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Unit Plan Front Matter

Gabriela Montes
Dr. Jiménez García
LAS/AAS 096
December 13, 2019

Embracing Difference, Promoting Advocacy:

A Guide to Teaching the Embracing of Cultural Identities & Methods of Advocacy to
Young Elementary School Students within Common Core ELA Content

• Teaching Philosophy & Positionality

I feel it is helpful to better understand this unit plan that I have designed if I
provide some insight into my personal teaching philosophy.
I feel that students learn best when they are in a comfortable and inclusive
learning environment where they feel comfortable enough to speak in the classroom,
participate in discussions, and ask questions because they sense that both their teachers
and peers support their learning. Students’ learning environment must also be fun and
interactive such that they can actively engage with the material through hands on
activities and projects that enable them to apply their learning to various contexts
beyond the classroom. To illustrate, for students to best learn, they should be provided
with opportunities to go out into the community and connect their learning to real
world problems.
I believe my role in the classroom is to promote student success and work with
students to ensure that they feel their needs are consistently being met and that every
student feels confident in their ability to succeed. Further, I will build rapport with
students by talking to them every time I see them and taking a genuine interest in their
lives. My role is as their advocate and supporter because only through taking on that
role can I truly foster their success within the classroom. I will utilize my expertise in
Psychology to best serve as their advocate and remain aware of the situational factors
that may impact their classroom behaviors and performance – which in this case
highlights the impact of their identity and feelings of difference due to such.
My goals are to ensure that every child, regardless of their background
knowledge, disabilities, socioeconomic status, or other situational factors, is able to
succeed. I hope to ensure that each child feels like someone is supporting them and
genuinely cares for and believes in their abilities. I hope to instill in students the idea
that they can accomplish anything they set their mind to. Further, I hope to create an
inclusive environment where students from a young age learn to appreciate diversity
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and the differences amongst themselves as valuable assets rather than as something to
look down upon. I will instill this sense of cultural sensitivity and of seeking to learn from
one another’s unique and varied experiences through projects within the classroom, as
well as through modeling this in my own behaviors.
I believe it is important that teachers take on an active mentoring role towards
students, supplementing student learning with relevant hands on activities, providing
students with a wide range of contexts in which they can apply their learning, and of
sharing in the learning experience. I love the idea that students and teachers learn
together.
• Creation of Course & Course Purpose
This course shall be based on research of the lack of representation of children
of color in children’s literature and board books, the challenges students of color face in
identity development especially due to this lack of representation that exists, and
combatting the idea of normative whiteness within America through representation.
These issues presented in research shall be combatted in this course as the course was
based upon the theories of critical literacy pedagogy, critical race theory, and
representative texts.
The purpose of the course shall be to utilize the aforementioned research to
begin to combat the existing notions of normative whiteness and empower young
students by exposing them to these notions and reversing such notions from a young
age utilizing diverse literature created for children of color.
Often these topics are ignored until adolescence within the classroom, but as a
way of being proactive rather than reactive, all children must from a young age: be
exposed to both mirror and window literature, spend time exploring their cultural
identity, learn about the existing beauty in every cultural group, embrace their
differences and those of others, and learn methods of advocating for both themselves
and others by utilizing their unique identities and talents. By doing so at a young age,
children will be better prepared to embrace their unique cultural identity in the midst of
adversity and know how to best advocate for themselves and others.
By the end of the course, students will have written and illustrated their own
book that promotes being proud of one’s differences, why to be proud of one’s
differences, advice for those who are not proud of their differences, and methods of
advocacy for oneself and others. This product tangibly demonstrates to students that
they can create their own narratives and empower others through literature and
writing. It also demonstrates that it is not too young for them to actively embrace their
identity, help others to do the same, and advocate for themselves and others.
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Such lessons should be embedded within the English Language Arts Common
Core Framework, which is why this course was created to be integrated into the ELA
common core framework.
• Course Logistics & Intended Audience
This teaching plan was created for use in elementary school, specifically within grades
first through third. Since it was created for younger grades, modification may be needed
for use in older grade levels.

