Students will examine two of the groups they discussed in Activity 1. They will look at who belongs to them and why these groups exist (their purpose). Students will consider how a group can work to make a change in the school environment.

Learning intentions

• identify and describe the purposes of groups
• explore how individuals and members of a group can work together to make a change in a community.

How will we know we have done these things?

We will be able to:

• describe why people in our class and community belong to groups by completing a graphic organiser
• look at actions individuals, pairs and groups of students could do to address a littering problem in a school
• evaluate the action plan presented by groups to address the littering issue.

Key social studies concepts

• identity
• belonging
• groups
• relationships

Processing knowledge

• analyse
• explain
• compare

Reflecting on knowledge

• plan/predict
• imagine
• evaluate

What you need

• access to information from Activity 1.
• copy of Graphic organiser: Groups with a purpose
• flow chart: Many hands together

Background reading

'Why do people belong and identify with groups?'

Groups fulfill many purposes. Most frequently, people join a group to meet their own needs. These needs include:

• Identity with others
• Friendship and relationships with others
• Showing leadership and abilities/control

People gain a lot by belonging to a group.  An individual may not be able to complete a project that a group takes on.  A group provides solidarity, support and shared expertise.

Types of groups

We can identify three main types of groups.

a) Social and peer groupsThese are primarily for support, belonging and friendship. Peer groups can be quite spontaneous and emerge around an event (such as a Birthday party or a trip to the movies) or a place (the playground). Social groups include kapa haka, a youth group or a sports team. Some sport's teams become more like a work group!

b) Identity groups   These are groups that form as a result of a unifying identity - such as ethnic, national, religious, political or geographic identity. They can be formal groups, people make a conscious choice to attend, or informal.

c) Purpose groups  These exist to complete a particular task - such as a Board of trustees, a fund-raising group, a political group or a Committee. Even a workplace could be classed as this type of group - all members work together to meet a goal at the end. Hands up! enables students to examine ways individuals and groups work to make a change in their communities.

A think-pair-share activity involves giving students individually a question. Give them a minute or so to think and record their answers. Turn to a partner and share and compare their ideas. Then each pair joins another and shares their ideas in a small group. These groups are then ideal to begin work together on the issue.

1 - Group talk

All levels

Choose two of the groups identified in your class and explore why people belong to these groups. Encourage students to discover that many groups form more than one purpose. A conversation could look like this:

Crafted conversations

Teacher: One of the groups from our class was a soccer team. Why do people play in a soccer team?

Student: To have fun.

Teacher: Yes, and what else?

Student: To get better at soccer.

Teacher: Yes, good - soccer provides fun and a chance to learn new skills - but how does a team differ from a group of friends that meet up and have a game in the backyard?

2 - Graphic organiser: Groups with a purpose

Levels 1-2

This exercise could be done together by enlarging the graphic organiser on to A3 paper and doing it together with the teacher. The following group of words could be enlarged and cut up to offer early readers some options for the purpose of groups section after their own contributions have been recorded.

Purposes of groups

• fun
• work as a team
• support
• friendship
• raise money
• gain skills
• continue traditions
• make places safe
• represent others
• get fit
• enjoy my cultural background
• what others?

Levels 3-4

Students can complete the graphic organiser is small groups or individually.

Graphic organiser: Groups with a purpose

3 - Groups for action

Levels 1 - 2     Teachers could do this on a writing frame together with the class.

Levels 3 - 4   Complete as individuals/ pairs/groups

Many groups get together to take some kind of action or create change in their communities. These groups work to influence people in power to achieve the change they want. In pairs, discuss the following issue for a school community.

Just imagine your school had a big problem with students littering (replace this with another issue relevant to your school if you wish). By the end of every lunch time there is rubbish all over the play ground.

• What could you do about it?
• What you and one friend do about it?
• What could a group of students do about it?

a) Ask the students to think-pair-share the three questions (write them on the board). Join with another pair to form a group of four and complete the Flow chart. Groups could share their ideas with the class.

Flow chart: Many hands together

b) Ask the class to be 'constructive and critical' thinkers and as the groups share their ideas. Give feedback to the group on their ideas and suggest issues that may be a problem. Give each group the 'right of reply' to address issues raised.

It's your move!

If your school does have a littering issue, why not put some of these plans into action?!