Identity Webs and Perspectives

Overview

This is lesson 4 of 5 in the Respectful Learning Journey unit. Students distinguish personal perspective from assumptions about others while creating an identity web that may be private, fictional, or based on low-risk examples. The lesson develops respectful communication, reflection, and careful use of generalisations.

Learning intentions

• I can describe three to five influences on my identity.
• I can distinguish my perspective from a claim about everyone.
• I can share personal information respectfully and choose what remains private.
• I can reflect on assumptions people should avoid.

Success criteria

• I can complete an identity web with three to five influences.
• I can use “This is part of my experience” rather than speaking for everyone.
• I can use a respectful sentence frame or choose to pass.
• I can identify one assumption people should avoid.

Curriculum links

• Alberta Number — students relate fractions to quotients: students practise representing one idea in more than one way and explaining how representations communicate meaning.
• Alberta Number — students apply equivalence to the interpretation of ratios and rates: students consider how different perspectives may describe related experiences without assuming they are identical.
• Alberta Algebra — students analyse expressions and solve algebraic equations: students identify and clarify the meaning of terms such as identity, perspective, and assumption when interpreting statements.
• The lesson also supports transferable Alberta competencies in communication, critical thinking, and respectful collaboration; the supplied descriptors are mathematics-focused and do not directly assess identity learning.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–8 min · Review and safety. Teacher opens with the review and choice slides and reviews identity (parts of how we understand ourselves), perspective (a way of seeing or understanding something), and assumption (an idea treated as true without enough evidence). Teacher explicitly states that students choose what is private and are never required to disclose family, culture, language, faith, gender, disability, or other personal information. Students respond to a neutral prompt, such as “What can influence someone’s interests?” without naming personal details.

2. 8–18 min · Model an identity web. Teacher displays the identity-web modelling slides and models a non-sensitive web with family, language, interests, place, and values, making clear that these are examples rather than requirements. Think aloud: “Language is part of my experience” is different from “Everyone experiences language in the same way.” Students identify which statements describe one person and which incorrectly generalise.

3. 18–40 min · Create independently. Teacher distributes the identity web and perspective worksheet and offers blank paper, drawing, symbols, typing, or speech-to-text. Students create an identity web with three to five influences, choosing personal, fictional, or low-risk examples. They may use the vocabulary bank and work privately; the teacher conferences quietly, asking, “How does this influence connect to the person in your example?” rather than requesting personal disclosure.

4. 40–50 min · Optional partner sharing. Teacher uses the optional sharing and sentence-frame slides to establish that sharing requires permission and passing is always acceptable. Students may share one influence with a partner using “One influence on my identity is…,” “This is my experience; it may not be true for everyone,” or “I would like to pass.” Partners listen without questioning private details or speaking for a group.

5. 50–56 min · Reflect on assumptions. Teacher asks students to complete the reflection section of the identity web and perspective worksheet: “One assumption people should avoid is….” Students give a specific, respectful example and explain why it may be inaccurate or harmful. Students may write, draw, type, dictate, or use speech-to-text.

6. 56–60 min · Self-check and close. Teacher displays the self-check and closing slide and invites students to review the success criteria. Students complete the checklist, then submit or keep the web according to classroom policy. The teacher reminds students that unfinished or private work is still valid learning evidence.

Resources

• the identity, modelling, sharing, and self-check slide deck
• the identity web and perspective worksheet
• Blank paper
• Pencils and coloured pencils
• Digital template and device access
• Vocabulary bank
• Sentence frames
• Dyslexia-friendly copies in Arial or Verdana, 14-point
• Optional headphones and speech-to-text tools

Assessment

• Confer briefly with students during independent work, checking for three to five influences and asking whether examples are personal perspectives rather than claims about everyone.
• Review completed webs or private checklists; accept drawings, symbols, typed responses, oral responses, and fictional examples as evidence.
• Use the final reflection and self-check to identify whether students can name an assumption to avoid and use a respectful sharing choice.

Differentiation

• Provide partially completed organisers, a word bank, read-aloud directions, sentence starters, visual examples, and extra processing time.
• Offer oral response, drawing, typing, speech-to-text, or a fictional/low-risk identity web; provide dyslexia-friendly Arial or Verdana copies in 14-point text.
• Do not require partner sharing or personal disclosure. Allow students to pass, work privately, or share only a teacher-approved section.
• For advanced learners, write a short paragraph explaining how two influences interact and how perspective can change across contexts, while avoiding claims about other people or groups.