Opening Eyes with the 100 People Lesson: Exploring Accessibility Barriers and Solutions
What if the world were a village of just 100 people? How many would have access to clean water, to education, or even to a toilet? The 100 People Lesson invites students to wrestle with these big questions in a concrete and relatable way, using powerful statistics and reflection activities to uncover how accessibility barriers affect daily life across the globe.
This lesson is designed for both middle and high school classrooms. Middle school students focus on listening, noticing, and empathizing, while high school students take their reflections a step further—exploring root causes, impacts, and possible solutions for accessibility challenges. In both settings, youth gain a deeper understanding of global inequities and begin to imagine how their voices, choices, and actions could help create a more just and accessible world.
How the Lesson Works
Students begin with an engaging question: “If the Earth were only a village of 100 people, how many do you think would have TikTok? How many could read their favorite book?” This sparks curiosity before watching the short video, "The World as 100 People".
Each student receives a slip of paper with a fill-in-the-blank statistic (such as “___ would not have access to toilets”). While the video plays, they listen closely for “their” statistic. Afterward, students discuss in small groups:
What causes this statistic?
How does this reality impact people’s everyday lives?
What could we do—individually or as a community—to make a difference?
High school students take it further by creating posters that illustrate the causes, impacts, and solutions, then sharing their reflections with the class.
Through this process, students don’t just learn the statistics; they feel their weight, consider their implications, and begin to see themselves as problem-solvers.
Why It Matters
The 100 People Lesson builds empathy and awareness by shrinking overwhelming global issues into a tangible, classroom-sized activity. Students walk away with new insight into accessibility challenges—and, more importantly, with the understanding that change is possible when people act together.
This activity also strengthens essential social-emotional learning (SEL) skills such as perspective-taking, reflection, and responsible decision-making, while giving youth space to practice collaboration and communication.
Try It in Your Classroom
You can access the full activity plan, complete with printable materials, here: 100 People Lesson Plan (Download)
We encourage educators to use this activity as a standalone lesson or integrate it into broader conversations about equity, service, and youth leadership.
For more ways to empower your students with meaningful, hands-on philanthropy education, explore our Youth Philanthropy Program. Together, we can open eyes, spark compassion, and equip the next generation of changemakers.