Our first lesson

First we briefly introduced us and then started directly with a „simulation game“. Each student got a paper with a description of his behaviour and with the task that had to be realized in group. The task was the same for everybody: „Your task is to build a tower out of paper, which is as high as possible with the whole group. Your only tools are the scissors and the pencils.“ But there where three different codexes of behaviour. 
The first group only got the normal task and no special rules for their behaviour.
The second group had the following addition:
- you are not able to walk, neither to move your legs!
- you are not able to talk properly, so you can only communicate with vocals
The third group had also on their paper:
- if the scissors are not needed, they should be placed infront of the door
- the paper should always be on a proper pile
Our aim was to create three different groups with similiar behaviours within the big group of the class. The students shouldn't know what is on the paper of their classmates. That way we had one group, that symbolized the "normal" human being without any disabilities. The second group symbolized those who are physically disabled, the third group those who are mentally disabled and confused, like people with Altzheimer.
It is important that the word "old" is not used. The students should start to play and most of them will of course try to build the tower.

It was very interesting to see that the group of pupils who were not limited in their movements and articulation directly started to build the tower and did not really pay attention on their classmates, who were sitting in the other corner of the classroom, not being able to move towars the desk with the materials. Because of that after five minuts we remembered the pupils that the task is not only to build a tower, but also to do this with the whole group. In that moment some started to think about how they could "integrate" their classmates who were sitting in the corners. Some of them were carried on the back or with chairs to the place where the tower was built, but in some cases they didn't receive any help. Some resignated, but some also tried hard to get to the place where the rest of the group was. The group of „mental disable“ persons did their job very well and started during the game also to destroy the tower by an accident. The others who really wanted to build a tower as high as possible reacted really angry. After fifteen minuts we stoped the game and spoke about it in a circle of chairs.
At first, we asked several students how they felt about the game. Then we made a "line" through the classroom and they should stand on a place according to how they estimate themselves. We started by asking them: Do you think you contributed a lot to the fullfilling of the task? Who thought "yes, a lot" should stand on the left end, who thought "nothing" on the right end, the rest could stand somewhere inbetween. Then we asked the students to read out their tasks. Most of the pupils who only had the normal task stoof on the left end. We asked everybody to rise up the hand if they had the same task on their paper.
Then we asked someone in the middle to read the task, then at the right end.
Some other questions about which we discussed:
Do you think the game was "successfull"? What was the most important thing for you: Building a high tower or integrating everybody?
Was there a point where somebody needed help? Did he get it? Why, why not?
How did you feel about those who behaved different than you?
Compared to real life, which people are in the same situation as you were?
Quickly they got the idea of old people, about mental and physical disabilities.
After that we asked the „older people“ especially these pupil who were ignored by the other ones and so couldn't do anything. Next to „funny“ answers like „We felt well because we hadn't to do anything“ somebody also said, that it was a strange feeling that  to depend so much from the other ones and without help you have no chance to contribute something to the group.
The group of the „mental disable“ people said that experienced annoyance and incomprehensions.
After this conversation we introduced the whole project to them.

The last fifteen minuts of the lesson we used again to let them stand on our „imaginary line“. The pupil had to think about how much they agree with statements like „I really like old people.“, „I have many experiences with old people“, "I feel insecure when I meet old people", "old people always complain about the youth", "It is important that young and old people get together".

We always picked out few students who should explain why they stand where. In the end we also asked them what they expect from our project.