This teaching plan was created in a way that aligns with the PA ELA Systems Aligned
Standards so that it can be integrated within the existing English Language Arts common
core curriculum. This curriculum will not completely replace that of the common core,
but add onto it in a way that aligns with what students are currently discussing within
the curriculum. Two English classes a week will follow this curriculum, thus every week
in the teaching plan represents two ELA classes within the week. The only difference
between this curriculum and the existing ELA curriculum is that this one utilizes
literature and writing activities that enable a student to reflect on themes related to
cultural identity. Usually the examples and literature revolve around animals or the
environment, thus this is meant to further expand the students’ cultural knowledge and
awareness.

This teaching plan is specifically intended for use in high diversity population schools
and classrooms, but can also make a difference within other environments. Though the
unit serves to empower all students within the classroom, it specifically highlights the
empowerment of students of color of all types and helping them to embrace their
identities. For white children, it serves as a method of increasing awareness about
different cultures while developing empathy and cultural sensitivity within the student
from a young age. Further, all students will learn methods of utilizing their unique
identities and talents to advocate for themselves and others.
• Driving Questions
a. What is an identity?
b. What cultural identities are there? What makes each beautiful?
c. Why is it important to learn about all different types of identities?
d. What makes each student different and unique?
e. How do students describe their identity and feelings about it?
f. Why do some people make fun of others’ differences rather than embrace
them?
g. How can students embrace my identity even when others do not?
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h. How can students help their friends to embrace their identities when others do
not?
i. How can students utilize their unique identities and talents to advocate for
themselves and others?
j. How can students be empowered to craft their own narratives?
• Unit Objective
→ Academic
Given a children’s book and guiding or reflection questions, the young elementary
school student will describe the key ideas and feelings within a story, compare and
contrast the experiences of characters within stories, write feeling based narratives
about real or imagined events, participate in collaborative conversations with peers
about culturally-based topics, and write and illustrate their own book with at least 80%
accuracy as per a teacher created rubric.
→ Cultural: Written at the beginning of each week within the unit plan, as they were
much more specific base on the topic.
• Unit Goals
→ Academic Goals
a. Identify the key ideas of and feelings of characters in stories.
b. Develop ability to compare and contrast the experiences of characters within
stories and from differing books.
c. Write narratives about real or imagined events that describe the feelings and
thoughts associated with what is occuring.
d. Engage in collaborative conversations with peers and contribute own thoughts
to the dialogue.
→ Cultural Content Goals
a. Knowledge of the components that make up each individual’s identity and how
they come together in differing ways to make each person unique.
b. Awareness of all cultural identity groups and of what makes each unique and
beautiful.
c. Exploration and embracement of each student’s own person identity, as well as
of the components of their identity that makes them unique.
d. Learning why others may attempt to make students feel ashamed of their
difference.
e. Providing tools for negotiating racial differences and knowledge of methods to
embrace such differences in the context of adversity.
f. Learning how to use their own unique talents and identity to advocate for
others.
g. Knowledge that they are capable of writing and illustrating a text.
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h. Ability to celebrate differences as something to be embraced and to learn from.

• Related PA SAS Standards
CC.1.2.1.G: Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
CC.1.3.1.F: Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or
appeal to the senses.
CC.1.3.1.H: Compare and contrast the adventures and experiences of characters in
stories.
CC.1.4.1.M: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events.
CC.1.4.1.O: Include thoughts and feelings to describe experiences and events.
CC.1.5.1.A: Participate in collaborative conversations with peers and adults in small and
larger groups.
• Course Literature
Note:
All of these books were chosen very intentionally to align with the goals of the
teaching plan and ensure children get the most from each activity. Specifically, the
books based on each cultural identity were chosen due to their ability to teach the
student something positive that they can celebrate about what makes that identity
unique without creating stereotypes that are not true.
Further, the literature combined serves as a method of helping students to learn
about and celebrate other unique identities, explore and cherish their own identity,
and be given tools for negotiating racial differences and advocating for themselves
and others.
Lastly, many of the books represent characters from marginalized populations.
This was done intentionally to increase the representation students encounter of
both mirror and window books. Mirror books enable students to see themselves
reflected, while window books provide them with insight and knowledge into that of
another cultural identity.
a. Week 1: What is an identity? What things make people unique?
Part 1
i. I'm Like You, You're Like Me: A Book About Understanding and
Appreciating Each Other by Cindy Gainer
ii. An alternative option for this:
1. Who We Are!: All About Being the Same and Being Different (Let's
Talk about You and Me) by Robie H. Harris
Part 2
iii. All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold
iv. What's the Difference?: Being Different Is Amazing by Doyin Richards
v. The Big Umbrella Amy June Bates, Juniper Bates
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b. Week 2: Exploration of Various Cultures & Their Beauty

