Activity 1: (5 minutes) DEFINE HIERARCHY

Have a group discussion.

• What is a hierarchy? (A system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or importance. )
• Why do we organize things into hierarchies?  (It helps us organize and prioritize multiple things.)

Activity 2: (30 minutes) HIERARCHY OF NEEDS

Divide the group into groups of four. Give each group a chart paper/poster board. Give each member of the group a stack of sticky notes. Invite each participant to write down various needs they have on the sticky notes. Each need gets its own sticky note. Encourage them to think about the prompts below:

• What is most important to you at this moment?
• What are you most concerned about for this school year?

After everyone has had a chance to make a list of their personal needs, have each group cluster similar needs together.  Then, have each group organize and rank the sticky notes on their chart paper.

• Were your needs the same as other people in your group?

Invite each group to share what they learned. Were the group responses similar or different?

Give participants a list of various needs and have them rank them in terms of importance, placing what is most essential at the bottom. Have a group discussion about the priorities.

Activity 3: (20 minutes) RANK AND SORT NEEDS

Based on the individual and group responses in the previous activity, invite the group to rank the various identified needs in terms of importance with the entire group. Place what is most essential at the bottom. Have a group discussion about the priorities based on their own experiences in working with students.

Activity 4: (15 minutes) MASLOW’S HIERARCHY

Review Maslow’s Hierarchy by projecting it on the board or printing the graphic organizer. Compare and contrast the group’s prioritized list of needs with the hierarchy.

Have a discussion:

• What is the same or different?
• What are the strengths and limitations of Maslow’s Hierarchy?
• What changes should we make to our list of priorities?
• If you were to design your own hierarchy, how would it be similar to or different from Maslow’s?

Activity 5: (20 minutes) THE NEEDS IN OUR LIVES

Have a discussion:.

• What can we do in our homes, in our classroom, in our school, and in our place of employment to advocate and actively ensure Maslow’s bottom three levels are met for us and those around us?

Invite the teachers to read the article“Applying Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in our Classrooms.”

• How can we ensure the bottom three levels are fulfilled in our classroom? Come up with specific action items.