Diversity

Summary

Students will identify what makes them unique. Students will identify physical differences and similarities between themselves and other students. Students will learn the effects of treating people different because of race, culture or ethnic backgrounds. Students will learn to accept others differences.

Materials

• The Skin I Live In, by Michael Tyler
• The Crayon Box That Talked, by Shane DeRolf
• Paper that states: I am unique because...
• Crayons/Colored pencils

Background for Teachers

Teachers should have an understanding of the different culture, race and ethic background of the students in the class. The teacher should be sensitive when talking about race, culture and ethnic background.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students will learn to celebrate the differences between people. They will learn to gain health relationships between students, family and community. Students will gain an understanding on how we should treat people who are different.

Instructional Procedures

Discuss with the class what the word unique means.

Have the Students write what makes them unique on the handout.

Discuss what students feel makes them unique.

First Activity: As a group read the book The Crayon Box That Talked. Ask the following questions:

1. Why do you think the crayons didn't get along?
2. What would the world be like if we only had one color of crayon?
3. What changed that made the crayons appreciate each other?

Discuss with the students how we are all like the crayons. We may all be different colors but we are all needed to make a beautiful picture.

Second Activity: As a class read The Skin you live in.

Ask the following questions:

1. Did all the people in the book have the same color of skin?
2. How do you think you would feel if someone treated you different because you had a different color of skin or talked different than the other kids?

Discuss with the class how we should treat people who are different from us.

Visual Activity: Hand each student a different crayon. Explain that like the different colored crayons we are all different but the same.

Ask one student if they think that they could break the crayon. One by one have the student bring up their crayon. Gather all the crayons together. Ask the students if they think we could break the crayons now.

Explain to the students that when we come together and support each other we are strong and paint a beautiful picture with all of our different colors.

Extensions

Students will take home The Crayon Box That Talked activity. They will be required to retell the story of the crayon box to an adult. The adult will sign off that the student has told them the story. The student will draw the same two pictures on the paper. One using only on color of crayon. The second using all the colors in the crayon box.

Assessment Plan

Students will bring back The Crayon Box That Could Talk activity to discuss. The teacher will ask what picture the students prefer. The picture with only one color or the picture with many colors. The class will discuss what the parents thought about the story. Pictures will be hung up on the wall as a reminder.

Bibliography

• The skin you live in. Written by Michael Tyler
• The crayon box that talked. Written by Shane DeRolf