Irish Bhangra

 

https://www.rte.ie/news/newslens/2021/0317/1204445-st-patricks-day-bhangra-dance/?fbclid=IwAR3jTn2FSIpoalvtVCJI8fb4E-m-6I10pa50t3fHitL_BVzp7n6FKzjAcyw

A group of Bhangra dancers performed a Bhangra dance with an Irish twist on St Patricks day to celebrate their two cultures.

Gurpreet Singh, Charnjit Singh and Kanwar Singh said their goal is to "spread this unique dance culture to a wider audience and give a platform to their growing community in Ireland, for our kids to stay connected to their roots."

You can see the dance in the link above. 

- what is Bhangra dancing? 

- watching the video, how have the dancers included an Irish twist to their performance? (the music has an Irish flavour)

- what is St Patricks day?

- why do you think Gurpreet, Charnjit and Kanwar decided to perform this on St Patricks day?

- what are they showing about Ireland today?

- "for our kids to stay connected to their roots." what does this mean? what are roots?

- are roots important? why?

- what can we learn from Gurpreet, Charnjit and Kanwar?

- what does this show about different cultures in 2021? (we can live alongside each other and we can also learn from each other)

- why is this about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders: Everyone different, everyone welcome by Andrew Moffat

www.no-ousiders.com

trans bill

 

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/brave-young-boys-urge-lawmakers-114550768.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAMW36E3zVH7DatLDXhNGOz5xSRR0FxTBeCyOQE3ponupPZqQrgq8l3JPYXPC0BvbrnbNC701mrqIJQ-Um10cFqHb36oAecfZpkyX_rpDKF1UKGpQW8nJAGcWTNwQzPnrIBFst36yZHFfGG9YGuZFAKcNduaGTq0Heq8OfAPTwl7i

Liam and Evan Oliver are brothers living in Florida, USA. Last month they spoke up at a meeting of lawmakers at their state capitol building against a law that was being voted. They argued the proposed law bullied their trans friends.

The law, which is currently being being debated in 25 states including Florida, would stop trans women competing in school sports teams that align with their gender identity. This means a trans girl would have to compete in a boys' team instead.

Liam and Evan spoke at the debate and claimed the bill was bullying trans people. Liam said he had a trans friend, Sam, "who is already bullied enough for being who he is."

Liam argued he was opposing this 'anti trans law' because it is "unconstitutional, as the 14th amendment gives every person equal protection under the law regardless of gender identity."

Evan argued, "It's also unfair to give trans kids more trouble than they already have. I was taught growing up that you should stop hurting people if you already are. Don't hurt trans girls. Vote no."

There is a link to the speech in the link above. It was shared by Democrat congresswoman, Anna Vishkaee Eskamani who said, "We're fighting right alongside you." Anna said, "Excluding a kid from playing a sport they want to play because they're in the process of gender transition feels really wrong."

On 8th April lawmakers in a different state in the US, West Virginia, voted to pass the same bill. Campaigners against the bill in the state argue, "there is no evidence that supports the need for this legislation, and it will jeopardize the well being of transgender kids across the state - who just want to play." Campaigners are saying they will not give up. 

In Arkansas, March 2012, a law called the Medical Ethics and Diversity Act was passed that allows doctors to refuse treatment on religious, moral or ethical grounds. Some people are worried this means a doctor could now legally refuse to treat a person who is LGBT+ because of religious objection.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/arkansas-doctors-lgbtq-patients-religion-b1824456.html

The vote in Florida is ongoing.

- what is this law about?

- what is gender identity? What is a trans girl or a trans boy? (gender identity is the gender you identify as.  Some people know their gender identity is different to the one they were given at birth so a trans girl is a child who is now living as girl, knowing that is who they are regardless of who they were told to be when they were younger. It's just another way children are different)

- why do you think some people are arguing a trans girl should not play on a girls' sports team?

- how do you think the girl would feel to be told, you have to play on the boys team?

- how do you think the boys' team would feel about that decision?

- Who do you think should decide what team a child plays on?

- "Sam, who is already bullied enough for being who he is." why do you think Sam is being bullied?

- How will this law, if it is passed, affect Sam and how will it affect the people bullying him?

- "Excluding a kid from playing a sport they want to play because they're in the process of gender transition feels really wrong." what dos this mean? What is gender transition?

