Should rough sports be banned?
Begin with a discussion about what ‘rough sports’ are: how is a ‘rough sport’ defined, and who decides?
Students should spend the first 10-15 minutes in groups researching the world’s ‘roughest’ sports (this may also be done as a class group).
This should prompt students to begin asking questions about how we categorise and define rough sports: injuries incurred during play, most dangerous sports to play, most aggressive sports and so on.
Have students share their findings and discuss how and where they found them, and how their
‘roughness’ was defined.
Have a group discussion about the different types of violence in sports, drawing out the fact that some aspects of rough play are accepted as part of the game, while others are generally seen as separate to it.
Explain to students that they are going to design a code of conduct for a sport that they think needs one. This could mean making a popular sport totally non-violent, or even making a non-contact sport a bit more rough to make it more entertaining.
To get started, students can use three tiers of behaviours for their chosen sport and categorise different behaviours:
Always allowed: (e.g. tagging, shouting, dodging) Allowed sometimes: (e.g. grabbing shirts)
Never allowed: (e.g. swearing, tripping, punching)
Some things may be allowed under certain circumstances, or there may be exceptions to certain rules. Either way, the aim is to improve the sport in some way: either by making it safer and therefore more accessible, or by making it more competitive / interesting.
The code of conduct / game rules should be drafted, and then made into a poster. As a synthesising activity, students may take turns to play each others’ games with new rules.
In-game violence is defined as ‘unjust or unwarranted exertion of intense physical force, often resulting in injury’. This sort of violence is definitely seen as not part of the game, although in some sports (e.g. footy) it is still somewhat acceptable.
On the other hand, many sports have inherently violent aspects. This means the parts of the game that require rough play in order to compete fairly. In football, for example, blocking and especially tackling are often done violently, sometimes to intimidate or ‘send a message’ to the ball carrier.
Scrums in rugby include elements of violence also, and boxing is clearly violent in that it consists exclusively of punching an opponent in an attempt to earn victory by causing enough physical harm to knock the other person unconscious.
Should we ban nuts since people with allergies can die if they eat them?
Explain that students will be looking at things that are banned from schools and other places, and compiling their own lists of banned items. This will require some research!
Begin by brainstorming a few different categories of banned things. Some will be pretty obvious, e.g.
dangerous objects like weapons. But what about things like phones on planes and certain signs and symbols? Write these down as they are discussed to form a master list.
In groups or pairs, students will order items according to importance. Explain that they will be working through a series of questions for each item to work out where it sits on their final list:
• Who will be harmed?
• What is the harm?
• How severe is the harm?
• Who loses out by it being banned?
• Which is most important?
This will require some discussion among groups, e.g. who decides how severe the harm is? What about types of harm – physical, emotional, psychological? Who ultimately gets to decide?
Next ask students to begin their own list of things that should be banned. The list can include items that cause harm or that just really annoy you! And don’t forget, the ban applies to teachers too…
Having done this, they must combine to create a master list. As each group reads out their list, they will have to justify some of their items.
The idea is to lobby to have as many of your items included as possible, which means you will need to think hard about what the harms are and make a good case!
Ultimately, the class must decide as a group which items make the final list. Once decided, create a classroom display of the new list!
Is it wrong to enjoy killing people in computer games?
Begin with a discussion: What are your family rules around video games? Discuss this and why students think these rules are in place.
Review the current rating system for video games. How are they rated? What things are not rated that perhaps should be?
Begin by watching the short video explainer on Australian video games ratings:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr7M1iApO1Y
Next, students will think about different kinds of harm.
Ask: what does ‘harm’ mean?
What are the different types of harm?
What do you think are the most harmful aspects of video games? What are the things that don’t matter so much? How do you rate them?
Next, ask: how many of you have watched an M rated movie or played an M-rated game? (most should respond in the affirmative).
Ask: do young Australians care about the ratings systems?
After discussing the violence in video games, ask students to think about the moral aspects of them.
That is, knowing right from wrong and how this applies to video games.
Ask: hands up who has ever killed someone in a video game? Keep your hands up if you think you could kill someone in the street in real life, and if so under what circumstances.
This should elicit a discussion that explores different contexts. Encourage students to justify their responses. Explain that thinking in this way, deciding what is ok and what is not, is called moral reasoning.
Next, students will come up with an ethical rating system of video games, based on their own moral reasoning processes.
These are the questions you should be asking yourselves, as you think about the following scenarios:
-Is ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ subjective or objective? Ie, can we all agree on what is right and wrong or is it different for everyone?
-Is it ever ok to kill?
-Is anyone’s life worth more than others’?
-Can a good person do evil things and remain ‘good’?
-Are there some acts that are always unforgiveable?
-What makes something morally ‘good’ or morally ‘wrong’?
