Who-Am-I? Items
Supporting Self-validation Skills Training
Reviewing thoughts, beliefs,
and perceptions, and recognizing that they may be different from another's
perceptions and accepting that multiple views can still be valid.
What is the most popular name in your family?
Why do you think it is so? In your school? What is the most popular name
for a boy? For a girl? In your country? If you could have a different name,
what name would you choose?
(question 2)
Do you know the meaning
of your name? Do you know the meaning of the names in the rest of your family?
(question 4)
Can you see how a
name can tell us something about the person's ethnic origin, nationality
or history? (question
7)
Do you create your
own music? What is your favorite music? Why is it your favorite over the
others? Is there a special music for dancing? Do you know any ethnic music
and dances? (question
10)
Who is your favorite
pop singer? Why is he or she your favorite? Do you think his or her name
has anything to do with their fame?
(question 11)
If it is possible,
bring your instrument to class and play your favorite piece. If you do not
know how to play an instrument, bring a recording of your favorite music
or group. What does this music mean to you? If it is a song, what is the
meaning of the song? Why is it special for you? Ask your online friends about
their favorite songs and music.
(activity 8)
Write the answer
to the question "Who Am I?". Tell about your likes and dislikes, and the
things that make you what you are. Save this answer on a disk where you will
add the answers to the next three Kidlink questions. (activity 10)
Some people are Realistic (the doers), Conventional
(the organizers), Investigative (the thinkers), Social (the helpers),
Enterprising (the persuaders), Artistic (the creators). Do you know which
of these types fits your personality or that of your classmates? Are there
any other types beside the ones mentioned here? Can you mention some famous
people that can be classified under Realistic? Conventional? Investigative?
Social? Enterprising? Artistic?
(question 3)
When you are in the real world trying to get
a job, you have to compete with other people wanting the same position. Simulate
a real world situation: Every class will publish online different job positions
available in their imaginary companies. State the requirements for the position.
Everyone in your classroom and in your online classroom can send their
applications stating why they are the best candidates. Choose a person to
be the interviewer for each job position. This person will decide which applicant
is the most suitable for the job and will recommend him or her.
(activity 2)
Progress has brought
us the development of new medicines needed to cure new illnesses. Are people
healthier today than a hundred years ago? Does progress bring more happiness?
Why do we have new illnesses?
(question 4)
Sometimes grownups
are so busy with their lives that they cannot enjoy what life has to offer
them. Life's most precious joys are completely free. Can you name a few?
How do you and your family enjoy life?
(question 5)
"Our neighbors are
our closest family." This saying implies that we have to have a good relationship
with our neighbors. We can help each other if an emergency occurs. What else
can you add to the advantage of being "good neighbors"? Countries have neighbors
too. How can countries be "good neighbors"?
(question 6)
People come in different
colors and shapes. Imagine the world filled with millions of people all looking
exactly alike! If we all looked the same, how could we recognize each other?
Our differences are what make us special. Even twins have some differences
between them. On the inside people are different too. How do you describe
yourself? What characteristics do you like in you? In your best friend?
(question 7)
Imagine you can change
anything you want, what would you change? Write an essay explaining the things
that make you worry about your family, your school and your country today
and how would you like these things to be in the future. Send your essay
to the list to share your ideas with the rest of the students participating
in this program module.
(activity 2)
Picture your community
in the year 2098. Write a short story describing something in your community
in the year 2098 showing the picture you imagine. Give the story a creative
title. Make a web page to publish the stories of everyone in the class. Add
pictures. Share the address with the other Who-am-I? program participants.
(activity 3)
Create a drawing that
expresses your vision of a better future. Send this picture by email to your
online classmates and ask them to do the same for you. Print and label the
drawings with the name and country of each artist. Design a giant poster
with all the printed drawings.
(activity 6)
Answer the question
"How do I want the world to be better when I'm older?". Add to your saved
answers to the questions from the last two lessons.
(activity 7)
You know now how your
online friends want their communities to be better. What advice can you give
to your friends?
(question 2)
When we are sad or
confused, we just need a word of encouragement from a friend. You are all
part of the "global community". Good friends love and protect each other.
You know how your friends want the world to be better. What can you do to
help them make the world better?
