Respecting Differences
Grade Level: 1st-2nd Grade Time: 2 days
Framework:
From these activities, students will learn it is okay to be different. These differences can appear in various aspects like physical appearances, likes and dislikes, culture, and abilities. Students will learn what respect means and how it translates to actions people do. They will relate their understanding of respect and race to each other to find ways to show respect for differences among races.
Objectives:
Guiding Questions:
MMSD Standards:
Behavioral Science-
NCSS Standards:
Individual Development and Identity-
Materials:
Opening Activity:
Begin the lesson by showing the images of children to the class. As you show the images, ask students to think what they see as different and similar between the photos. Tell them to focus on the background and the children in the photos. Then show the images side by side on the board. Discuss with the students what they see is different and similar between the photos. Have students discuss how the children in the pictures are different or similar to them.
Procedures:
After the opening activity, read the books We Are All Alike...We Are All Different and Let's Talk About Race. After each book reading, discuss these questions: What differences and similarities did the book discuss? How did the book portray these differences? Was the book positive or negative about having differences? What are some take away points from the book? For Let's Talk About Race, make sure to discuss what the author means by "Those who say 'MY RACE IS BETTER THAN YOUR RACE' are telling a story that is not true" (p. 10). This statement is important for students to ponder because assists in students' acceptance of themselves and in recognizing that differences are okay.
-Mentions similarities of being people, having bodies, having families, having shelter, and having interests.
-Similarities exist in that everyone has a story to tell, everyone has a race, everyone has bones beneath their skin, and everyone is made up of much more than their physical appearance.
Then, move into discussing respect. How can we as individuals respect the fact that people are different from us? What does respect mean? Inform students the reasons why we need to respect that people are different in many ways and that having differences is okay. The reasons I feel respect needs to be discussed are so students get along with their peers, even if they are not the best of friends, and so students do not make unkind remarks to their peers about being different. Discussing respect will ease students into building a stronger classroom community. Discuss with the students how we can show respect to each other. Write the students' ideas on chart paper. Then examine the lyrics to the "Responsibility" song. Ask students to look at the lyrics and think of other ways we can show respect that is different from what is already written. Then, teach the song by first listening to it, then singing it, then teaching verse by verse before having the students fully sing the song.
Closing:
When the song teaching is done, have students share out one way they can show respect to people who look different from them. Have students fill out the "Why I'm Me" sheet and collect them to put them up in the classroom.
Assessment:
To assess the students on their understanding of the content in this lesson, I will have students act out a skit that revolves around showing respect to people who are different from you. I will also assess how students are responding to the questions and content in the lesson so I can adjust it for next time, and continue to build on my students' understanding of race and respect.
Differentiation:
It would be great to have parents or volunteers to assist students with their skits because having an adult help ask questions will deepen the students' thinking and approach to the assessment. I help the discussion on what respect looks like, I might include pictures so students have visuals to look at, or maybe even find clips for them to watch.
Lesson Extension:
Sources:
Christensen, B. (Teacher's Guide), & Mazzarella, T. (Writer). (2000). Student Workshop: Respecting Differences. Pleasantville, NY: Sunburst Communications, Inc.
Materials Files:
Grade Level: 1st-2nd Grade Time: 2 days
Framework:
From these activities, students will learn it is okay to be different. These differences can appear in various aspects like physical appearances, likes and dislikes, culture, and abilities. Students will learn what respect means and how it translates to actions people do. They will relate their understanding of respect and race to each other to find ways to show respect for differences among races.
Objectives:
- Students will learn what respect means.
- Students will determine ways in which they can show respect to people.
- Students will engage in showing respect to peers who are different from them.
Guiding Questions:
- What does it mean to be different or similar?
- What is respect?
- What does it mean to respect differences?
- How do we show respect to other people who are physically different from us?
MMSD Standards:
Behavioral Science-
- Describe how family members and friends provide respect.
- Examine similarities and differences between family and community traditions, customs, and celebrations.
- Demonstrate empathy for feelings of others.
- Examine similarities and differences between communities.
NCSS Standards:
Individual Development and Identity-
- The study of individual development and identity will help students to describe factors important to the development of personal identity.
- In the early grades, young learners develop their personal identities in the context of families, peers, schools, and communities.