Apply these questions to different scenarios brainstormed earlier. As you come up with each rating, think of an icon or initial to accompany it and what the rating stands for (think movie and TV guidelines!)
If you didn’t mean to do something should you still get in trouble?
Think about the last time you broke, damaged or harmed someone or something and got in trouble for it. Write a few sentences describing the incident and how you felt.
Next, make an ‘incident timeline’, with your accident in the middle (use template provided). Follow these steps:
• Briefly describe the incident at ‘X’
• What were the events that followed – immediately, a little later, and then in subsequent hours or days?
• Next, work backwards from the incident and detail each action and decision that led up to it:
immediately before, some time before, and any lead-up in the hours or days prior.
• Once your timeline is complete, make a list of other consequences. Include all harms, good and bad effects, and people’s feelings (including yours).
• Lastly, describe any consequences you received as a result of the incident, either intentional or natural.
Once complete, work with a partner to talk through and review your timelines together and discuss whether the consequence (if any) was fair and just.
If not, what would a fair one be and why?
Discuss your responses as a group and share experiences.
Next, you will redesign your timeline in a way that avoids the incident.
Start at the first event on your timeline. Is there anything that could have been different at this point that may have changed how things turned out? Be specific.
Work through each of these events leading-up, then describe what may have happened at ‘X’
instead.
Finally, complete the ‘after’ events on the timeline, taking the new events into account. What would the result have been?
Include feelings and consequences, as above.
What decisions were made which led to the incident?
Lastly, have students reflect as a group on what decisions and actions may have changed things, and if the incident was preventable.
If you make a cake is it okay to have a bigger slice than everyone else?
Sit in a group of 5-6 people with a piece of cake (this can be a drawing, or anything you can pretend is a piece of cake). Each of you must argue why you deserve this piece over the other members of the group. You might think because you’re the oldest you deserve it, or because you are the funniest, or because you need cheering up more than the others. You need to think strategically to come up with reasons to convince the group.
You don’t need to believe what you are saying – you just need to be able to convince the rest of the class that you are the most deserving. You don’t win the argument by criticising others and you aren’t allowed to say why others should NOT be given the biggest piece.
Start by coming up with an outline for your super persuasive speech:
What is your overall argument? This should be one main point you are using to argue your case.
Next, come up with three supporting arguments that relate to your overall point.
Once you have your arguments outlined, start to think about how you can be most persuasive. You will need to start strong with a hook and end strong with a convincing summing up of your points.
Remember your persuasive devices! Rhetorical questions, repetition, exaggeration, humour, sympathy, facts and figures and so on.
Draft and practise speeches. Each group should then compete within the group to elect a winner based on how persuasive they are.
Each group winner then competes in a final round to elect the ultimate winner of the cake.
At the end, group members vote – but you can’t vote for yourself!
Is it okay for your parents to give more attention to your younger sibling?
When it comes to parenting, all parents will strongly deny playing favourites with the kids. But some people reckon it’s inevitable. According to psychologists, parental favouritism is not only common, it’s completely normal!
Begin with some discussion questions:
What are the things that happen at your house that you think are NOT fair?
How would you make sure everything is fair at all times?
What does ‘fair’ mean anyway???
Explain that the activity is aimed at differentiating between favouritism and different treatment.
Ask: who has heard the word ‘equality’? What does it mean?
What about equity? How is this different to equality?
Explain that the following activity will explore these concepts, and why one is sometimes more fair than the other.
Begin by placing enough lollies (or substitute) in a bowl for all students. Ask: how should I share this out in the class?
Students will respond that, obviously, each of them should receive one sweet. Any other distribution would be unfair, right? This is equality: sameness. Every person in the room gets the same thing.
Next, explain that they will be taking notes with a pen. Ask: who doesn’t have a pen? Pass out pens to students who need them.
Then ask: was it fair of me to give those students a pen to use? Not all students got a pen. So why is this fair?
Discuss why only students who needed them received one. Try and come up with a definition for this type of fairness, based on needs rather than sameness. This is equity.
Think of real-life examples of equality and equity.
End by revisiting the question discussed at the start: Should attention to children ALWAYS be exactly equal? Revisit examples discussed at the start to re-evaluate.
Would the world be a better place if everyone looked the same?
Set students up with paints (or pencils, crayon, pens) of the following colours: purple, blue, red, green, orange, yellow, black
Explain that you will be creating artworks to express individual differences and the importance of variation and diversity.
As you read through a series of questions, students will respond with whichever colour corresponds with their answers.
Go through the directions one step at a time, painting each new circle according to answers. A list of suggested questions is below, which can be changed depending on the class.
• What is your preferred place? Beach – Blue, Bush – Red, City – Purple. This will form the middle circle.
