Social Hierarchy

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

Every team has a hierarchy, which is just a fancy word that means "rank."

1. Print the Team Hierarchy Triangle, found under Downloadable Resources in the right-hand sidebar.
2. Review your list of people involved with the team that you chose and determined how to rank.
3. Whomever you chose to be the most important part of your team would be at the top of the triangle.
4. The second most important would be at the second level of the triangle, and so on.
5. Place each of your team members into the triangle at the proper locations.
6. Make notes next to each about why you placed them there. You must give a reason for putting them in their level on the triangle!

As you look back at how you ranked these people, reflect on how this activity made you feel.

• Did you feel bad about acknowledging that some people are seen as "more important" than others?
• Did you feel sorry for those you placed at the bottom?

Now, think about those you ranked at the bottom.

• In what ways are they a necessary part of the team's success?
• What role do they play?
• What would happen if they were no longer part of the team?

Discuss this with your parent or teacher. You may find that the people at the bottom are not unimportant at all! They are possibly just as important as the people at the top, just in a different way!

To think of this another way, look at the image of the home above. Think about all the aspects of the home that go into making it a safe, sturdy place to live.

• What would happen if one or more of those elements were taken away?
• Would it be as strong if it were missing one of the elements of strength that you noticed?

Imagine some of the elements that go into the design of the home being taken away; then, think of the ranking systems of a society in the same manner. All the people of a society (or a team) have a role, just like the elements of a strong building do.

The concept of ranking people is one used in lots of aspects of life and throughout history in nearly all civilizations. Move on to the Got It? section to find out more about social hierarchy, which is the ranking of people based on their birth, wealth, or occupation.