Viking warrior

https://www.thelocal.se/20170908/confirmed-viking-warrior-was-a-woman

Over one hundred years ago a viking grave was discovered in Birka, Sweden. Along with the body in the grave was a sword and shield, a spear and axe, arrows, two horses and a strategy board showing the person was a military leader who planned battles.

The grave has been called "the ultimate warrior viking grave" by historians and it was always assumed the viking was male.

But historian Anna Kjellstrom a historian from Stockholm University was studying the bones for another project and noticed the bones resembled those of a female. DNA tests were carried out and the conclusion was that the viking warrior was female.

Anna wrote; "The image of the male warrior was reinforced by research traditions and preconceptions. Hence the biological sex of the individual was taken for granted."

What do you see in the picture?
What do you think the story could be?

Explain the story

- What is your image of a viking warrior?
- Why did everyone always think this warrior was a man?
- What does this show about the way we often see male and female roles?
- What is a gender stereotype?
- Anna wrote, "the biological sex was taken for granted" what does she mean?
- How is this story an example of a gender stereotype?
- What does this story show about how some women were treated in viking times?
- What does this story show about ideas about history? (ideas can change)
- What can we learn from Anna Kjellstrom?
- What can we learn from this viking warrior?
- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

"No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in primary schools" by Andrew Moffat

"Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: preparing young children for life in modern Britain" by Andrew Moffat

Diverse Birmingham

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-43755833

One billion people around the world watched as Birmingham celebrated its diversity and demonstrated people of different race, religion, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation and disability working together to welcome the word to their city. The theme was "Welcome to the human race"

Watch the full 6 minute show in the BBC link above. The show, performed in Victoria Square, Birmingham used a one-shot camera,  and involved two thousand dancers performing a mix of ballet, break-dance and modern dance. We saw performers young and old, Black, White and Asian, male and female. There were different married couples - men and women, women and women and two men and also drag queens performing on a fountain. The performance ended with dancers forming in to #BRUM.

What do you see in the picture?

Where was it taken?

What does it say? What is it about?

Explain the story, watch the film on the link

- What different people did you notice in the film? 

-Why do you think Birmingham chose to involve so many different people?

- What does "Welcome to the human race" mean? Why do you think Birmingham chose this as a theme?

- What is Birmingham trying to show the world?

- How does Birmingham feel about its diverse people?

- Are there other cities in the UK like Birmingham? 

- (If your school is outside Birmingham, ask, could this have worked in our city?)

- What can we learn from all the performers in this film?

- What can we learn from Birmingham?

- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

"No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the equality act in primary schools" by Andrew Moffat

"Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain" by Andrew Moffat

Refugee Football Team

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/apr/12/middlesbrough-refugees-football-community

More than 40 refugees and asylum seekers are meeting once a week in Middlesbrough to play football, learn English and make friends. The team was established by MFC Foundation and a local Methodist Asylum, project.

Paul South, from MFC Foundation says, "The guys really enjoy it...wearing the Boro kit gives them a sense of identity."

The club was started by John Yarro in 2013. John was walking though his local park and he noticed a group of refugees hanging about. John went over and asked them, "Would you be happy if I can bring a football and we can play?" they all said yes.

Now there teams for men and women with over 30 different nationalities. The team has progressed to the top division of Stockton Sunday league.

Sometimes the players face difficulty; at one match this season two players were sent off by the ref for not speaking English and sometimes opponents make racist comments. But John says, "It's not just about football but about challenging that sort of behaviour in society. We're proud of what we have achieved with all these challenges - hopefully one day we will produce a professional player."

What do you see in the picture?
Where was the photo taken?
What do you notice about the people in the photo - in what ways are they similar and different?

