1. Session Eleven: Valuing Differences
Total Time: 2 hours and 20 minutes

2. Session Eleven: Objectives
Understand that differences make us unique, not unequal as human beings.
Realize our own biases and how they affect our actions and responses to situations.
Be more sensitive to others with differences and be appreciative of diversity.
Strengthen their ethnic identity.
By the end of the session, we hope participants will:
1. Understand that differences make us unique, not unequal as human beings.
2. Realize our own biases and how they affect our actions and responses to situations.
3. Be more sensitive to others with differences and be appreciative of diversity.
4. Strengthen their ethnic identity.

3. Session Eleven: Layout
Overview of Session Eleven
Welcome – 15 Minutes
Meal – 30 Minutes
Parent and Youth Breakout Sessions – 50 Minutes
Group Gathering – 5 Minutes
Culture Tree Activity – 15 Minutes
Wrap-Up and Discussion – 20 Minutes
Announcements and Reminders – 5 Minutes
Closing – 5 Minutes
Session Eleven: Layout
Overview of Session Nine
Welcome – 15 Minutes
Meal – 30 Minutes
Parent and Youth Breakout Sessions – 50 Minutes
Group Gathering – 5 Minutes
Culture Tree Activity – 15 Minutes
Wrap-Up and Discussion – 20 Minutes
Announcements and Reminders – 5 Minutes
Closing – 5 Minutes

4. Materials Supply Box Poster Board for Culture Tree
Camera (is suggested)
Materials

5. Preparation Checklist
Ask an Elder or spiritual leader to be present at the session to give the opening prayer, food blessing, and closing prayer.
Tobacco and smudge pack
Arrange room for youth and parent talking circles.
Make sure there are supplies on each table for cutting, gluing, and drawing.
Draw the outline of a large tree on the poster board for the Culture Tree youth activity.
Write the following definitions (on flipchart, white board, chalk board, or sheets of paper) somewhere every family member is able to read them:
Discrimination: The act of distinguishing by discerning or exposing differences; especially to distinguish from another like object
Bias: A personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment
______________________________________________________
Preparation Checklist

6. Session Eleven: Summary
Overview of Session Eleven
YOUTH: Differences Activity and Culture Tree
PARENTS: Discussing Hate and Violence with Children
FAMILY: Family Discrimination Response Plan
Session Eleven: Summary
The session activities focus on learning about discrimination and how it might affect us. We will also discuss some ways to deal with our feelings and cope with discrimination as well as the need for respectful relationships among diverse groups. We will discuss our own biases and ways in which our biases affect our interactions with other people. We will also identify ways in which we can combat discrimination in our communities.

7. As the Families Arrive
While we are waiting for all the families to arrive, take a few minutes and draw a picture to remind you of what you learned from last session. This isn’t only for kids, parents can draw too!
Welcome and check the families in. As each person arrives, ask them to write down their favorite teaching from last session. You may ask them to make a drawing to remind them of the new teaching in their day to day lives.
Make sure to welcome the Elder appropriately.

8. Welcome
How many of you were able to hold a talking circle to discuss problem solving? Did you use the STEPS model that we learned last week? Did the STEPS model help you to find a solution to your problem?
Welcome everyone to the session. Emphasize to the families how important their participation is.
Briefly discuss the take home activity from last week. Last week the families were supposed to hold a talking circle to discuss a problem that the youth have faced (or a problem from the list in their booklets). Get feedback on how the take home activity went.
You can introduce the invited Elder to give the opening prayer. 
15 Minutes

9. Meal
Announce that it is now time for the meal. You may ask the Elder for the blessing of the food.
You can mingle with the families during the meal.
30 Minutes

10. Parent & Youth Breakout Sessions
Ask parents to split out into a separate group from their children. Direct them to their individual meeting spaces.
50 minutes

11. Youth Breakout Session
Now you may want to lead a talking circle about differences. Example questions are provided in the manual.
After leading the talking circle about differences, you can start a discussion about what sometimes happens as a result of differences: teasing.  
Ask the youth to give examples of good ways to handle teasing and people who are mean.
When the youth have exhausted their answers, have them turn to page 46 in their booklets.
You can talk about biases together.   
After the discussion ask if there are any questions.
25 Minutes

12. Youth Breakout Session
You may now choose to do the Culture Tree activity on page 19 of the Activities Manual.
25 Minutes

13. Parent Breakout Session
Discrimination Talking Circle
Parent Breakout Session
For the parent session, you may choose to lead a discussion on discrimination.
Offer some examples and allow parents to share their experiences. 
Brainstorm with the parents what to do in common everyday situations.  
25 Minutes

14. Parent Breakout Session
Spend a few minutes talking about prejudice and discrimination.
Have the parents talk about how easy it can be to judge others.
 Then, you can direct parents to page of their booklets, called “Discussing Hate and Violence with Children.” This worksheet shows some basic guidelines to follow when your child is or has been discriminated against. Ask parents to read over the worksheet about discussing hate and violence with their children over the week and bring any questions, comments, or concerns that they might have next session.
25 Minutes

15. Group Gathering 5 Minutes
Gather your families back together for the next activity.
5 Minutes

16. Culture Tree Activity 15 Minutes
Have the youth display the culture tree and give them a chance to explain it to their parents. Encourage discussion on why they chose the theme they did, and what stands out about the culture tree.
15 Minutes

17. Wrap-Up and Discussion
Lead a short discussion about our responses to discrimination and acts of hate.
Page 46 of the parent booklet and page 47 of the youth booklet contain a “family discrimination response plan” to correspond with this discussion.   
Briefly discuss the worksheet after the families have a few minutes to fill it out.
20 Minutes

18. Announcements and Reminders
Parents:
“Discussing Hate and Violence” on pages
Explain that there is no take home activity for next session. Just remind the parents to read over the “Discussing Hate and Violence” on pages
5 Minutes

19. We appreciate your participation
We appreciate your participation. This program wouldn’t be possible without you!
Our next session: Social Support
Closing prayer by Elder
Collect paperwork if needed
Closing
Tell the families how sincerely you appreciate their participation.
You may want to ask a family member or Elder to give a closing prayer before ending the session. If there is time, ask the Elder to give a short talk on the importance of today’s session.
Collect any paperwork, if needed, and/or pass out any possible items to participants.
5 Minutes