H5 - Inequality of opportunity: discussion

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 5

Inequality:

discussion

What's fair?

As students enter the room distribute a number of sweets/biscuits/stickers unevenly. Some students

should have a lot, some students have none. Keep a majority of the sweets/biscuits/stickers for yourself.

When all the students are seated ask the question: “Is this fair?” Encourage students to discuss this as a

class. Ask the students to discuss how they feel about the amount of sweets/biscuits/stickers

they have.

Explain to the students that you have the most because you are the oldest.

Ask students if they think this is fair and should you redistribute the sweets/biscuits stickers on this basis?

Introduce the idea o social inequality as the subject or this lesson. This definition

might be useful “a situation in which people are not equal because some groups have

more opportunities, power, money, etc than others” (source: MacMillan dictionary)

True or False?

• The 85 richest people in the world have as much wealth as the poorest half of all humanity, 3.5 billion people.
  
• In the USA, the average worth of white households in 2009 was $113,149 compared to African American households at $5,677 and Hispanic households at $6,325.
• 80% of people with disabilities live in less developed countries.
  
• In most developed countries the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is at least twice that for those who have no disability.
• In Latin America 80-90% of persons with disabilities are unemployed or outside the work force. Most of those who have jobs receive little or no pay.
•  By 2040, it is estimated that over 25% of Europeans are expected to be at least 65 years old.

Present students with the true or false statements about the various forms of inequality.

Ask students to work individually to decide whether each statement is true or false.

True or false?

• In the UK the unemployment rate for people aged 16-24 is 14.4%. The overall unemployment rate is 5.7%.
• Globally, women occupy less than a 25% of all seats in parliament.
• In the UK twice as many women as men rely on state benefits.
• In the UK two thirds of pensioners living in poverty are women.
• In Europe, easy access to green spaces levels improves the health of poorer people by as much as 40%.
• In the USA, people living close to public transport can access up to three times as many jobs per square mile.

Class discussion

1. Were there any statements that surprised you? 
2. Were there any statements where you thought the situation should be changed?
3. What do all of the statements
   have in common?
   

Now present students with the actual answers. Follow this with a discussion about the statements.

Use the last question to lead to an introduction of how inequality can have many different forms

• The 85 richest people in the world have as much wealth as the poorest half of all humanity, 3.5 billion people. - True.
  
• In the USA, the average worth of white households in 2009 was $113,149 compared to African American households at $5,677 and Hispanic households at $6,325. - True.
• Eighty per cent of persons with disabilities live in less developed countries. - True.
  
• In most developed countries the official unemployment rate for persons with disabilities of working age is at least twice that for those who have no disability. - True.
• In Latin America about 80-90% of persons with disabilities are unemployed or outside the work force. Most of those who have jobs receive little or no monetary remuneration. - True. 
• By 2040, it is estimated that over 25% of Europeans are expected to be at least 65. - True.

• In the UK the unemployment rate for people aged 16-24 is 14.4%. The overall unemployment rate now stands at 5.7% of the total working population. - True.
  
• Globally, women still occupy less than 25% of all seats in parliament. - True.
  
• In the UK twice as many women as men rely on state benefits. - True.
  
• In the UK two thirds of pensioners living in poverty are women. - True.
  
• In Europe, easy access to green spaces levels off inequalities in health between the rich and poor by as much as 40%, when compared with those with poorer access to green spaces. True.
  
• In the USA, people living close to public transport can access up to three times as many jobs per square mile. - True.

Where do you think you belong?

Walk around the classroom and stand near the bubble that you identify with most. Why does this one fit you?

Display the speech bubbles  from the six activists stuck around the room. Ask students to read the statements and stand next to the one they most identify or agree with.

Ask some students to explain their choices.

Discussion part 1

You will be put into 1 of 5 groups and assigned 

1 of of the topics in the next box.

With your group, do some research and use the 

fact sheets. Prepare a 1 minute presentation

 about your particular form of inequality and it

should explain why the inequality is a serious issue

1. Gender Equality
   
2. Age Equality
   
3. Ability Equality
   
4. Race and Ethnicity Equality
   
5. Equal Access to Green Spaces

Split students into small groups to prepare a presentation about an area of inequality. Students can use the information on the fact files and other sources of information they have access to – newspapers, the internet, etc.

Each presentation should last one minute and should explain why the inequality is a serious issue.

Discussion part 2

After listening to the presentations,  vote for the inequality ypu feel requires the most

action and would like to think about more with your class. You cannot vote for the inequality you presented on.

After voting: 

In your group, ceate an ‘impact chain’ for the inequality the class voted for. Write down all of the impacts you can think of that will come about as a result of the inequality.

Think about impacts on individuals, family, local community, the whole country and globally. Also think about impacts economically, socially, politically and environmentally.

Impact chain

To me, inequality is....

Homework activity:

See if you can find something that represents inequality in your local area, even something you see on your journey home from school. 

You could either take a photo or write a short description of it and describe the impact of that inequality. 

Bring your description and/or photo to class next time.