- What can we learn from Evan and Liam?

- what can we learn from the result in West Virginia and the vote in Arkansas? (that not everyone agrees with equality and we have to keep talking about this)

- what can we do about these votes and laws? (keep talking, be clear what we say in our school about equality)

- why is this about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders: Everyone different, everyone welcome by Andrew Moffat

ww.no-outsiders.com

penguin

 

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/feb/26/strange-pale-penguin-rare-yellow-and-white-bird-discovered-among-king-penguins-in-atlantic

A pale penguin with yellow feathers has been spotted among the hundreds of thousands of black and white King penguins on the beach at South Georgia. Scientists since have been debating how the penguin looks so different with some calling an albino penguin and some saying it could be in "ino-bird".

Whatever the reason for it's difference, all the scientists are saying it is a beautiful bird. 

Scientists are debating whether the bird will face disadvantage because of its different colour; for example, it could be easier to spot by prey and also the water will not camouflage the bird when it dives for food. However, others argue the bird is clearly an adult which means it has survived this far and shows it is adapting and doing well. 

The photo was taken by Belgian photographer Yves Adams . Yves describes how the penguin gave him a little show; "swam to shore just in front of us... flicked water off its feathers, walked up the sand and entered a colony of King penguins." He says he has been astonished by the reaction around the world. Everyone wants to know about the yellow penguin. Some people have even had a tattoo made of the bird!

- what colour is a penguin usually?

- what is unusual about this penguin?

- why do you think Yves noticed among hundreds of thousands of other penguins?

- why are some scientists trying to explain why the penguin is yellow and coming up with names for it?

- does it matter if there is a yellow penguin?

- what does this show us about penguins?

- Some scientists are predicting the penguin will not survive because it is different, but what are the arguments against that point of view?

- do you think the other penguins are bothered about this penguin being different?

- did Yves say the penguin looked unhappy? 

- what does this story show us about animals?

- what can we learn from this penguin?

- why is this about no outsiders?

www.no-outsiders.com

No Outsiders: everyone different, everyone welcome by Andrew Moffat

census

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56458568

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/uk-census-2021-lgbt-people-19923495

Last Sunday every household in the UK was asked to fill out a census. This happens once every ten years. The census will tell us who lives in each house in Britain today.

The first census in the UK was taken on 10 March 1801 and this year's census is the 22nd in UK history. The first record of a census in the UK was taken in 1086, ordered by William the Conqueror and called the Domesday book, however this census was more about land people owned than people who lived on it.

Today, the questions ask who lives in your house; their age, race, occupation, relationship status. People can also answer questions about any religion they may follow and this year for the first time ever people were able to say if they were LGBT.

For the first time, people over the age of 16 were able to answer a voluntary question, "is the gender you identify with the same as your sex registered at birth," and there was a follow up question asking people to specify their gender identity.

Campaigners have been asking for questions about LGBT identity to be included for the first time. Paul Martin said, "We want to encourage members of the LGBT+ community to be counted and to be proud to be included.... all of us filling in our census forms have a part to play in history - we are the first generation to be able to disclose our sexual orientation or gender identity and that's really exciting."

- what is a census, why do we have one?

- can you think of a famous bible story where two people take part in a census?

- why do you think the questions have changed since 1801?

- why do we need to know the race, age, sex of people living in each house? Do we need to know?

- why wouldn't people in the 1961 census have written down that they were gay? (it was illegal and they would have been sent to prison)

- what does that show about ideas and society changing over time?

- why are people saying it is important for people today to be able to say if they are LGBT?

- "is the gender you identify with the same as your sex registered at birth," what does this mean? what is the word for a person who identifies as a different gender to the sex they were registered at birth?

- "be counted and to be proud to be included." what does this mean? why is this important?

- how does the census help us learn about history?

- why is this about no outsiders?

Doll

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-56456514

Rosie Kneen is 6 years old and lives in Wiltshire, UK. She loves playing with dolls and has been chosen by a doll manufacturer to be the model for their new doll, Rosie Boo doll.

Rosie has Down's Syndrome which means her body looks and works in a different way to other children. The new doll looks like Rosie and she is delighted to have a doll for the first time that looks like her.

Rosie's dad says, "It's really wonderful to see Down's Syndrome represented like this."

