Grade 6 Sample Lesson: The Destructive Effects of Stereotypes and Assumptions

Considerations for Lesson Planning

Location: Classroom

Strand: Healthy Living

Topic: Human Development and Sexual Health

Students:

Students with cognitive and sensory processing/integration disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These students benefit from predictable routines, clear language, and sensory considerations.
- Consideration: The learning environment, language, and lesson structures are designed so students with cognitive and sensory processing/integration disabilities can engage meaningfully with the concepts, activities, and discussions in the lesson. Review students’ individual education plans (IEPs).
Students with diverse cultural approaches to discussing bodies and health.
- Consideration: Engage with the lesson content in ways that respect varying comfort levels and cultural norms.
Students who are cisgender and benefit from learning that avoids rigid gender norms.
- Consideration: Instruction, lesson content, and classroom discussions support inclusion and emotional safety for cisgender students who benefit from learning that avoids rigid gender norms.

Supports: n/a

Lesson: The Destructive Effects of Stereotypes and Assumptions

Lesson Overview

Students explore how stereotypes and assumptions can affect an individual’s self-concept, sense of inclusion, and relationships. They reflect on how assumptions form, consider ways to respond to and challenge harmful stereotypes, and develop strategies to promote inclusion and respect in their school and community.

Overall and Specific Expectations

A1: A1.4, A1.5, A1.6; D3: D3.3

Learning Goals

We are learning to use our relationship and self-awareness skills to understand how stereotypes and assumptions can affect a person’s self-concept, sense of inclusion, and relationships.
We are learning to use critical thinking skills to identify ways to respond to and challenge harmful assumptions and stereotypes that contribute to negative social attitudes.
We are learning to recognize and value individual differences, including culture, abilities, and gender, to create a more inclusive and respectful classroom and community.
We are learning to reflect on how assumptions and biases can influence how people are treated.

Materials

Access to a shared document (for example, chart paper and markers, online interactive tool)
Examples of social media profiles of well-known personalities for discussion
Reflection and writing tools (for example, sticky notes, blank papers, markers, pencils, online interactive tool) for students
Teacher Resource: Recordable Assessment Tool (Checklist)

Assessment for Learning

Use the Teacher Resource: Recordable Assessment Tool (Checklist) to observe and provide written and verbal feedback on students’ ability to analyze how stereotypes and assumptions affect an individual’s self-concept, sense of inclusion, and relationships, and to identify ways to respond to and challenge harmful assumptions and stereotypes.

Minds On

Share the learning goals with the class and co-construct success criteria with students. Post the success criteria in the learning space for students to reference throughout the lesson.

Explain that the lesson focuses on understanding the effects of stereotypes and assumptions, and no one is expected to share personal experiences, beliefs, or family practices.

Co-create a set of ground rules or agreements for the lesson with students. Invite them to contribute ideas about what behaviours and practices help everyone feel respected, safe, and included. Discuss why each agreement is important for maintaining an emotionally safe and inclusive learning environment.

Have students participate in a whole-class discussion using a T-Chart (consult Teaching Strategy Descriptions) labelled “Being Included” and “Being Excluded.” Encourage multiple ways of participating, including speaking, writing, drawing, or listening. Students may also choose to observe or pass if they are more comfortable.

Use the following teacher prompts to support students in generating ideas about inclusion and exclusion and their impact on others.

Teacher Prompt: “What are some ways people experience inclusion, and what impact can that have?”

Student responses may include:

“Being invited to join a group, game, or activity.”
“Being listened to when speaking, without interruptions or teasing.”
“Respectful words being used instead of jokes or stereotypes.”
“Having directions or ideas explained when something is unclear.”
“Treating differences in language, clothing, food, or traditions with respect.”
“Being included in decisions, such as choosing roles or ideas.”
“Feeling calm, welcome, and safe in the group.”

Teacher Prompt: “What are some ways people may experience exclusion, and what impact can that have?”

Student responses may include:

"Not being invited to join a group or activity.”
"Being made fun of for appearance, clothing, or accent.”
“Not treating another person’s culture, beliefs, or values with respect.”
“Being treated unfairly because of a person’s identity, family, or relationships.”
“Being mocked because of abilities or the way someone communicates.”
“Feeling lonely, uncomfortable, or left out.”