Materials:
- We Are All Alike...We Are All Different by The Cheltenham Elementary School Kindergarteners
- Let's Talk About Race by Julius Lester
- Sunburst "Respecting Differences" Video for music that accompanies "Responsibility" Song
- "Why I'm Me" activity sheet
- chart paper
- At least 2 images of children who are different or similar from each other.
Opening Activity:
Begin the lesson by showing the images of children to the class. As you show the images, ask students to think what they see as different and similar between the photos. Tell them to focus on the background and the children in the photos. Then show the images side by side on the board. Discuss with the students what they see is different and similar between the photos. Have students discuss how the children in the pictures are different or similar to them.
- Think about differences in terms of appearance, abilities, location, clothing, activities in the picture, and more.
- Think about the similarities as how they are all children and human. They all need basic human needs to survive, and all have body parts. Get students to think about similarities in terms of all children having interests, hobbies, and things they value.
Procedures:
After the opening activity, read the books We Are All Alike...We Are All Different and Let's Talk About Race. After each book reading, discuss these questions: What differences and similarities did the book discuss? How did the book portray these differences? Was the book positive or negative about having differences? What are some take away points from the book? For Let's Talk About Race, make sure to discuss what the author means by "Those who say 'MY RACE IS BETTER THAN YOUR RACE' are telling a story that is not true" (p. 10). This statement is important for students to ponder because assists in students' acceptance of themselves and in recognizing that differences are okay.
- We Are All Alike...We Are All Different:
-Mentions similarities of being people, having bodies, having families, having shelter, and having interests.
- Let's Talk About Race:
-Similarities exist in that everyone has a story to tell, everyone has a race, everyone has bones beneath their skin, and everyone is made up of much more than their physical appearance.
Then, move into discussing respect. How can we as individuals respect the fact that people are different from us? What does respect mean? Inform students the reasons why we need to respect that people are different in many ways and that having differences is okay. The reasons I feel respect needs to be discussed are so students get along with their peers, even if they are not the best of friends, and so students do not make unkind remarks to their peers about being different. Discussing respect will ease students into building a stronger classroom community. Discuss with the students how we can show respect to each other. Write the students' ideas on chart paper. Then examine the lyrics to the "Responsibility" song. Ask students to look at the lyrics and think of other ways we can show respect that is different from what is already written. Then, teach the song by first listening to it, then singing it, then teaching verse by verse before having the students fully sing the song.
Closing:
When the song teaching is done, have students share out one way they can show respect to people who look different from them. Have students fill out the "Why I'm Me" sheet and collect them to put them up in the classroom.
Assessment:
To assess the students on their understanding of the content in this lesson, I will have students act out a skit that revolves around showing respect to people who are different from you. I will also assess how students are responding to the questions and content in the lesson so I can adjust it for next time, and continue to build on my students' understanding of race and respect.
Differentiation:
It would be great to have parents or volunteers to assist students with their skits because having an adult help ask questions will deepen the students' thinking and approach to the assessment. I help the discussion on what respect looks like, I might include pictures so students have visuals to look at, or maybe even find clips for them to watch.
Lesson Extension:
- Have students make up new lyrics for the "Responsibility" song to show their understanding of respecting differences. Have them incorporate the information they learned regarding what respect means, and how to show someone respect. Also, go over the activity sheets that were sent home with the students.
- In continuation of the different but similar conversation, it would be interesting to see how students respond to two different colored eggs. Have a brown egg and a white egg to show students and ask them how the eggs are different. I would also ask them which egg they think is prettier and ask them why. The reason is to see what students have grasped from the previous lessons on accepting beauty in all forms. I would then break the eggs and show them how the inside of the egg is the same. This extension of relating concepts to eggs would be another great way to reinforce the concepts of race.
Sources:
Christensen, B. (Teacher's Guide), & Mazzarella, T. (Writer). (2000). Student Workshop: Respecting Differences. Pleasantville, NY: Sunburst Communications, Inc.
Materials Files:
![](http://www.weebly.com/weebly/images/file_icons/rtf.png)
responsibility_song.doc | |
File Size: | 450 kb |
File Type: | doc |
![](http://www.weebly.com/weebly/images/file_icons/rtf.png)
why_i_am_me.doc | |
File Size: | 333 kb |
File Type: | doc |