Status Exercise:

Teacher Preparation: Cut up 20 (or more in multiples of 4 depending on your class size) one inch by one inch squares. Label each one with a number from 1 to 4 so that you have five sets in total. Do not let your students see what number you are placing on their heads. You should end up with 5 students in each group.

Instructions to the students: Number ones are the best! You only want to associate with other number ones, but you may talk to number twos although you won't initiate conversations with them. Number twos really want to talk to number ones but feel more comfortable with number twos, they will listen to number threes, but won't talk to them. Number threes may serve number ones, they may try to socialize with number twos, but they feel most comfortable with threes. They will listen to number fours, but won't initiate conversation with them. Numer fours are the lowest. They usually only have conversations with other Number fours because higher numbers won't listen to them. They may serve ones, twos or threes.

These are the only rules. There is a lot of room for variety. Decide on a type of coctail party with a certain theme. Perhaps it is Status in Georgia, US in 1866, or maybe it is Status in the White House 2008, or maybe it is Status at a Hip Hop Club for young people, or Status in the ancient Indian Caste System. Try different scenarios as you change the numbers on the students foreheads so that everyone gets to try a variety of statuses.

Talkback:
1) What was it like for you?
2) What did you discover?
3) Anything else?