Ian Harkin works for Lottie Dolls who made the doll and said, "It's extremely important kids get to play with a diverse toy box... and it's incredibly powerful for kids to be able to see a doll in their likeness."

- what is Downs Syndrome? (Down's Syndrome is something a person is born with which makes them look a bit different. A person with Down's Syndrome may need extra help to do some things because their body works in a different way but they still have their own personality, and things that make then who they are. It's just another way of being different. We are all different.)

- why is this the first time Rosie has a doll that looks like her? Why aren't there lots of dolls that look different? 

-how do you think Rosie feels playing with a doll that looks like her for the first time?

- "It's really wonderful to see Down's Syndrome represented like this." what does this mean?

- "It's extremely important kids get to play with a diverse toy box" why?

- "It's incredibly powerful for kids to be able to see a doll in their likeness." why?

- what can we learn from Lottie Dolls?

- why is this story about No Outsiders?

worship

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/21/christians-muslims-and-jews-to-share-faith-centre-in-berlin?fbclid=IwAR3TdSf3iDOZ34qzbWm-6jkrLn2n_QHut4PUk5h0dnU0zsDKwOh9GXqozSg

 A new place of worship is being built in Germany and will bring Christians, Muslims and Jewish people under one roof. It is being called a churmosqagogue. People who follow other faiths will also be unvited to events in a central hall.

Roland Stolte helped to start the project and said when the idea was firast suggested a few years ago, there were some fears about mixing religions or that peolpe were trying to make a new religion. But he says now people are changing their minds;  “The idea is pretty simple. We wanted to build a house of prayer and learning where thesse three religions could co-exist while retaining their own identity.” Roland said, “We want others to join us.”

Rabbi Andreas Nachama said, “It is the start of a new era where we show there is no hate between us.”

Funding has come from the government and also from donations which are expected to make 8 million euros.

-        Why do you think the building is called a churmosqagogue?

-          Why do you think this is a new thing that has made the news?

-          Why are the organisers saying other faiths can also join?

-          Why do you think some people didn’t like the idea when it was first suggested?

-          “three religions could co-exist while retaining their own identity.” Why is retaining their own identity important? Why don’t they all use the same room?

-          “It is the start of a new era where we show there is no hate between us.” Why has there been hate?

-          What does this show about the world today and difference? (we can co-exist)

-          What can we learn from this building?

-          Why is this about no outsiders?

Energy

 

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/19086641.watch-incredibly-powerful-speech-8-year-old-girl-moving-teachers-tears/?fbclid=IwAR1L0wmc1vP8ASS1--g_5hoUCRVNY5XLq6jjzwNtFHE13BwihLS4lKC5sM0

Ummihani Hanif is an eight year old child in Year 4 in school in Blackburn, UK. Recently Ummihani’s class were asked to write a short speech with the title, “If I could change the world” and she chose to write a speech about equality which has now gone viral.

You can watch Ummihani’s speech in the link above. Listen not only to the words, but also to how Ummihani says them. This was part of an oracy project.

 In her speech Ummihani compares light bulbs to humans;

“We both are different colours, different shapes and different sizes.”

“We are both made in different places… some of us are clear and some are broken.”

She then goes on to say the most important part of the lightbulb isn’t its shape, but the energy running through it;

“In the same way there is a single energy running through each person on this planet. It does not matter what you look like. It does not matter what your race is. Gender – nationality – that’s just the bulb outside… inside is who you really are – energy.”

 “Energy is who we are and energy has no colour. Energy is not black or white. Energy is not Muslim, Christian or atheist. We are clever creative universal energies and if we understood that, we would finally know what wise men and women like Martin Luther King have been trying to tell us from the dawn of time. That we are one.”

-          Why do you think Ummihani begins her speech with the line, “If I could change the world..”

-          What do you notice about the way Ummihani delivers her poem, how does she use her voice?

-          How do you think she is trying to make the audience feel?

-          Why does she compare lightbulbs to humans?

-          “there is a single energy running through each person on this planet” is there? What does she mean?

-          “It does not matter what you look like. It does not matter what your race is. Gender – nationality – that’s just the bulb outside… inside is who you really are – energy.” What does she mean by this?

-          “We are clever creative universal energies” what does this mean?

-          Who was Martin Luther King and why do you think Ummihani mentions him?

-          What can we learn from Ummihani?

        Why is this about No Outsiders?