(question 3)
Friends and family
are a very important part of our life. How do you compare a peaceful family
life to a peaceful community life? What elements are the common denominator
in rivalry between brothers and sisters, rivalry between families and rivalry
between countries? How can this be changed?
(question 4)
Our well being can
be protected and destroyed by humans. Who is responsible for protecting our
future? (question
5)
What is your family
doing to protect the well being of your community? What is your school doing?
What is your country doing? What are you doing? What else can be done?
(question 6)
List the ideas you
have to help your classmates and your online classmates to make a better
world. Add a drawing and send to the list so everyone in your global class
can enjoy. Print your favorite letters and organize them in a folder. Share
this folder with your family and your friends.
(activity 5)
Find what are the endangered animals in your
region, make a web page with the names and pictures of the animals. Explain
why those animals are endangered. Invite the other students participating
in the program module to visit your page. Ask them for suggestions that could
help to minimize this situation. Add their ideas to your web page.
(activity 7)
Write a short essay
explaining what things you learned by participating in this program module.
What things you liked the most? What things if anything, you would change?
Your essay should have at least 3 paragraphs.
(activity 9)
Answer the question
"What do I have to do to make the world a better place?". Add your answer
to the answers you saved from the past lessons, and use them
to
register with Kidlink.
(activity 10)
You and your friends have very unique personalities.
What do you think you have in common and how do you differ? Do you think
that you are shaped by your place on earth, the surroundings you live in,
your country, music, what is popular? What shapes you and your friends as
you are? Do your friends help shape who you are? Do your heroes shape you?
(question 2)
What do you like best about your area?
(question 23)
How many people are in your town or village?
Where can you find this information? Does it matter how many live in a community?
Does it matter where you live?
(question 2)
Do you have recreational
places for kids in your city with organized fun activities? Tell us about
them. What are your favorite activities?
(question 14)
Tell us about where and how you learn. Describe
the places. What do you feel is most important to learn?
(question 1)
Do you like what is chosen for you to learn?
Do you think that the most important things are selected or is there something
missing. Could you plan it better?
(question 5)
What do you learn outside school? Are some people
around you that you learn from? Friends, parents, sisters, brothers,
grandparents, neighbours?
(question 9)
Do you see something in the education you are
getting that is directly linked to what you would like to be when you grow
up? (question 12)
How do you think that
you get educated by the place you live in? Would you become different if
you lived somewhere else? In another country? Elsewhere in your own country?
(question 13)
What does it mean to grow up as a girl or boy
in your country? Are there different expectations for each? Do you think
it is done correctly in your country? Do you know about another country that
does it better?
(question 5)
Do you think that there
is a prejudice in your area? How would you define prejudice? Share experiences
of prejudice, when you felt it and when you showed prejudice if you have.
(question 7)
Do you feel that people judge you by how you
look, talk or dress?
(question 8)
We know that people in the global village have
different opinions and argue. How can we share different opinions in a positive
way?(question 10)
All of you have our
own special personalities, hobbies and interests. Think of some things that
are small enough to fit into a shoebox that describe you. If you like to
draw you might put a box of crayons or inkpens in your "shoebox." If you
like music you would put your favorite CD. Bring your shoebox and contents
to school and share with your classmates. Make a list of the items you would
put in your shoebox and send it to the mailing list. See what others have
done in an exercise like this.
What do you think are the major challenges facing
children with disabilities in your school or in your town? (question 4)
Do you think children with disabilities should
be included in regular classrooms with all the other students or should they
be in classes or schools by themselves? (question 9)
What can we learn from disabled people? (question
13)
Do disabled kids have less, equal or more rights
than you? (question 14)
Is some information harmful for kids?
(question 11)
Do you think that kids should have the right
to privacy? (question
12)
As a class brainstorm
a list of issues and circumstances for which kids would like to have some
input. Divide your list into three areas: home, school, community. Break
into small groups and plan ways that your ideas can be heard. Share these
with the class. (activity
1)
Think of something
that you believe should be changed in your town. Write a letter to the editor
of the local newspaper or your elected official.
(activity 4)
Do you have a certain time, set by your parents,
when you must be home on weekends? Did you and your parents decide the time
together? Does your town have any laws that say when kids should be home
at night? Do you think this is a fair rule? Are there different rules for
summer and winter? (question
1)
Should parents limit the number of hours that
kids watch TV? Do you think TV shows have too much violence? Is this harmful
to kids? (question 2)
What are anorexia and bulimia? Search the Web
for information. Is the information you found reliable? How do you know?
