Task 1 - What Do You Notice?
Before we explain anything about cultures or rules - just look. A silent observation designed to awaken curiosity about difference before any discussion begins.
What happens in Task 1
An 8-minute Phase 1 - Anticipation activity. The goal is to awaken curiosity about cultural difference before any content is introduced. Three text blocks are revealed sequentially on a dark background, followed by a 60-second silent slideshow of abstract culture cards (no commentary), four discussion questions revealed one at a time, a single-word "word cloud" poll on the word DIVERSITY, and a private journal entry (max 150 chars). The Continue button to Task 2 unlocks only after the journal is submitted.
🎯 Learning objectives
O1 - Define the concept of cultural diversity. To awaken curiosity and emotional engagement with cultural difference before any content is introduced. To surface students' prior assumptions about diversity. To establish a diagnostic baseline for the teacher on students' starting assumptions.
📋 Activity sequence
Sequential steps that unlock one after another:
- Text reveal - three blocks appear with pauses; all remain visible once shown
- Silent slideshow - 60s, auto-cycling culture cards every 4 seconds, no commentary
- Discussion questions - four questions revealed one at a time on continue
- Word cloud poll - single free-text word (max 20 chars), locks after submit, reveals a simulated class word cloud
- Journal entry - 150 chars; private; auto-saves to portfolio
📊 Assessment role
Diagnostic only - no grade. Word cloud results visible to teacher in real time. Journal entries accessible in teacher dashboard after submission. Both used to identify class starting assumptions before Encounter phase begins.
- Read-aloud button on all on-screen text blocks - reads each block individually on tap (speaker icon, top right)
- Voice-to-text input available for the word cloud entry via microphone button - student can dictate their word
- Breathing animation alternative to the slideshow timer ring - slow expand/contract circle instead of emptying ring - toggled per student in teacher dashboard accessibility settings
- Extended thinking time on discussion questions - per-student setting; next-question button withheld until student taps "I'm ready"
- No time pressure on journal field - field remains open until student submits; no auto-advance
- All interactive elements meet WCAG AA minimum contrast and tap-target size standards
- Teacher shows printed images and describes each briefly - instead of the slideshow
- Teacher reads the three text blocks aloud (printed script), one at a time, with a natural pause between each
- Teacher reads the discussion questions aloud one at a time, with meaningful pauses between each
- Word cloud by sticky note - students write their word on a sticky note and place it on the board, forming a physical word cloud
- Teacher calls 60 seconds of silence verbally: "I am starting the timer now - 60 seconds of quiet observation"
- Journal written on printed paper worksheet - students keep it and do not hand it in
- Bridge sentence read aloud by teacher before moving to Task 2