• How many kids in your family? 1-Red, 2-Green, 3-Orange, 4-Yellow, 5 or more-Black.
• Brothers, sisters, or both? Sisters only-Blue, Brothers only-Pink, Brothers and Sisters-Orange, None-Purple.
• What pets do you have? Dog-Red, Cat-Yellow, Fish-Green, Other-Orange, None – Black
• Paint in the leftover white on your square with your favourite colour.
Next, spread all of the completed squares out on the floor to dry and have students gather around them to observe the differences.
In particular, draw students’ attention to how interesting and colourful they are as a whole.
Ask: would this be as pretty if each square were the same colour pattern?
The point to draw out is that the variation and differences in colour are what make the artwork interesting and exciting. Each square is totally unique, but together form one beautiful picture!
Should we get rid of separate boys’ and girls’ sports teams?
Research task: finding out the facts about girls’ and boys’ sport and fair competition.
Begin by asking: what are some things that make sport fair?
Next, ask: what about things that would make sport unfair? E.g., different rules for different players, inconsistent rules, unfair scoring systems and so on.
Your enquiry question: should male / female categories in sport be abolished?
You are a journalist doing an investigation into the issue. As a journalist, you need to be objective and check all your facts carefully.
Begin by sharing the ‘Seven Standards of Quality Journalism’ graphic with students and talking through it.
Next, explain to students that they will be researching and writing a new report on this issue.
1. First, research.
Research online for reputable sources of information. Make notes, and get all the relevant
information you need to report factually on this issue. Make sure you keep a reading log of all your sources so you can quote them directly in the article.
2. Next, look for credible people you can quote for your article, talking about this issue.
Who are they and what makes them credible?
Do you have a fair and balanced selection of quotes to use?
Do the quotes add to the story?
3. Students will then work through the steps to creating a news report.
• What are the 5 Ws of your story?
Who What When Where Why
• Find two images to use in your story. These should relate directly to the points you make or the people you interview (see next step)
• Choose three memorable quotes to include in your story: who said it and what did they say?
• What extra info did you find that is interesting or important? Add this.
• Now you can write your articles! You will need to work with a partner to edit your writing before your final copy is written.
As a final activity, display articles around the room and give students time to read each one.
Is it okay to sell a present someone gave you?
Come up with two scenarios: one in which it is ok to sell a present that was given to you, and one in which it is not.
Explain each scenario in detail and why it is ok / not okay. Who decides when it is ok? The giver or the receiver? Are there some scenarios where it is always ok / never ok? Does it matter what the gift is?
Next, ask: what if there are benefits to regifting or on-selling? Could these outweigh the cons? What about reducing waste? How important is this?
Students will come up with a list of guidelines for regifting and on-selling, based on groupwork and discussions.
To do this, students will work in groups to answer the following questions and come up with an answer / guideline they are happy with.
When is regifting / on-selling appropriate?
Think about what circumstances make it ok, eg you have the exact same item already, the gift is something common and non-personal (like chocolates).
Also have a think about the person who gave the gift and the person who will receive it. What conditions are there? E.g. neither party should find out.
Ask:
• Who can you regift to?
• What types of gifts are okay to regift?
• How do you go about regifting something?
• Do you have a duty to tell or NOT tell the person who gave you the gift?
Think about what condition the gift should be in (e.g. brand new and still packaged? Or is a bit used ok?)
Come up with a list of rules for regifting and on-selling. As a further activity, students can create and perform short plays which demonstrate the dos and don’ts of regifting and on-selling, according to their lists.
Should kids be allowed to drink beer if it’s non-alcoholic?
Divide the class into two sides (they don’t get to pick)
Explain to the first group: you are presenting at a youth summit to argue that kids should be allowed to drink non-alcoholic beer.
What are the benefits to kids if they are allowed to do this? Why should adults allow this to happen?
Come up with some convincing reasons – you will have to use your imaginations!
And to the second group: you are presenting at a youth summit to argue that kids should NOT be allowed to drink non-alcoholic beer. What are the risks and dangers? What could it lead to? Would it lead to other changes allowing children more freedoms like this?
Students will work through the questions to formulate their arguments. They will need to research and discuss to come up with their supporting arguments.
Prompt questions may include:
- Can beer / wine be healthy if it doesn’t contain alcohol?
- What about if kids get used to the taste of beer / wine?
- What are the laws in Australia relating to underage people drinking non-alcoholic beer?
- What about other guidelines, eg from health and government organisations?
Once each group has their arguments, they can present them to the rest of the group for discussion.
Further questions for discussion may include What about fake cigarettes?
Gambling with fake money?
End the activity by asking students to think about why some alcohol companies use product packaging that appeals to young people. What does research say about underage drinking? What about ads for gambling apps in kids’ apps? Are these harmless, or could they be damaging?