Implementation of “We are all different yet we are all the same” (SOI-LV-345)

Author: Laura Lauksarga, English teacher

School/Organization: Jurmalas Pumpuru secondary school

Learning scenario ‘We are all different yet we are all the same’ by Asunción M. Martínez Llano was implemented in the 8th grade group. Because the learning topic was about the inclusive environment. Both teachers and students had no previous experience of using Europeana resources. Therefore, this implementation offered a great opportunity for teachers and students to get acquainted and familiarize themselves with Europeana.

The big picture

For 8th graders in English, we started a new topic – the inclusive environment. At the beginning, we brainstormed about what an inclusive environment is. The students expressed different ideas, but the idea of equality emerged prominently. Apparently, Europeana turns out to be our precious resource getting more and more competent to satisfy any class needs. Together with the 8th grade students (about 50), we explored the teachwitheuropeana.eun.org website and found useful material.

Small details

Before we got down to work, the students were given a little introduction to the Europeana website and content. We visited the website and went through all the sections. What is the main idea of this project, what students can find and what are interesting for them. At first students said, that it is a bit confusing, but they liked the general idea. And they would like to use this website more often in lessons.

The Big brainstorm

Students discussed what they associate with an inclusive learning environment. Divided the ideas into several categories. As a result, 3 were formed: emotions, environment, people

1,2,3….Action

The students were divided into 3 groups of 6 people each. Each group had to create a poster about the inclusive environment related to the category of the group (emotions, environment, and people).

Each group presented their poster, arguing how exactly this category affects an inclusive learning environment. At the end students discussed about each category and tried to found the main feature that makes all categories important. In that lesson student learned about why inclusive environment is so important generally and found features that are important to them.

With this task students could improve their presentation skills, also practise more speaking with other students in English. It was important for learning process, because next year they have final exams and there are speaking part where they have to prepare argumentative speech.

Students think….

“Using Europeana was fun and new experience and I really liked working in groups for this task”

“This was completely different English lesson. I didn’t know about European before, but now I would like to use this more often.”

“We all know what generally inclusive learning environment is but doing this task I realized that that is more complicate than we think.”

“Doing this task with Europeana and my group we learned more about what is actually around us and how big is our role to include inclusive learning environment”

“It was nice, because we could more use English and practice more of presentations”

What will say the teacher

As a teacher, it is nice to have such a wide and varied range of lesson topics available. If the teacher is working with this site for the first time, it is a bit challenging because you have to dig around and crawl through different filters. But as a result, it is possible to offer versatile materials to your students and diversify your lessons. I definitely will recommend this opportunity to other teachers, because it is excellent way to expand the view point for themselves and also students. 

Did you find this story of implementation interesting? Why don’t you read about the related learning scenario? “We Speak Different Languages But Our Hearts Are The Same” created by Asunción M. Martínez Llano

Did you find this story of implementation interesting? You might also like: 

• Sharing is caring: Let your migration story be hear implemented by Eirini Koufou
• An inclusive world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Goal 16) implemented by Sandra Troia
• We Speak Different Languages But Our Hearts Are The Same implemented by Anton Telih

Do you want to discover more stories of implementation? Click here.

Public Domain Mark 1.0: the featured image used to illustrate this article has been found on Europeana and has been provided by the Rijksmuseum.