Year 3
Similarities and differences
Lesson 1: Different but equal
Lesson context and overview
This is the first of three lessons exploring people’s similarities and differences in a wider context.
This lesson looks at ways to value and show respect for others’ differences.
Curriculum links Relationships education: Respectful relationships
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Pupils will learn:
• the importance of respecting others, even when others are very different
from them (for example, physically, in character, personality or
backgrounds), or make different choices or have different preferences.
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Resources
Key vocabulary
Learning
Presentation slides
Pupil worksheets: Find someone bingo
Cones or other resources to create a ‘river’ for activity 3
Different, equal, respect
We will be learning:
objectives • that there are many things that make us who we are, and we are
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similar and different in many ways
• how to value and show respect for everyone’s differences.
Learning We will be able to:
outcomes • describe the things that make us who we are
• explain differences between people
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• demonstrate respect towards others’ differences.
Essential Please ensure you have read the guidelines on creating a safe teaching and
teaching learning environment before delivering these lessons. In particular, ensure
guidance that any differences between pupils are highlighted positively and without
judgment. Some pupils may find it difficult to find positive responses to some
of the activities; be aware of these more vulnerable pupils and offer support
to help them find positive answers for themselves.
Discovery Education Health and Relationships
www.discoveryeducation.co.uk © Copyright Discovery Education Europe Ltd.
Starter/baseline activity
As a class, ask pupils to look at everyone around them and spot things that they all have in
common. Ask for feedback, and make a list of these things, e.g. uniform, hair/eye colour, body
parts etc. Are there things they all have in common but that they can’t see? (Examples might
include hobbies, beliefs, family make-up, interests, etc.)
Ask the class what differences they can see. Are there differences that they can’t see? How can
they find out about these differences if they can’t see them? (Examples might be the same as
those given above.)
Ask the class if they think it’s more interesting to all be the same, or to have differences, and
take responses.
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Core activities
1. Ask pupils to fill out the Find someone bingo worksheets with their own answers. Once
everyone has completed their worksheet, ask them to walk around the classroom and try to
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find one person whose answers match each of theirs (a different person for each answer)
and one person who doesn’t. They can only write down someone’s name once.
If they can’t find someone who matches their answer exactly, can they find someone whose
reply is similar?
When everyone has finished, ask pupils to give some examples of people they found who had
the same answers, or different ones. Then ask for responses on the following questions:
• Was it easier to find things you have in common or things that were different?
• Why do you think that is?
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• Did you find out anything surprising?
• If you have differences, does that mean you aren’t equal?
2. Create a space, either in the classroom or in a hall. Place markers (e.g. cones, beanbags,
etc.) to mark out a line and ask pupils to sit behind it on one side. Create another line
opposite, leaving a gap (the ‘river’) in between the lines.
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Call out things that pupils may or may not have in common. If that thing applies to them,
they have to ‘cross the river’ and sit on the other side. For example:
• “Cross the river if you wear glasses.”
• “Cross the river if you have a sister.”
• “Cross the river if you are a vegetarian.”
As the number of pupils who haven’t crossed the river gets smaller, try and choose differences
that you can see or know about them.
Eventually there will be someone left on the other side. Celebrate this person for being the
only one of them there is!
This game could be played in smaller groups, or with different questions each time to ensure a
different pupil remains.
Discovery Education Health and Relationships
www.discoveryeducation.co.uk © Copyright Discovery Education Europe Ltd.
3. As a class, tell pupils that there will always be people who have differences, e.g. liking
different sports, preferring to wear different clothes, liking different music, etc. Ask them
how we can show respect to one another even when we have differences and take
feedback. Write a class list of suggestions.
Show pupils the three scenarios on Presentation slide 6. In pairs, ask them to role play a
discussion between the two of them based on the scenario. How could they demonstrate
respect for the others’ difference? When they have completed the role play, ask for volunteers
to show theirs to the rest of the class, and discuss the things the pair said and did to
demonstrate respect.
Plenary
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Recap on learning with pupils by asking the class to give examples of three differences
between people that we can see, and three that we can’t. Ask why it is important to respect
people’s differences and for three examples of ways to demonstrate respect.
Assessment
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Use the role play to observe ways in which pupils demonstrate respect for others’ differences.
Use feedback from discussion and from the Find someone bingo worksheet cards to assess the
other outcomes.
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Discovery Education Health and Relationships
www.discoveryeducation.co.uk © Copyright Discovery Education Europe Ltd.
