History · Year 2

Active learning ideas

Celebrating Diversity

Active learning works well for Celebrating Diversity because it lets pupils experience differences firsthand through discussion, objects, and role play. These concrete experiences help young learners move from abstract ideas to personal understanding, making the topic both memorable and meaningful.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• National Curriculum in England: History KS1, The lives of significant individuals in the past who have contributed to national and international achievements.
• National Curriculum in England: History KS1, Identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods.
• National Curriculum in England: History KS1, Develop an awareness of the past and of the people and events studied.

• 20–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 30 min · Whole Class

Circle Time: Tradition Shares

Gather pupils in a circle. Each pupil shares one family tradition or cultural item, such as food or clothing, using photos if needed. Class discusses how these add richness to the community. Teacher facilitates by modelling first and prompting connections.

What does the word 'diversity' mean?

Facilitation Tip

During Tradition Shares, allow each child to hold a small object representing their story to build focus and respect for speaking turns.

What to look for

Give each student a card with a picture of a person or an object representing a tradition. Ask them to write one sentence explaining how this item or person shows diversity and one way they could show respect to someone similar.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 02

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 35 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Diversity Artefact Hunt

Provide groups with books, images, and objects representing cultures and abilities. Pupils sort items by category, note similarities and differences, then present one finding to the class. Extend with questions on community benefits.

How do different cultures and traditions make our community a richer and more interesting place?

Facilitation Tip

For Diversity Artefact Hunt, assign each group two common items (e.g., a wooden spoon, a prayer mat) to encourage comparison and conversation.

What to look for

Pose the question: 'How do different cultures make our community a richer and more interesting place?' Encourage students to share specific examples they have learned about, such as different foods, festivals, or stories, and explain why these add value.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 03

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 25 min · Pairs

Pairs: Kindness Role Plays

Assign scenarios where pupils differ in background or ability, such as new pupil from another country. Pairs act out respectful interactions, switch roles, then share effective strategies with the group.

What is one way you can show kindness and respect to someone who is different from you?

Facilitation Tip

In Kindness Role Plays, provide sentence stems like ‘I feel respected when…’ to scaffold positive language during rehearsals.

What to look for

Show students several images depicting different family structures, abilities, or cultural celebrations. Ask them to point to the images that show diversity and briefly explain why they chose those images, using vocabulary like 'culture' or 'tradition'.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 04

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 20 min · Individual

Individual: Diversity Portrait

Pupils draw self-portraits highlighting unique traits like language or hobbies. Add labels explaining how these contribute to class diversity. Display and discuss as a gallery walk.

What does the word 'diversity' mean?

Facilitation Tip

For Diversity Portrait, model how to include at least three diverse details in a person’s appearance, clothing, or background to guide creativity.

What to look for

Give each student a card with a picture of a person or an object representing a tradition. Ask them to write one sentence explaining how this item or person shows diversity and one way they could show respect to someone similar.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by balancing personal connection with broad exposure to difference. Use storytelling to build empathy, artefacts to ground abstract ideas in tangible examples, and role play to practise respectful communication. Avoid overgeneralising cultures; instead, focus on individual experiences shared by classmates or families. Keep language simple but precise, using terms like ‘culture’ and ‘tradition’ in context.

Successful learning looks like pupils confidently sharing personal stories, respectfully handling artefacts, acting out kind interactions, and creating portraits that highlight unique qualities. They should use vocabulary like culture, tradition, and respect when explaining their choices.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Tradition Shares, watch for pupils assuming everyone celebrates the same festivals or traditions.

  After each story, pause and ask, ‘How is this the same or different from what you know?’ to highlight variety and model curiosity.

• During Kindness Role Plays, listen for pupils treating differences as problems to solve rather than strengths to appreciate.

  Prompt groups to include a line like ‘My difference makes our team stronger because…’ to reframe differences as contributions.

• During Diversity Artefact Hunt, observe pupils grouping items only by colour or material instead of culture or ability.

  Ask each group to explain why an item shows diversity, gently guiding them to use words like ‘tradition’ or ‘ability’ in their reasoning.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inside-Outside Circle