stereotype-busting poster of their country to be displayed in the classroom.

Reflection

To wrap up the lesson, ask students to reflect on the following questions, inviting them to share their answers in pairs or small groups.

How did learning new information about your country change your understanding of it?
How will you be careful of stereotyping other nations in the future?

Commonwealth Cultures: Beyond Stereotypes

Go to

Summary

Lesson guides and printables

In this lesson