1. Be Humankind What makes us human?
Learning Objective: To explore what makes us human.
I can enquire into what I think it means to be human.
I can define the term humanity.
I can explore the concept of humanity through the Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.

2. What makes the human species different?
If a chimp is our most common ancestor – what makes humans different?
Show students the two clips of chimpanzees. Use this to get students thinking about the question what makes us human? What makes us different from our common ancestor?
– clip 1
clip 2 memory

3. What makes us human bingo?
Draw a 3x3 bingo grid in your books. Write inside your grid 9 qualities/features you think humans have which make them human.
Students are going to play a game of bingo so they need to draw a 3x3 grid in their books. They need to write inside of their grid all the things they think make us human. On the next slide are some people’s different ideas of what makes us human, if their idea is read out they can cross it off their grid.
If you hear your idea being read out you can cross it off your bingo grid.
These qualities have been chosen from the most common responses to people answering this question.

4. What makes us human bingo?
Conversation/Speech
DNA
Power
Love
Opposable thumbs
Intelligence
Reveal the different ideas – feel free to add any of your own. Award greens to those who get a line/full house. If no one gets a full house award greens to whoever has the most crossed off their sheet. Take some feedback here. Are there any features/qualities they think have been missed off? Write any of their ideas on the board.
Empathy/Compassion
Kindness
Walking on two legs
Teamwork
Facial features

5. What makes us human? Power Conversation/Speech DNA Love
If we didn’t have some of these qualities would we still be human?
Which qualities MUST we have to be human?
Love
Opposable thumbs
Intelligence
Kindness
Now discuss with students which of these qualities they think we absolutely must have in order to be human. I.e. if we didn’t have some of these qualities would we still be human? Which qualities must we have to be human?
Teamwork
Walking on two legs
Facial features
Empathy/Compassion

6. What makes us human?
In your books write down five things you think makes us human – choose your most important.
Students now need to write down 5 things they think make us human. Encourage them to justify their top choice.

7. Be Humankind What makes us human?
Learning Objective: To explore what makes us human.
I can enquire into what I think it means to be human.
I can define the term humanity.
I can explore the concept of humanity through the Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.

8. Humanity
When we talk about being human we often use the word humanity.
Keyword: Humanity
The quality of being kind to people and animals by making sure that they do not suffer more than is necessary; the quality of being humane.
Over the next few lessons we are going to be exploring the questions:
‘Can you ever stop being human?’
Do you stop being human if you no longer have humanity?

9. Humanity in Action!
A few pictures from Buzzfeed’s page – ‘Pictures that will restore your faith in humanity.’

10. Be Humankind What makes us human?
Learning Objective: To explore what makes us human.
I can enquire into what I think it means to be human.
I can define the term humanity.
I can explore the concept of humanity through the Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.

11. Humanity through The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas…
We are going to explore humanity through the film ‘The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.’ You will need to look out for when the characters show humanity and when they don’t.
Keep in mind our key question: Can you ever stop being human?
As you are watching the film you will need two different colour pens/highlighters...
Colour One: Examples of each character showing humanity.
Colour Two: Examples of each character not showing humanity.

12. Discussion Points
Where have you seen peer pressure so far in the film?
Does peer pressure excuse your actions?
How innocent/naïve is Bruno in the opening scenes?
How much do you think Bruno’s father is happy to follow his orders?
What propaganda is being used?
Make sure you pause the film in order to discuss what students are seeing in order to develop and their thinking and give them chance to respond to the issues raised in the film. There are 4 discussion questions on the slide to help you with this, e.g. what propaganda is being used, how innocent is Bruno in the opening scenes? etc.

13. So far… What examples of humanity have you seen?
What examples of inhumanity have you seen?
To finish the lesson ask students to give examples from their notes of when they have seen both humanity and inhumanity in the film so far.

14. Be Humankind What makes us human?
Learning Objective: To explore what makes us human.
I can enquire into what I think it means to be human.
I can define the term humanity.
I can explore the concept of humanity through the Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.