Explain the story

- What is a refugee?
- Why do some people travel to live in different places?
- Why do you think John Yarrow decided to start the football project?
- How can playing in a football team giver someone a "sense of identity"?
- Why do you think a refugee / asylum seeker might feel they have lost their sense of identity?
- There are 30 different nationalities in the teams; what does this show about the people in the teams and how they feel about difference and diversity?
- Why do you think the ref chose to send off players for not speaking English? Why do you think the players were not speaking English? In what other ways could the ref have responded to that situation?
- Why are some players in other teams making racist comments? How can that be stopped?
- What can we learn from John Yarrow?
- What can we learn from this football team?
- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

"No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in Primary Schools" by Andrew Moffat

"Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain" by Andrew Moffat

Refugees welcome

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/syrian-refugees-yorkshire-halloumi-cheese-from-fleeing-isis-and-assad-to-world-cheese-award-a7616046.html

When Razan Alsous first came to the UK in 2013 to escape war in Syria, she struggled to find work despite having a pharmacy degree. She says, "It's not easy to settle in to a new place when you didn't plan to do so. I needed to start a new life in a place where I don't have any friends, family or relation."

In Syria, Razan would eat Halloumi cheese for breakfast and she noticed in the UK that the cheese was not always available so she started making it for her family. In Syria, Halloumi is made from sheep or goat's milk but Razan started using local Yorkshire cows milk, and she loved the taste.

Razan was able to combine skills she learned in Syria with produce made in her new home and with a loan of £2500 from a local enterprise company, she set up Yorkshire Dama Chesese in 2014. In 2016 her cheese won the World Cheese Award Gold prize and Razan has been recognised by the Prime Minister on International Women's Day 2015. Her cheese has won 17 food awards.

Razan employs locals and refugees at Yorkshire Dama Cheese. She says local support helped make her company a success; "I count this as my home. So when people ask me now where I am from, I say I am from Yorkshire."

What do you see in the picture?
Where do you think the photo was taken?
What do you notice about the people in the photo (similarities and differences)
One of these people is the boss - which one do you think is the boss?

Explain the story
- Why did Razan leave Syria?
- How did Razan feel when she first arrived in the UK?
- How did Razan find work?
- What makes Razan's cheese different?
- Razan employs local people and refugees. What does this show about what Razan thinks about difference and diversity?
- How is Razan's work affecting Yorkshire?
- Some people think refugees should not come to the UK. What would this story show people who are scared of difference and diversity?
- Why does Razan say, "When people ask me where I am from, I say I am from Yorkshire."
- What does this show us about the UK and community cohesion? (what is community cohesion?)
- What can we learn from Razan?
- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

"No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in primary schools" by Andrew Moffat

"Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: preparing young children for life in modern Britain" by Andrew Moffat

equalitiesprimary

Hug a Muslim

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/muslim-man-stood-blindfolded-centre-13106174

Following the attack on the MEN Arena in Manchester in May 2017, a Muslim man Baktash Noori stood blindfolded in the centre of the city with a sign saying, 

"I'm a Muslim and I trust you. Do you trust me enough for a hug?"

and he waited.

Some people walked past but after about 30 seconds an older man walked past and read the sign, he then turned back and approached Baktash and hugged him. As he hugged the older man said, "You're not alone, kid. And don't think you're outside."

Straight away a woman approached Baktash and hugged him, saying, "Love you". Dozens of people then did the same.

Baktash said, "With every hug I received the comments were amazing. Some were getting all teary and it's not hard to tell by a person's hug and tone of voice how much better their and my day became because of this."

Show the first picture

What do you see? What do you think is happening? Where is the picture taken? What do you notice about the person standing in the photo with their arms outstretched?

Explain the story

Show the next photos as you tell the story to show the different people that hugged Baktash. What do you notice about the people hugging Baktash.

- Why is Baktash doing this?

- Why do you think he wore a blindfold?

- At first no one stopped - why?

- The first hug came from a man who read the sign as he walked past and then he went back to hug Baktash. Why do you think he carried on walking at first?

- Why did the man say to Baktash, "Don't think you're outside"? What does he mean?

- Straight away another person hugged Baktash - why?

- Baktash was hugged by many people; black, white, old, young, male female, with disabilities, probably different faith, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender; what does this show about people of Manchester?

- Do you think this could happen in our city? Why? Are people in our city different to people in Manchester?

- Next week a small group of people who don't understand about No Outsiders or about diversity say they are planning to hurt people. What could they learn from this story?

- Baktash is a grown man and he did this as an experiment. Is it safe for a child to do this experiment? Would Baktash want to see children doing this? Why not? 

