Social Studies - 2nd Grade
Standard 1 Objective 1
1 class periods of 45 minutes each
Large Groups
This lesson uses the book The Crayon Box That Talked to look at diversity between families. Students reflect on their own family traditions that make them unique and write a short statement about it.
Attention Getter:
Display a box of crayons. Ask students how each of the crayons are the same and different.
Classroom Activity:
Gather students to read the book The Crayon Box That Talked.
Before beginning, ask students to listen carefully to discover what the problem is in the book.
Read the book as a class.
Reflect with the students what the problem was.
Ask students to think about their family as their own color of crayon. For example, the "Thompson" color has things that make them unique.
What does that family do to make them different? Maybe they celebrate holidays in a different way or not even at all.
Define the words tradition, diversity and culture using the vocabulary cards.
Explain that each family is diverse in that they have different traditions and a different culture.
Brainstorm with the students what types of traditions that they may have within their families. Explain that each student should choose a specific tradition that makes their family's "crayon" unique.
Distribute the crayon template. Guide students in completing the sentence, "My favorite family tradition is…"
Students may then draw a picture of what their tradition looks like and finish coloring their crayon.
Display the crayons so that the class can reflect on the differences in each family's traditions.
Students may memorize the excerpt of the linked song, "We're Just Like Crayons", but Stephen Fite: