This simple activity helps students understand that they might have something in common with every one of their classmates. They are more alike than different!

Purpose

Students find and gather with classmates that are similar based on particular criteria.

Procedure

Everyone works together

1)   Create a list on the board or chart paper of the many ways we can be similar with others.

Hair color, eye color, clothes, height, favorite game, food, hobby, movie, place to visit.

2)   Ask students to raise their hands if they meet one specific criteria. For instance, all children with brown eyes.

3)   Those children then form a group together on the floor or at a table.

4)   Other eye colors are called out with the same instructions.

5)   At the end, all students should be in a group.

6)   Explain that eye color makes the children in each group the same, but they are different because there are other things that they do not share.

7)   Everyone gathers back together to begin again with a new focus.

Variation: When children gather in their next group, ask if everyone from their first group is in the new group. The answer will probably be no, thus showing how they can be both the same and different.

Students make choices on their own

1)   Using a similar list as the one above, pick one criteria and ask students to ‘Find someone who has the same…’

2)   Students walk about the room finding one or more partners who are similar to them.

3)   At the end, all students should be in a group.

4)   Ask students how they found their partner.

5)   Everyone gathers back together to begin again with a new focus.

Click here to download this activity.