This exercise will help pupils appreciate that we don’t belong to just one group and an individual’s identity is formed by many different factors.

Read out the following list and after each statement ask pupils to stand up if they are a member of that group.

Stand up if you…

> are a teenager
> have brown hair
> are wearing socks
> support a football team
> went on holiday during the Easter break
> have green eyes
> enjoy playing sport
> don’t eat meat
> watch Hollyoaks
> have been to a concert
> think Scotland will win their next football match
> have won an award
> have ever broken a bone
> can speak more than one language
> have lived in or visited a foreign country
> like Sean Paul’s music
> prefer fruit to vegetables

Ask the following questions:

“Which group had the most people in it?”

“How did it feel to stand up when not many others were standing?”

“How did it feel when you were one of many people standing?”

“Are all members of a group the same?” 

You can discuss how some groups individuals may not identify strongly with (eg. having green eyes) while others are very important to them. Discuss which groups individuals are born into (colour, religion, race etc) and therefore don’t have a choice on whether they belong to it.