- Why are some people afraid of difference? (because some people don't understand about No Outsiders; some people think we all have to be the same. We know that's not the case - we know it's ok to be different, and our city is better because we are all different)

- If you see something that makes you feel worried, what must you do? (Keep safe, tell an adult)

- Think about this story and all the stories we've looked at in assemblies this year; what do they show most people in the UK think about diversity and difference?

- What can we learn from this story?

- Why is this story about No Outsiders

Gender Equality Barbie

https://edition.cnn.com/2018/03/06/us/barbie-dolls-inspiring-women-trnd/index.html

To celebrate international women's day the makers of Barbie dolls have released a new group of dolls based on real life, inspirational women. Mattel surveyed 80,000 mothers around the world and found that 80% were worried about role models for their daughters.

Among the inspirational women is Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly across the Atlantic ocean, Katherine Johnson, an African-American mathematician whose work in NASA space programmes ensured successful space travel, and Mexican artist Frida Khalo.

There are 14 'Sheroes' from 11 countries. The group includes a film director, journalist, a fashion designer, an entrepreneur and an Olympic snowboarder. Mattel Spokeswoman Marissa beck says, "The inspiring women series pays tribute to incredible heroines of their time; courageous women who took risks, changed rules and paved the way for generations of girls to dream bigger than ever before."

What do you see in the picture?

Are these dolls different to dolls you usually see in shops? How?

What do you think the story behind these dolls might be?

Explain the story

- What is a Barbie doll?

- What is the image you have of a Barbie doll? 

- What is a role model?

- Why do you think so many mothers were worried about role models for children who play with dolls?

- Think about dolls that are male and dolls that are female- how are they often different?

- Why do you think Mattel want children to play with a doll of the first woman to fly across the Atlantic, or a doll of an Olympic snowboarder? 

- Are these dolls just for girls?

- What are these dolls teaching children?

- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

"No Outsiders in our school: teaching the Equality Act in Primary School" by Andrew Moffat

"Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: preparing young children for life in modern Britain" by Andrew Moffat

Civil rights

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/mar/09/civil-rights-pioneer-viola-desmond-is-first-woman-on-canadian-currency?CMP=share_btn_fb

In 1946 Viola Desmond was on a business trip when her car broke down 100 miles from Halifax, Canada. While her car was being repaired she decided to go to the local cinema. The cinema was segregated; white people were seated downstairs and black people were seated in the balcony. Viola tried to buy a downstairs ticket because she was short sighted, but she was refused. She bought a ticket for the balcony but sat downstairs. Viola was dragged out of the cinema, arrested and spent 12 hours in jail. She was later fined $26.

Viola died in 1965 but her story helped start the civil rights movement in Canada.

In 2010 the government apologised to Viola and pardoned her. 

On 8th March 2018, 72 years after Viola stood up to discrimination, the government announced her face would feature on the new $10 bill. Viola is the first Canadian woman and first black person to have their face used on a bank note. Viola's sister, Wanda Robson, unveiled the banknote. Wanda said, "It's beyond what I ever thought. It's beautiful. I say thank you thank you thank you. Our family will go down in history - in history, imagine that!"

What do you see in the picture?

What do you think is happening?

Where is it? 

Are there any clues on the screen as to what  the story is about?

Explain the story

- What does segregation mean?

-  Why were some places segregated? (Because in the past many people didn't understand about difference and diversity and thought black and white people could not work together. This meant some countries had laws separating people because of their skin)

- What law do we have in the UK today to make sure segregation does not happen today? (The Equality Act 2010)

- In 1946 Viola broke the law when she sat downstairs in the cinema. Why did she choose to do that?

- How do you think she felt when she chose to sit downstairs?

- When Viola was arrested and fined, how do you think she felt?

- What was the Civil Rights movement?

- The government has chosen to put Viola's face on a $10 bill. What does this show us about how they feel about her actions in 1946?

- What does this show us about ideas and how ideas can change?

- How would Viola feel if she knew she was on a $10 bill in 2018?

- Why does Wanda say, "Our family will go down in history- imagine that!"?

- What can we learn from Viola?

- What can we learn from the Canadian government?

- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

"No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in primary schools" by Andrew Moffat

"Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain" by Andrew Moffat