Action

Divide students into pairs, considering students’ comfort level, communication needs, sensory considerations, personal preferences, and emotional safety. Alternatively, students may work individually or with the teacher if that supports their emotional safety and learning needs.

Show a variety of social media profiles of well-known personalities (for example, athletes, musicians, creators, public figures) with whom students might identify. Use a Think Pair Share strategy (consult Teaching Strategy Descriptions) and have pairs identify features the personalities use to describe themselves (for example, interests, roles, culture, gender) and hashtags that help to expand their social media audience. Students can record their observations in different ways, such as drawing, writing, or using other visual representations.

Invite pairs to share what they noted with the class, focusing on how social identity can be expressed in different ways and how assumptions or stereotypes can influence perceptions online. Sharing remains optional to respect students’ comfort levels.

Bring the class back together to highlight common patterns noticed across the profiles (for example, the types of information people chose to share, what is emphasized or left out, how limited details can lead to assumptions), reinforcing that the goal is to notice patterns rather than judge individuals.

Present the following definitions and review them with students.

Culture: the customs, beliefs, behaviours and/or achievements of a particular time and/or people; behaviour within a particular group.
Disability: a medical condition that a person has. A disability may have been present from birth, caused by an accident, or developed over time. There are physical, mental, cognitive and learning disabilities, mental disorders, hearing or vision disabilities, epilepsy, drug and alcohol dependencies, environmental sensitivities, and other conditions.
Ethnicity: sharing a distinctive cultural and historical tradition often associated with race, place of origin, ancestry, or creed.
Gender identity: how a person identifies based on an intrinsic sense of self and a sense of being a girl, a boy, a combination of both, or neither regardless of their biological sex.
Gender: an identity that exists on a spectrum of masculinity, femininity, and androgyny. It is informed by history, culture, religion, and society and is distinct from gender expression, sex, and sexuality.
Race: a social construct. Society forms ideas of race based on geographic, historical, political, economic, social, and cultural factors, and physical traits, regardless of the fact that these cannot legitimately be used to classify groups of people.
Sexual orientation: a term for the emotional, physical, romantic, sexual, and spiritual attraction, desire, or affection for another person. Examples may include but are not limited to asexual, heterosexual, bisexual, and gay or lesbian.
(Definitions: Ontario Human Rights Commission, 2024)

Visuals can be included with the definitions, and, when possible, the terms can also be provided in students’ home languages to help all students access and understand the content.

Explain that these terms represent factors that make up an individual’s identity and contribute to what makes each person unique. Invite students to revisit the social media profiles independently and reflect on how the terms connect to the patterns they noticed earlier.

Provide multiple ways for students to engage with the reflection, including speaking, writing, drawing, or using visual supports.

Remind students that participation is flexible, and they may choose to observe or take notes silently if that supports their comfort and learning style.

Use the following teacher prompts to lead a whole-group discussion. Draw on students’ earlier pair and individual reflections, about the effects of stereotypes and assumptions on an individual’s self-concept, sense of belonging, relationships, and ways of responding to others. Remind students that participation can take many forms, including listening, contributing verbally, or recording ideas in writing or drawings.

Teacher Prompt: “What does it mean to stereotype someone, and how can stereotypes and assumptions affect a person’s self-concept, feelings of inclusion, and relationships with others?”

Student responses may include:

“When someone stereotypes another person, it means making an assumption or generalization about them based on one characteristic they may share with others, such as race, gender, ability, or sexual orientation, rather than recognizing individual differences.”
“People sometimes make assumptions about what is expected based on gender, such as believing certain jobs, sports, or interests belong to one group more than another.”
"These assumptions can make people feel confused, left out, or uncomfortable.”
“Stereotypes can hurt how people see themselves, which may lead them to stop doing activities they enjoy or feel pressure to change who they are.”
“It can also cause people to discriminate against and exclude those who are seen as different.”
“Stereotypes can contribute to harmful attitudes, such as homophobia or racism, when people act on fear, misunderstanding, or misinformation.”

Teacher Prompt: “Everyone needs to feel accepted in school and in the community. Why do you think stereotyped assumptions develop?”

Student responses may include:

“Stereotypes can happen when people do not have enough information and make assumptions based on ideas that are not accurate.”
“They can come from what people hear from others or see in the media, even if it is not true.”
“People may make assumptions when they do not take the time to learn about someone as an individual.”
“Limited information online or in social media can make assumptions form more quickly.”

