Lesson Plan: Observing Inclusion and Institutional Behavior on Campus

Learning Objectives

1. Students will identify visible signs of inclusion and exclusion on campus by analyzing symbols, policies, and classroom behaviors. Example: noticing Pride flags in common areas compared to the absence of crosses or Bibles on desks.
2. Students will evaluate how institutional practices shape classroom dialogue and influence which viewpoints feel safe to express. Example: observing when instructors avoid topics involving religion, race, or political disagreement.

Learning Outcomes

1. Students will document at least three examples of selective inclusion based on campus observations. Example: tampons in men’s restrooms vs. restrictions on religious symbols.
2. Students will explain how institutional norms affect student learning using evidence from class discussions or campus spaces. Example: describing how instructors redirect conversations that challenge dominant narratives.

5E Learning Model

Engage: Students view images of campus spaces (desks, restrooms, offices) and discuss what symbols or messages appear most often.

Explore: Students walk through designated campus areas to observe visible inclusion practices and note what is present vs. absent.

Explain: Students share findings and connect them to concepts of inclusion, conformity, and institutional culture.

Elaborate: Small groups analyze how selective inclusion influences classroom dialogue, student comfort, and intellectual diversity.

Evaluate: Students reflect on whether campus inclusion practices support or limit diverse viewpoints.

Formative Assessment

Exit Ticket: Students write one observed example of selective inclusion and one question they still have about how institutions shape which viewpoints are welcomed or avoided.

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