Yesterday, I tried an abbreviated version of the class divided activity. My school has designated days when students and staff are to wear their uniforms. Yesterday I had about 4 students who didn't wear their uniform or forgot that the previous day was Tuesday and wore their uniform by mistake thinking the day was Monday. Using terms that the children could understand, I separated the students that did not have on their uniforms from the rest of the group. The students became very upset and some also started crying. When informed that the groups couldn't talk to each other, the same reactions began because students had friends in both groups. This is a third grade class and they slowly began to understand how it was unfair to treat others differently.

That was one of the things that held me back from doing it with my class. Would they be too young to underatand, or would I be doing them a disservice by not teaching the topic and the outcome. I still think that I may do the activty, but just water it down a little bit so that I make them understand the outcomes of their actions.

I feel the same way Diamond. I like the activity but I am afraid that my first graders might be too young. I can already see several that would start crying.
Linda

Candice,

I'm glad you are brave enough to do that in your class. As I stated before, each year I tell my students about the study but I've never completed it with my students. I am afraid of the response I may receive from parents.

I've done a smaller version of this with kindergarteners and first graders. You just need to make is short enough that they don't get too upset. When I did it it was for only about an hour with each group having about 30 minutes to be the "privledged group" I did things such as they received thier materials,snack, bathroom break, etc. first. I called them to the carpet first. Activities such as this. I realize that they would need much more to get a true picture, but it was enough to get them thinking and talking about the subject.