New
New
Year 9

What are the effects of discrimination on individuals and groups in society?

I can explain what discrimination is and describe some of the effects of it upon individuals and groups in society.

New
New
Year 9

What are the effects of discrimination on individuals and groups in society?

I can explain what discrimination is and describe some of the effects of it upon individuals and groups in society.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. When people develop negative feelings based on their stereotypes, this is called prejudice.
  2. When people treat others less favourably because of their prejudices, this is discrimination.
  3. Discrimination can have lasting and painful effects, harming a person’s wellbeing and opportunities.
  4. These difficult experiences can also lead to greater awareness and positive change, leading to fairer policies.

Keywords

  • Stereotype - a simplified view of a group of people; stereotypes can be positive or negative

  • Prejudice - when a person develops negative attitudes or feelings about a person or group before getting to know them, often based on stereotypes they hold

  • Discrimination - treating people unfairly or differently because of things like their race, gender or where they come from, instead of treating everyone equally

Common misconception

Discrimination only affects someone in the moment it happens.

The effects can be long-lasting and deeply personal. Discrimination can lead to emotional distress, loss of confidence and reduced life opportunities. Even if an incident seems small to others, it can be big to the person being discriminated against.


To help you plan your year 9 citizenship lesson on: What are the effects of discrimination on individuals and groups in society?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Remind pupils that although discrimination is serious, they can be part of the solution, whether by speaking up, being kind or learning more. Show examples of people or movements creating positive change to further emphasise this.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of peer pressure or bullying

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the term to the verbs associated with it.
Correct Answer:prejudice,believe and feel

believe and feel

Correct Answer:discrimination,do and say

do and say

Correct Answer:stereotype,assume and generalise

assume and generalise

Q2.
When a person is treated less favourably than another because of their protected characteristic, this is discrimination.
Correct Answer: direct
Q3.
Which of these is a misconception about equality?
Correct answer: If one group gets support, it is unfair to others.
Everyone should have the same opportunities, with support if needed.
Equality sometimes means treating people differently so things are fair.
Some groups may need extra help because they face more barriers than others.
Q4.
Reorder the words to create a sentence explaining what else might happen if a person is discriminated against.
1 - Discrimination
2 - might
3 - also
4 - lead to
5 - victimisation or
6 - harassment.
Q5.
Match the type of discrimination to the word which describes it.
Correct Answer:racism,against a person because of their race or ethnicity

against a person because of their race or ethnicity

Correct Answer:sexism,against a person because of their sex

against a person because of their sex

Correct Answer:homophobia,against a person because of their sexuality

against a person because of their sexuality

Correct Answer:ageism,against a person because of their age

against a person because of their age

Q6.
Fill the gap with the missing quality: When individuals share their experiences of discrimination, it can raise awareness, inspire change and empower others to stand up for and equality.
Correct Answer: justice, fairness

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the word to its correct definition.
Correct Answer:discrimination,treating someone unfairly or differently because of their identity

treating someone unfairly or differently because of their identity

Correct Answer:stereotype,a simplified belief about a group of people that may not be true

a simplified belief about a group of people that may not be true

Correct Answer:prejudice,judging someone negatively without knowing them, based on a stereotype

judging someone negatively without knowing them, based on a stereotype

Correct Answer:equality,treating people fairly and giving everyone the same chance

treating people fairly and giving everyone the same chance

Q2.
Place the following in the correct order of how discrimination can happen.
1 - Someone develops a stereotype.
2 - That stereotype may become a prejudice.
3 - The prejudice leads to discrimination.
Q3.
When a policy seems neutral but ends up disadvantaging a particular group, this is known as discrimination.
Correct Answer: indirect
Q4.
Which of these is a misconception about discrimination?
Discrimination can have lasting effects.
People can be discriminated against based on gender or race.
Correct answer: Discrimination only affects someone in the moment.
Discrimination is often about unfair treatment.
Q5.
Match the situation to the possible effect of discrimination.
Correct Answer:missed chances,stops attending revision class after being mocked for their accent

stops attending revision class after being mocked for their accent

Correct Answer:barriers to new opportunities,won't apply for college because it's not fully accessible

won't apply for college because it's not fully accessible

Correct Answer:loss of trust,no longer tells teachers after racial abuse was ignored

no longer tells teachers after racial abuse was ignored

Q6.
What could be a positive outcome of someone speaking out about discrimination?
fewer people learn about the issue
others feel encouraged to stay silent
people stop listening
Correct answer: policies might be changed to be fairer