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LifeSkills Handbook Activity 4

This is a single activity session plan from The Lifeskills Handbook. There are 61 activity sessions altogether. The handbook is available from our resources section where you’ll also find downloadable storybooks, books and posters to help you in your work.

LifeSkills Handbook Activity 4
Identity Factors: What are Identity Factors?

Purpose of activity: To understand the factors that makes up a person’s identity

Life skills: Self-awareness, Creative thinking

Important points

The point of this activity is to separate identity and behaviour. Children who regard themselves as ‘bad people’ may feel that nothing can be done about this. It is important to show them that they are not bad, though their behaviour may sometimes be bad. They can control and change behaviour.

These ideas are important but may seem a bit abstract. You can try the activity first with a group of friends, colleagues or older children and ask their feedback. Adapt this activity carefully if you are translating it into another language.

Materials

  • Poster with the following sets of identity factor symbols.
  • Sets of five cards, each card showing one identity factor symbol. You need enough sets for each pair for example five sets for 10 children.

Steps

  1. In the whole group, repeat the sentence, I can do it here. For each word hold up the corresponding symbol.
  2. Divide the children into groups of four and give each group a complete set of cards with the five identity factor symbols.
  3. Each child repeats the sentence but putting different stresses on the words. The group discusses how this changes the meaning of the sentence. (If the children cannot read ask them to repeat the sentence after you.)
  4. Do this again, this time one child holds up the relevant identity factor symbols in turn as another one repeats the sentence. The others in the group say which was the identity factor stressed.
  5. When all the children in the group have done this, one child holds up the symbols in turn as the rest of the group repeats the sentence. The person with the symbols stands up when they want group to emphasise one of the symbols.Divide the group into pairs. In pairs they then lay one set of symbols onto the floor in the following order:
    • Identity
    • Beliefs
    • Skills
    • Behaviour
    • Environment
  1. The children step on each identity factor and say something about themselves in relation to this identity factor. The educator practices this with the whole group first by asking the children to repeat the following sentences. Then, in pairs, the children take it in turns to finish the sentence so that their partner can hear their answers.

  1. Ask children to volunteer to repeat their identity factors to the whole group.

Final discussion

Were their aspects of your identity which you liked, did not like? Why? 

Follow-up

Children can design their own identity factor symbols.

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