(question 7)
Do you think some drugs are dangerous to your
health? Are some controversial drugs tolerated in parts of the world?
(question 9)
Are there lessons in school about harmful drugs?
Do you think many kids in your town are hurting themselves by using drugs?
(question 10)
What subjects would you like to be taught that
are not offered in your school? Do you have something to say about how and
what is taught in your school?
(question 11)
Is multicultural education a part of your curriculum?
How do you think you should be taught about other cultures?
(question 14)
Do you feel that mistakes are allowed in your
school? What kind of mistakes are allowed and what are not? What are the
consequences when you make a mistake? Do you think the rules are fair?
(question 17)
How do you feel in school? Is it a happy place
to be? It is stressful? Are students kind to each other? How do you want
your schoolmates to treat you? How do you think that you should treat them?
(question 18)
Do you feel that you are challenged to think?
Are you learning things that have meaning for you? Is your school helping
you with all your educational needs?
(question 19)
Read what others say about their schools. Tell
them what you think about their school and ask for clarification about things
you don't understand. Is there something in the schools that others have
that you don't have? Would you like to have it?
(activity 3)
Write a haiku that
tells your principal one thing you would like to have in your school but
you don't have. Illustrate your haiku using your favorite medium.
(activity 4)
What are 10 things that all kids everywhere should
have? Tell the group why you think these 10 are the most important things.
See activity #1 below. Using each class Bill of Rights work together as a
whole group and create one "Kids' Bill of Rights".
(question 1)
Do you think all kids have these rights today?
(question 2)
If you had to be denied
two of the rights on your list which two would you choose? Tell the group
why. (question 3)
What do your parents think about your desired
rights? How can you live with the situation you're facing if they do not
agree? (question 4)
Do you think that along with rights come
responsibilities? (question
5)
Do kids' rights and responsibilities differ from
teachers' rights and responsibilities?
(question 6)
Do you know any places
where kids do not have the rights you listed above? What are the rights that
these kids are lacking? Do you think this is fair? Do you think there is
a way to make things better for them?
(question 7)
What can you do now to make the world a better
place for all kids? Think about the fourth Kidlink question that you answered.
(question 9)
Write your own 'Kids' Bill of Rights'
Divide your class into small groups and decide
on 10 things that all young people everywhere should have. Write these on
a large sheet of paper.
Display your chart and explain it to the rest
of the class. Do you have all the things on your Bill? What prevents you
from having them?
Make one "Kids' Bill of Rights" for your class.
Make a banner with the Bill of Rights and display
it in the classroom.
(activity 1)
Make a collage or drawing
using chalk, watercolors, or ink that shows what you think your 10 most important
rights are. Display these art works for all in your school to
see.(activity 2)
Search the Web to find places where children
around the world do not have rights that you have. What sources did you find?
Is the information reliable? How do you know?
(activity 3)
List ways you can help these children have more
rights. (activity 4)
List 5 things which should be done in the classroom
to make sure that all are happy and safe.
(activity 5)
Discuss your responsibilites to your school.
As a class, agree on one responsibility that can be improved. Do a project
that will help this responsibility become a reality.
(activity 6)
Make a chart with two columns - 'rights' and
'responsibilities.' List rights and the responsibilities that go hand-in-hand.
Add your own ideas to the chart.
(activity 7)
Write articles for your school newsletter and
community newspaper about children's rights.
(activity 10)
What are the qualities of a good friend? If you
needed a new friend, what qualities would you like him or her to have?
(question 1)
How do you know that a person is your friend?
Does your friend have to say something or do something to be
your friend? (question
2)
How do you take care
of your friend and how do you keep your friend as a good friend? Is it important
to listen to your friend? Should friends be able to make mistakes sometimes
but still keep their friends? Do we sometimes have to forgive when we have
friends? (question 3)
Did you choose your best friend, or were you
"chosen"? What made you choose her/him as your friend? Why do you think you
were chosen? How would you feel about not being "chosen" as somebody's friend?
(question 4)
What is important for you when you choose a friend?
Is it important for you that your friend is popular among the others? Does
it matter if others think that your friend is "cool" or not?
