Lemons

From Community Narrations

Aims of the activity[edit]

- Highlight the diversity of supposedly homogeneous groups.
- To reflect on your own prejudices and stereotypes.

Resources, Materials needed[edit]

- A basket full of lemons as many lemons as there are participants.
- Flipchart.
- Markers, pens and paper.

Duration in minutes[edit]

45 - 60 minutes.

Step-by-step - what has to be done[edit]

1. Facilitator shows the class a lemon from a distance and asks the group to describe the lemon. Then the participants are asked to shout out their descriptions and the facilitator writes them on a flip chart with the title "Lemons are...".
2. After this, each participant receives their own lemon and is asked to describe it. They write down their description OR record it via a voice recording. They have to be as accurate as possible. When they are finished, they return their lemons to the facilitator which will put it back to the basket.
3. The facilitator passes the basket around and asks participants to find their lemon. Each participant chooses their lemon and reads their description of the lemon.
4. Once everyone has chosen their lemon (or possibly another), the group discusses the exercise. Key questions for the discussion should be:

  1. How did you recognize your own lemon?
  2. How do participants' individual descriptions match the description of lemons given at the beginning of the exercise?
  3. Are there any differences?
  4. What are those differences?
  5. Can you relate this exercise to your daily life?
  6. What happens when we judge people from far away?

Learning Outcomes - which skills are adressed?[edit]

- Self-reflection.
- Critical thinking.

How do you check the outcomes are reached?[edit]

Facilitator must take attention to the involvement of participants. If lack of language skills might hinder the exercise, it can be adapted in different ways. For instance, the participants can be grouped together OR record their descriptions on audio/video and these will be played during the presentation of each lemon.

Further Links/Readings[edit]

Brochure "Solidarität Global Lernen" by ebasa (in German).

Please upload any further document[edit]

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1DQUOiTNqtOAYOttI_B8E3P81mWpEh81O