Masking: A Social-Emotional Lesson About Individuality and Growth

Rather than following any didactic approach, this unit allows students to form understandings through collaboration, experience, and creative projects. In this way, the social-emotional growth “sneaks up on” our learners in an engaging, organic experience.

In this unit, students explore masking—or hiding one’s true self—through video, class discussion, metaphor-making, and thoughtful hands-on activities. The heart of the unit, the Superhero Mask-up project, invites students to imagine positive growth experiences through creative thinking and design.

Though most students will easily find connections with the concept of masking, this unit’s design allows students to release personal ownership and to contribute insights without feeling put on the spot to self-disclose (though you will find many students will be willing to share personal experience even though they are not required to do so).

This unit reaches all learners with important insights. It’s appropriate especially for middle school students as they navigate tween life . . . and it’s doubly important for gifted learners in middle school whose neurodiversity and “otherness” doubles-down on the potential for masking behaviors: “Gifted adolescents are attuned to the social disadvantages of being labeled gifted and identify social consequences as being the worst thing about being gifted” (Peairs, Putallaz, and Costanzo, p. 186).

Total Time (including a gallery walk): About 3-4 hours

Grade Level: all learners 5th – 12th though especially poignant for middle level gifted learners