(question 5)
Is it important what
a kid looks like whether you choose him or her for a friend?
(question 6)
Would you consider
having a friend with another skin colour than your own? Do you think this
would cause a problem for you? Tell us why or why not. How could you solve
such a problem? (question
7)
Some kids are afraid of making new friends. What
could help a new kid in your school or neighbourhood to make new friends?
What advice would you offer to people who have trouble making friends?
(question 8)
Do you know how it
feels not to have a friend? If you were ever in this situation how
did you finally make new friends? Was there one person who was very kind
to you who helped you meet new friends?
(question 9)
In this activity
everyone in the class begins by writing 6 things that characterize
a good friend. By the end of the activity you will narrow your class's list
to only a total of 6. This is how you do it:
Each and every one in the group or class makes
a list of the 6 most important things that characterize a good friend.
Divide into 3 groups and make a new list
with the 6 most important words from your group based on your individual
lists.
Write the words from the 3 groups on the blackboard.
Then the whole group or class has to make a list of the 6 most important
words.
Consider these questions after you have finished
the classroom activity:
Why did you choose these 6 words? Why are they
the most important?
Did you discover that many of you listed the
same words in your lists? Why do you think this happened?
Did you get any of your own words on the list
for the group or class?
How did you feel when you did?
If you didn't get any of your words on the this
list, how did you feel?
Send your 6 words to the mailing list, and add
a few lines about why you chose them. Please add a few sentences telling
how you felt about doing this activity. Print messages sent from other
participants and discuss them in your class. Compare the words the others
have chosen with those of your own class/group.
(activity 1)
Create a friendship "garden" on your display
board. Make paper flowers and place your special words on the petals of the
flowers. Place small pictures of your class all around the garden.
(activity 2)
For a whole week do
something nice for your classmates but do it secretly. Think of little kindnesses
you can do without telling the person you did it.
(activity 3)
Finish the sentence: "A friend is one who..."
and make a display of these sentences in your classroom. Place them around
the room with an illustration to decorate them.
(activity 4)
Make a list of popular songs that are about
friendships. With your teacher's permission bring the songs to school on
tape or CD and play them during a "friendship" class.
(activity 5)
Write "Friendship Poems" and post them in KidSpace.
(activity 6)
Draw a picture of someone in your life who has
been a good friend for
you.(activity 7)
What causes disputes among people? Does competition
for material things, like who has the "right" clothes or what is the coolest
music, lead to a lot of disputes? Are misunderstandings more likely to lead
to trouble? (question
1)
Do people sometimes start trouble just for the
"fun of it?" If so, why is it "fun?"
(question 2)
Why do you think people start making trouble
in the first place?
(question 3)
What if the friends you hang out with want to
do something you don't? What do you choose - go with your friends or do "things"
your own way? (question
4)
How can you try to
have some influence in your group? Do your friends value your opinion?
(question 5)
Do you act differently when you are with your
friends than you do when you are alone? If so, why?
(question 6)
Bullying is a kind of conflict that concerns
many people. In your opinion what is bullying? Why do bullies do what they
do? (question 7)
How should we deal
with bullies? How should we help their victims?
(question 8)
How do you and your friends mix with your family
and your family with your friends? Do you find yourself getting into arguments
with family members about your friends or with friends about family members?
(question 9)
Which side do you choose if there is a conflict
between your friends and your family? Why do you choose like this?
(question 10)
How do you resolve
disputes? Do you try to avoid people you disagree with? Do you find that
listening carefully for what the other person really wants and needs can
help? (question 11)
Does a third person sometimes help resolve disputes?
(question 12)
Do rules and regulations sometimes help (or hurt)?
(question 13)
Make an individual list of causes of disputes
among friends. Work out a list together, based on what each of you have written.
(activity 1)
Print out e-mails about this from the others
on the list, read them and compare them with your own.
(activity 2)
Make a short role
play about bullying where 4-5 actors take part. Decide in the group how
your play shall end... with a happy or sad ending. Write the text and send
it to the list. Print out the role plays which you receive by e-mail and
play them in class. Let us know what you think about the plays you have received
by e-mail. (activity 3)
Look through daily newspapers and find examples
of local and world disputes. Place them on one side of a display board. On
the other side of the display board place newspaper articles showing where
people have resolved their problems peacefully.
