Mosaic Masterplan Teacher Guide Mosaic Masterplan
Teacher Facilitation Guide
Grade Level
6th - 8th Grade
Learning Objectives
Define social identity and identify its visible and invisible components.
Analyze the concept of code-switching and its role in social performance.
Identify personal core values that remain constant across different social contexts.
Create a visual Identity Mosaic representing their authentic self.
Lesson Timeline (90-120 mins)
Warm-up: The Value Vault (15 mins)
Interactive game identifying common values and personal priorities.
Instruction: Identity & Performance (20 mins)
Direct instruction using slides covering social identity and code-switching.
Activity: Code-Switch Chronicles (25 mins)
Mapping social behaviors across different "stages" or environments.
Discussion: Masks & Mirrors (20 mins)
Deep-dive reflection on the pressure to perform for peers.
Creative: The Mosaic Project (20-40 mins)
Synthesizing values into a visual artistic representation.
Key Vocabulary
Social Identity
The groups and roles we inhabit in society.
Code-Switching
Changing language or behavior to fit a social group.
Core Values
Fundamental beliefs that guide your actions.
Peer Performance
Acting a certain way to gain approval from others.
Facilitation Notes
Essential Questions
"Who am I when no one is watching?"
"Why do we change who we are for different people?"
"What parts of me are non-negotiable?"
Addressing Code-Switching
Be sensitive to the fact that for many students—especially those from marginalized backgrounds—code-switching isn't just a "choice" but a survival strategy or a requirement for success. Frame the discussion around awareness of these shifts rather than judging them as "fake."
Common Pitfall
Students may struggle to distinguish between "hobbies" and "values." Guide them by asking: "Is 'basketball' a value, or is 'perseverance' the value you express through basketball?"
Required Materials
Identity Mosaic Slide Deck
Code-Switch Chronicles Worksheets
Value Vault Sorting Cards (Printed)
Masks & Mirrors Discussion Prompts
Art supplies (Markers, colorful paper, glue)
Assessment & Exit
Assess based on the depth of reflection in the "Code-Switch Chronicles" and the alignment between their identified values and their final Mosaic project.
Exit Ticket Idea
"List one core value that you will promise to show even when you feel the pressure to perform for others."
Value Vault Activity The Value Vault
Sorting your core beliefs: What stays and what goes?
Teacher Instructions
Cut out these cards. In small groups, students must sort them into three piles: "Non-Negotiable" (I always care about this), "Context-Dependent" (I care about this sometimes), and "Secondary" (Not a priority for me right now).
Integrity
Doing the right thing when no one is looking.
Kindness
Being helpful and compassionate to others.
Ambition
A strong desire to achieve success or power.
Loyalty
Staying true to friends, family, or a group.
Creativity
Expressing yourself in original and artistic ways.
Courage
Facing fear or difficulty with bravery.
Optimism
Having hope and confidence about the future.
Knowledge
Value learning and gathering information.
Stability
The state of being firm, steady, and reliable.
Justice
Seeking fairness and equality for everyone.
Adventure
Seeking excitement and exploring the unknown.
Honesty
Being truthful and sincere in communication.
Leadership
Guiding and inspiring others toward a goal.
Positivity
Maintaining a good attitude despite challenges.
Community
Valuing the feeling of belonging to a group.
Write Your Own
Write Your Own
Write Your Own
Identity Mosaic Slides Deck Identity
Mosaic
Exploring the authentic self behind the performance of peer pressure.
The Big Question
"Are you the same person in every room you enter?"
With your family at dinner?
With your friends at lunch?
In the classroom with a teacher?
Social Identity
Visible Parts
Appearance
Clothing style
Friend group
Activities/Hobbies
Invisible Parts
Thoughts & Beliefs
Family Traditions
Core Values
Hidden Talents
The Peer Performance
Middle school can feel like a stage. We often change our "costume" or "script" just to fit in or avoid judgment.
"Peer pressure isn't just someone telling you what to do; it's the feeling that you have to act a certain way to be accepted."
The Art of
The Switch
Code-Switching:
Adjusting your language, behavior, or appearance to fit into a specific social group or environment.
Example: Using slang with friends but formal language with a grandparent.
Why do we do it?
To feel safe and comfortable
To show respect to different groups
To gain approval or status
To connect with people better
The Core Anchor
Even if your "performance" changes, your Core Values stay the same. They are the tiles that make up your mosaic.
Unyielding
Authentic
Powerful
Your Identity
Mosaic
The Challenge:
Create a visual piece of art that shows the "Outside" performance and the "Inside" values.
Inner Circle: Your 3 Core Values
Middle Tiles: Different Social Groups
Outer Edge: The "Masks" we wear
Code Switch Chronicles Worksheet Code-Switch Chronicles
Field notes on your social environments
Researcher:
Date:
Code-switching isn't just about what you say—it's how you move , how you dress , and how you react . Complete the "Chronicles" below to map how you navigate different social stages in your life.
Stage Mapping
The Stage The Script (Language) The Costume (Look) The Performance (Energy) At Home Family, Siblings With Closest Friends Laughter, Secrets The Classroom Teachers, Peers Social Media Public, Private
Internal Reflections
Which stage feels the MOST like the "Real You"? Why?
Which stage feels the MOST exhausting or like a performance? What is the hardest part about it?
Think of your Core Values (Integrity, Loyalty, Kindness, etc.). Is there a value you bring to EVERY stage, no matter what? If so, which one?
Remember: Code-switching is a tool for navigating the world. It doesn't mean you are being "fake"—it means you are adaptable. The goal is to make sure your core values stay intact while you move through different spaces.
Masks and Mirrors Discussion Cards Masks & Mirrors
Deep-Dive Discussion Cards on Identity & Performance
How to use:
Cut these cards out. Use them in "Socratic Seminars," small group rotations, or "Speed Dating" style discussions where students switch partners every 2 minutes. Focus on empathy and shared experiences .
Mirror 1
Why is it sometimes easier to act like someone else than to be ourselves around people we don't know well?
Discussion Prompt
Mirror 2
Have you ever felt "fake" because you changed your personality for a group? Was it really being fake, or just being adaptable?
Discussion Prompt
Mirror 3
In middle school, what are the "rules" of the performance? What happens to someone who refuses to "play the part"?
Discussion Prompt
Mirror 4
How do your core values (like honesty or kindness) help you decide when to code-switch and when to stand your ground?
Discussion Prompt
Mirror 5
What is one thing you wish your peers knew about the "real you" that you usually keep hidden behind a mask?
Discussion Prompt
Mirror 6
Who is one person in your life who sees your "authentic self" most clearly? What do they do to make you feel safe?
Discussion Prompt
