Exploring identity and perceptions about it: identity charts

A teacher can design a lesson to help her pupils explore their identities in order to get to know them and ensure that they feel seen in the classroom. First, the teacher establishes the context for the debate by defining identity. The teacher then shows pupils images of their faces and asks them to estimate their "identification features". Following that, the teacher reveals the genuine details and leads a class discussion. To complete the project, students create their own "identity pictures", or half-face photographs.

For middle school pupils, the education organization Facing History and Ourselves proposes a similar project called "who am I?". To begin, teachers choose some key historical figures or fictional characters, thinking inclusively and avoiding stereotypes, choosing a diverse range of people from various backgrounds, and ask students to discuss "factors such as religion, gender, and geography" that influenced their identities.