Printer-friendly versionObjectives
Activities meet the following objectives:
- learn what atheism is
- learn that atheists have been the targets of discrimination
- respond constructively to people who have been targets of discrimination
Activities
1. (Note: read out loud points from the Fact Sheet.) Listen to this information about a group of people who are sometimes treated unfairly by others who don’t agree with what they think. What are some groups you have learned about who are treated unfairly because of who they are or what they think? (Note: Fill these in on a chart that looks like the one on Groups Who Are Sometimes Treated Unfairly.)
2. Now use the chart to think about patterns on your list. The chart includes some categories by which groups define themselves. For example, if you said that sometimes Muslims are treated unfairly, you can put a check in the column labeled “Religion,” because Muslims are a group defined by their religion. Read your list and see what characteristics define the different groups you have identified.
3. Now think back to the people your teacher read about—the ones who were treated unfairly. Those people are atheists. (Note: Write atheist where students can see the word.) An atheist is someone who doesn’t believe in God or a universal spirit. On your chart you noted that sometimes people are mistreated because of their religion. In this case, people are mistreated because they aren’t part of a religion. Add atheists to your list.
4. Trying to understand other people can help us respect them. One way to understand others better is to imagine what it would be like to be them. Choose a partner. Have one person take the role of someone who is afraid to tell people what she believes or doesn’t believe. For example, you might pretend to be an atheist. Tell your partner why you’re scared and how you feel about being mistreated because of what you think.
5. Have the other person listen closely. The listener will respond to what he has heard. Remember that your partner has shared something that makes her nervous. You want to respond in a way that is kind. To help you decide what to say, think about what you would want someone to say to you if you told him something about yourself that you thought she might not like.
6. When the class comes together again, different pairs can share what they have discovered in their role-play.