Teacher Prompt: “What can be done to change or challenge assumptions and stereotypes?”

Student responses may include:

“Learn more about someone, listen carefully, ask respectful questions, and consider different perspectives.”
“Use inclusive language, such as saying ‘family member’ instead of assuming everyone has a mom and a dad.”
“Welcome newcomers by showing interest in their culture, background, and interests.”
"Challenge comments or ideas that rely on stereotypes or seek support when unsure how to respond.”
“Respect differences and allow people to be themselves.”

Consolidation

Highlight for students that everyone has the right to feel safe, valued, and included in their school and community. Emphasize that each person has an important role to play in challenging stereotypes and assumptions, especially when they are harmful or can contribute to discrimination or exclusion.

Divide students into pairs, considering their comfort level, communication needs, and emotional safety. Students may also choose to stay with their previous partner for comfort and a safe learning space, or work with a different partner to practise collaborating with new peers.

Use an Elbow Partner strategy (consult Teaching Strategy Descriptions) to have pairs create a slogan they could include in a healthy living campaign to challenge stereotypes and assumptions and promote inclusion, respect, and belonging. Pairs may represent their slogan in different ways, such as words, drawings or symbols, posters, or digital formats, depending on their strengths and interests.

Display the slogans around the classroom and have students conduct a Gallery Tour (consult Teaching Strategy Descriptions). Students move through the space to reference and reflect on the different ideas, noticing common themes and unique approaches to promoting inclusion. Encourage respectful observation and quiet discussion as students engage with the work. Students may choose to share or explain their slogan with the class if they feel comfortable doing so.

Provide students with an Exit Card (consult Teaching Strategy Descriptions) with the following questions to support reflection on learning.

What are some ways stereotypes and assumptions can be challenged in a school or community?
What helps create a safe and inclusive school community?

Encourage students to respond in a way that works best for them, such as writing, drawing, or quietly discussing their ideas with a partner or the teacher. Remind students that there are no right or wrong answers. The goal is to help students summarize their learning and reflect on their understanding from the lesson.

Notes to Teachers

n/a

Reference

Ontario Human Rights Commission. (2024). Appendix 1: Glossary of human rights terms.

CRRP and Disability-Centred Movement Strategies Embedded in the Lesson

Components of this lesson are designed to ensure the learning environment, language, and lesson structures support students with cognitive and sensory processing/integration disabilities in engaging meaningfully with the concepts, activities, and discussions in the lesson.

Structured routines are used throughout the lesson, including clear steps for each activity, so students know what to expect.
Visual supports, such as charts, diagrams, and highlighted key terms, are provided to reinforce understanding of abstract concepts.
Clear, concise language is used for instructions and discussion prompts to reduce cognitive load.
Flexible participation is emphasized, with multiple ways for students to engage, including listening, observing, writing, drawing, or contributing verbally, along with opportunities to pass or participate quietly.
Choice in social grouping is provided, allowing students to work in pairs, individually, or with the teacher to support comfort, communication needs, and emotional safety.

Components of this lesson are designed to ensure students with diverse cultural approaches to discussing bodies and health can engage with the lesson content in ways that respect varying comfort levels and cultural norms.

Discussions use neutral and respectful language, emphasizing that the lesson focuses on understanding social assumptions and does not prescribe personal or cultural values.
Students are given multiple ways to participate, including speaking, writing, drawing, listening, or observing, to respect varying comfort levels with discussion topics.
Visual supports and use of home language for new vocabulary are provided to support understanding without conflicting with cultural norms.
Differences in cultural practices and beliefs are presented as valid, and content is linked to broader social skills, empathy, and inclusion.
Students are not required to share personal experiences, beliefs, or cultural practices, supporting emotional safety and respectful engagement.

Components of this lesson are designed to ensure instruction, lesson content, and classroom discussions support inclusion and emotional safety for cisgender students who benefit from learning that avoids rigid gender norms.

Language and examples emphasize inclusion and diversity, avoiding assumptions about gender roles, interests, or relationships.
Activities encourage reflection on social norms and assumptions, promoting critical thinking and perspective-taking rather than personal disclosure.
Discussion prompts and social media examples highlight diverse identities and relationships, showing that stereotypes and assumptions can be identified and challenged.
Inclusive and neutral language is modelled throughout discussions and written tasks to support positive social interactions and respect for all individuals.