Critical Literacy

Text Set
How to talk to kids about Racism

Childrens books
These books are great for teaching kids about racism, prejudice
and stereotypes. They give good examples of diversity.

White Water
by Michael S. Bandy
Age Range: 5 - 8 years
Grade Level: Kindergarten 3
When the bus pulls up, they climb in and
pay their fare, get out, walk to the back
door, and climb in again. By the time they
arrive in town, Michael's throat is as dry
as a bone, so he runs to the water
fountain. But after a few sips, the warm,
rusty water tastes bad. Why is the kid at
the "Whites Only" fountain still drinking?
Based on a transformative experience coauthor Michael Bandy had as a boy, this
compelling story sheds light on the reality
of segregation through a child's eyes,
while showing the powerful awareness
that comes from daring to question the
way things are. (Goodreads)
http://www.amazon.com/White-WaterMichael-S
Bandy/dp/0763636789/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8
&qid=1418339877&sr=81&keywords=white+water&pebp=14183398
80097

Let's Talk about Race

by Julius Lester
Age Range: 4 - 8 years
Grade Level: 1 5
I am a story. So are you. So is everyone.
Julius Lester says, "I write because our
lives are stories. If enough of those
stories are told, then perhaps we will
begin to see that our lives are the same
story. The differences are merely in the
details." Now Mr. Lester shares his own
story as he explores what makes each of
us special. Karen Barbour's dramatic,
vibrant paintings speak to the heart of
Lester's unique vision, truly a celebration
of all of us. (Goodreads)

http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Talk-AboutJuliusLester/dp/0064462269/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8
&qid=1418340461&sr=81&keywords=Let%27s+Talk+about+Race+b
y+Julius+Lester&pebp=1418340463586

The Skin I'm In: A First

Look at Racism by Pat
Thomas
Age Range: 4 and up
Grade Level: Preschool and up
Racial discrimination is crueland
especially so to younger children. This
title encourages kids to accept and be
comfortable with differences of skin color
and other racial characteristics among
their friends and in themselves. A First
Look At Racism is an easy-to-understand
series of books for younger children.
Each title explores emotional issues and
discusses the questions such difficulties
invariably raise among kids of preschool
through early school age.

http://www.amazon.com/Skin-Im-First-LookRacism/dp/0764124595/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF
8&qid=1418340106&sr=82&keywords=the+skin+im+in&pebp=141834
0109894

We're Different, We're

the Same
by Bobbi Kates
Age Range: 3 - 7 years
Grade Level: Preschool 2

Illustrated in full color. The colorful

characters from Sesame Street teach
young children about racial harmony.
Muppets, monsters, and humans
compare noses, hair, and skin and realize
how different we all are. But as they look
further, they also discover how much we
are alike. (Amazon)

http://www.amazon.com/Were-DifferentSesame-StreetPictureback/dp/0679832270/ref=pd_bxgy_b
_img_y

Shades of People
by Shelley Rotner
Age Range: 3 and up
Cocoa, tan, rose, and almond-people
come in lots of shades, even in the same
family. This exploration of one of our most
noticeable physical traits uses vibrant
photographs of childen and a short text to
inspire young children both to take notice
and to look beyond the obvious.
(Amazon)

http://www.amazon.com/Shades-PeopleShelleyRotner/dp/0823423050/ref=pd_sim_b_4?ie
=UTF8&refRID=0EENVS9KDTZEXQD8XF
EM

The Story Of Ruby

Bridges by Robert
Coles
Age Range: 4 - 8 years
Grade Level: Preschool 3
The year is 1960, and six-year-old Ruby
Bridges and her family have recently
moved from Mississippi to New Orleans
in search of a better life. When a judge
orders Ruby to attend first grade at
William Frantz Elementary, an all-white
school, Ruby must face angry mobs of
parents who refuse to send their children
to school with her. Told with Robert Coles'
powerful narrative and dramatically
illustrated by George Ford, Ruby's story
of courage, faith, and hope.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Story-RubyBridgesAnniversary/dp/0439472261/ref=zg_bs_313
5_16

I'm Like You, You're Like Me:

A Book About Understanding
and Appreciating Each Other
by Cindy Gainer
Age Range: 3 - 8 years
Grade Level: Preschool 3
Its fun to find ways Im like you and
youre like me. Its fun to find ways were
different. In this colorful, inviting book,
kids from preschool to lower elementary
learn about diversity in terms they can
understand: hair thats straight or curly,
families with many people or few, bodies
that are big or small. With its wideranging examples and fun, highly detailed
art, Im Like You, Youre Like Me helps
kids appreciate the ways they are alike
and affirm their individual differences. A
two-page adult section in the back
provides tips and activities for parents
and caregivers to reinforce the themes
and lessons of the book. (Amazon)

http://www.amazon.com/Like-You-YoureUnderstandingAppreciating/dp/1575424363/ref=sr_1_8?s=
books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418342213&sr=18&keywords=diversity+children+books

Supplementary Texts
For Children

Kids React to Controversial Cherrios

Commercial
This video shows the reaction of different kids
from 7-13 years old after watching a Cherrios
commercial that display a multiracial family. The
interviewer tell them that people where getting
mad about it and they react really well, defending
diversity.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VifdBFp5pnw&
list=PLXT2kKQMu3wmuGXqOiVeJryRnmRDM1vJ
m&index=1

RESPECT

Poem by Conor
http://smdp.scoilnet.ie/racism.h
tm

This poem is great to read out

loud to kids; because as it was
written by a kid, they must
relate to the same things. It
talks about why two different
race kids should respect each
other because infront of God
eyes they are the same.

Hey, whats the story and whats the crack? I am

white and you are black.God made me and God
made you,Respect is what we got to do.We cut
our fingers, we bleed the same,Different colours
but different names.We have things in
common,We like fun and games,We run, we
jump, we hop and skip,And let no bad words
pass our lips.Because respect is what we got to
do,Respect from me and respect from you.
If you are being slagged because of your hair
colouror the colour of your skin or your
language, dont try to slag them back and hurt
their feelings.Just say youre proud, move on
and find new meanings.

Hey White People

Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQfg52m0-4o

Six black kids from #Ferguson, MO teamed up with

http://FCKH8.com/ to bluntly and sarcastically educate white
America about the racist reality in 2014. Recruited on the very
block where unarmed black teen Michael Brown was gunned down
by a white police officer, these kids ranging in age from 6 to 13
years old, use sometimes uncomfortable humor to show white
people the continued racism their generation faces. Armed ONLY
with statistics (hands up, don't shoot) these articulate and adorable
kids are not having it while much of white America would rather
pretend racism is over. (Youtube)

Sources about Racism

For adults

5 Tips for Talking

About Race with
Kids
http://www.parenting.com/articl
e/5-tips-for-talking-aboutracism-with-kids

This Article give the parents

hints for starting a
conversation about race with
their kids.

1. Dont be afraid to bring it

up
2. Look for teaching
moments
3. Make the message ageappropriate

4. Accept that prejudiced

comments may happenand it doesnt mean your
child is racist
5. Be a Role Model

Kids on Race: The hidden Picture

https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=GPVNJgfDwpw

https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=mJHSRuYW_3c

https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=9OKgUdQF-Fg

These Youtube videos are

a documentary from cnn.
There purpose was to
study different childrens
attitude towards race and
understand why and how
they form their opinions.