Theme: Diversity

Suggested Discussion Topics and Activities:

1. Have students write down what defines them as a person. How do they think others categorize them when they first see them?
2. Encourage students to participate in campus events: Tunnel of Oppression, attend a campus group meeting, etc.
3. Brainstorm all the different ways that we see similarities and differences between people? Why do we do this? Is this ok? What happens when we do this?
4. Least-Most (PDF): an activity that asks students to reflect on their perceptions of people and how certain groups of people are treated by others
5. Have students do a cultural audit of Cortland. Where is it diverse, where is it not? What cultural images do you see here?
6. Play Cultural Bingo (Cultural Bingo with answers) or Cultural Diversity Bingo (second version).
7. Have students attend a campus group meeting.
8. Have students bring in representations of stereotypes and share those types with the class.
9. Ask students to reflect on how our media outlets and television programs represent different cultures, or own culture, and individuals.
10. Multi-cultural Stereotypes (PDF): a small group exercise for students to think about the ways groups of people are characterized in every day life.
11. Diversity is a great topic for a journal or reflection paper.
12. Ask one of the leaders from a student organization or an international student panel to discuss issues with the class.
13. Contact Multicultural Life Office.
14. Ask students to review the campus paper.
15. Have students dig into their own cultural heritage. What factors have shaped their identity?
16. The Choice (PDF): a small group activity that offers students an opportunity to make a decision about groups of people who may be different than their high school peers
17. Have students do the "This Is My House" (PDF)exercise.
18. Perception Game (PDF)
19. Identity and Diversity Worksheet (PDF)
20. Life Experience Assessment (PDF)
21. Crossing the Line Activity (PDF)