(activity 4)
First impressions are not always correct. After
we get to know a person well we can sometimes see good things about them
that we didn't see right away. Think of a person who was not at all what
you thought he or she was when you first met him or her. Share these experiences
with your class in small group sessions.
(activity 5)
Divide your class into small groups and discuss
times in your favorite TV shows where people settled their disputes. What
did they do to settle them? What were their strategies? Add your own ideas
for ways to settles disputes and present the ideas of your small group to
your whole class. (activity
8)
If your loss was through death, did you participate
in religious rituals? Do you think children should attend funerals and visit
grave sites when family member die?
(question 3)
Did you try to stay very busy so you wouldn't
think too much of your loss? How can staying busy help you deal with loss?
(question 4)
What things can help you feel better when you
are sad about the death of a friend, family member or pet?
(question 6)
How do you now feel about the loss of your friend
or family member? Does the passing of time help us feel better when we are
sad because we have lost a loved one? Have your feelings changed very much
since you lost the person? If so, how?
(question 7)
How do you feel about death? Are you afraid to
think about it? Do you often think about death when a loved one is ill? Would
you like to share your thoughts with some of the others in your class or
with all of us working on this project?
(question 8)
Do you think it is OK for kids to cry and be
sad or angry when they lose a loved one?
(question 13)
Where are you in the birth order in your family?
Are you the oldest, youngest or in the middle in your family? Do you think
the oldest child has a special role in a family? Are there privileges that
the youngest child enjoys? Do you think that the middle child in a family
has a lesser role? (question
1)
What are your roles in your family? What changes
in your role, if any, would you make if you could?
(question 2)
Do you think young
people should have responsibilities in their family? Can you expect that
adults do all the work at the home? Why not or why? Be prepared to defend
your answer with reasons.
(question 3)
Do you have grandparents living with you in your
family? What should be the roles of older members of our families living
with us such as elderly grandparents?
(question 4)
How do you see your responsibilities in your
own family? What are they? Did you choose them? Are you happy with them?
Would you change any of them?
(question 5)
Are there differences between the responsibilities
that girls and boys, fathers and mothers should have in a family? Should
there be chores that are "girl's chores" and "boy's chores?" Can girls take
out the rubbish as well as boys? Can boys do dishes as well as girls?
(question 6)
Do you think responsibilities are fairly divided
among your family members? If you don't think so, how would you makes changes
that would be more fair? Do you think you should do more - or less? If so,
why? (question 7)
Do you get paid for your job? If so, how much?
Do you think kids should get paid to do chores in the home? If you think
you deserve better pay what can you do?
(question 9)
Do you think your negotiation tips can be used
in other areas you want to change? If so, in what areas?
(question 11)
How have you changed as a family member over
the past two or three years? Do you think that you will see your place in
the family from a different point of view as you get older? How do you expect
to change over the next few years? Do you think you will need reminding when
it is time for chores as you get older?
(question 12)
Are there rules in your family? Do you think
rules are important for a family? Defend your answer. Would you be happier
if there were no rules at all in your family?
(question 13)
Who decides what rules are to be used in your
family? Do you have any voice in the rules that you must follow? Do you think
kids should have a voice in the family rules?
(question 14)
Should a child's room be his own place and not
subject to family rules? Do you think you should be able to decorate your
room in any way you wish?
(question 16)
If you become a parent what rules do you think
you will make in your family? Will you give your kids a chance to help make
family rules? (question
17)
Write a persuasive letter to your parents asking
for more allowance or pay for your chores. Be sure to include at least three
valid reasons to persuade them.
(activity 5)
Families are expensive.
Make a survey about how much it costs to provide for an average family in
one week in your class. Talk to your parents and make a list of all expenses
including food, mortgage, phone, insurance, car, petrol, movie, sweets etc.
While working with this activity, please consider these questions:
What do we really need to have a good
life?
Are there "things" we could do without?
Do material goods make us happy - or are there
other values in life?
Does your feeling of having a good life grow
with the amount of money you spend?
Send the results from your survey to the mailing
list. Make graphs comparing the results from the other messages sent to the
list. (activity 10)
Write some rules you think would be necessary
to improve things in your classroom. Vote and choose in your class which
are the most important rules. Put the rules chosen in a list in your classroom
for everybody to remember. Try to follow the rules for a week. Tell us what
happened. (activity 12)
Are there certain members of your family that
you only get to see on these holidays? Which family member do you enjoy seeing
the most? Why is this so? What makes this person special to you?
(question 2)
How do you feel about this travel if you must
do it? Must you go with your family? Do you ever feel that you are too old
to travel with your family? Would you rather spend holiday time with your
friends instead? (question
5)
Are there holidays celebrated at your school
that you are not allowed by your religion to participate in? How does this
make you feel? (question
8)
Are you allowed to practice your religious customs
in your school? Some students fast during Ramadan. Do you think they should
still have to go to the lunch area with their class?
(question 9)
Does your school close during your religious
holidays? If it doesn't do you think it should?
(question 10)
Why do you think people move from one country
or part of the world to another? List your reasons and give examples in history.
Share this with us on the mailing list.
(question 1)
What factors encourage people to leave
a country for another?
(question 2)
What conditions encourage people to stay
in a country? (question
3)
Do you think moving
to another homeland involves sacrifices or hardships? What are some of the
sacrifices that your ancestors might have made in order to move?
(question 5)
Are students in your school encouraged to share
their heritage and cultural richness? How do you and your friends benefit
when kids from other cultures share their customs, language and festivals?
(question 11)
Do you ever feel that your culture is under attack?
Do you feel that your culture is changing or losing its identity because
it is assimilating elements from other cultures? Share these concerns and
ask the other students in our mailing list how they feel.
(question 12)
Is it easy for older students and families to
find jobs when they arrive in a new country?
(question 13)
Divide your class into groups and brainstorm
the reasons why people leave a country and why people want to stay in a country.
Display your reasons on a chart in your classroom. Place flags on a world
map to identify countries where a large number of people are leaving their
homeland today. Identify countries where people want to go when they flee.
(activity 1)
Pretend that you are
one of your ancestors who has moved to a far away country. Write a letter
to one of your family members back "home" and tell about your journey. What
means of travel did you take? How long was the trip? What hardships did you
have to endure? (activity
4)
Find pictures in books or from family photo albums
that show what your area looked like 50-100 years ago. How has it changed?
What buildings are there now that weren't years ago? Do you like the changes?
(question 4)
What natural events such as floods, famines or
wars changed the course of the history of your area? What strong figures
in your country emerged as leaders in time of crisis? How did they help shape
the lives of the people of your country?
(question 6)
Make a timeline and show the historical events
of the past 100 years that changed the course of history where you live.
What might you expect to see in the next 100 years of that timeline?
(activity 5)
Do you think that your ancestors thought about
their future generations and how life would be for them? You are that
future generation. Do you think that your ancestors handed down to you a
world that is better than they had? Be ready to defend your answers.
(question 3)
What kind of a world do you hope to see your
children and their children have when they are growing up? What things would
you change in our world as it is today?
(question 4)
What career do you hope to have when you are
older? Has anyone else in your family chosen the same career? Has anyone
in your family inspired you to choose a certain career?
(question 5)
If you could look into the future for your children
what do you think you would see? How would life be different? How are you
preparing for your future? Is there anything you can do right now to prepare?
How did your ancestors prepare for their future?
(question 6)
How can family members support each other as
they grow into adulthood? Ask your parents if they think it was easier to
be a kid when they were young or if they think it is easier for you in today's
world. (question 7)
What family traditions does your family have
that you would like to see passed down to future generations? Explain them
to us on the mailing list. Have you started any new traditions in your family
recently that will be passed down?
(question 10)
If you could make one contribution to the future
of your children what would it be? What invention would make life better
for future generations?
(question 11)
Do you think we have a responsibility to the
take care of our earth today so that our future generations have a healthy
and safe place to live? What are some things we can do to show that we accept
this responsibility?
(question 12)
How can you make your area interesting to others?
Are there interesting places in the neighbourhood? Did anything interesting
happen there in the past? Did any famous people ever live there?
(question 2)
How big is your country? How many people live
in your country? How many people live in your area? What kind of an area
do you live in (rural or urban)? Do you think it makes a difference for kids
whether they live in a town or on a farm? Do you think environmental issues
are treated well in your country?
(question 6)
Look at traditional souvenirs in your area which
you could take with you as a gift. Why are these things souvenirs at your
place? Do they reflect your place as you see it?
(activity 3)