i. Black – ABC I Love Me by Miriam Muhammad
ii. Latinx – Green Is a Chile Pepper: A Book of Colors (Color Books for Kids,
Hispanic Books for Kids, Early Reader Books) by Roseanne Greenfield
Thong
iii. Native American/ Indigenous – We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci
Sorell
iv. Asian American – A Morning with Grandpa by Sylvia Liu
v. Caribbean – My Caribbean Grandma by Sandra Campbell-Notice
vi. Muslim - Under My Hijab by Hena Khan
vii. Mixed – I Am Mixed (I Am Book) by Garcelle Beauvais
viii. Immigrant – Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
c. Week 3: The Ingredients of my Identity
i. Where Are You From? By Yamile Saied Méndez
ii. Islandborn by Junot Díaz
d. Week 4: What Makes Me Unique & Special
i. What I Like About Me!: A Book Celebrating Differences by Allia Zobel
Nolan
ii. I Love Being Me, Uniquely Me! By Karlene J Froling
iii. Additional option: I Am Enough by Grace Byers
e. Week 5: It’s Okay to Feel Different Sometimes & Why Would Someone Make Fun
of Me for my Difference?
i. Teach Your Dragon About Diversity: Train Your Dragon to Respect
Diversity. A Cute Children Story to Teach Kids About Diversity and
Differences by Steve Herman
ii. The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson
iii. Chocolate Me! By Taye Diggs
f. Week 6: What Can You Do if Someone Makes Fun of You or Someone Else for
Their Difference?
i. Courageous People Who Changed the World (1) (Little Heroes) By Heidi
Poelman
ii. Say Something! By Peter H. Reynolds
iii. Hands Up! By Breanna J. McDaniel
iv. Woke Baby By Mahogany L. Browne
• Key Terms
a. Unique: being the only one of its kind
b. Similarities: having characteristics in common
c. Differences: not the same as
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d. Identity: The set of qualities and beliefs that make one person or group unique
and different from others.
e. Culture: A set of values, beliefs and behaviors shared by a group of people that
include food, language, clothing, tools, music, arts, customs, beliefs, and religion.
f. Proud: having a feeling of happiness or satisfaction especially with a person's
own achievements
g. Illustrator: an artist who draws the pictures in a book
h. Author: the writer of a literary work (such as a book)
i. Advocate: someone who fights for something or someone, especially someone
who fights for the rights of others
j. Courage: being brave as they meet new experiences, difficult situations, and/or
dangerous encounters.

Unit Instructional Plan

Week 1 – What is an identity? What Things Make People Unique?
Emphasize How Amazing These Differences Are.
Class 1: What is an identity? What Things Make People Unique?
Objective: Given a book reading and Venn diagram, the young elementary school student shall
identify the components of an identity and compare and contrast two characters with at least
80% accuracy on a teacher created rubric.
Introductory Activity
• Introduce the topic of identity by asking the students, “Are we all exactly the same?”
Have them take a moment to look around at their peers and think about it. Ask them
“What things do you notice we have in common and what things are unique about us?”
• Then, tell them to turn to their partner and share their thoughts.
• Now ask them the question again: “Are we all exactly the same?” Give each student an
opportunity to answer the question and make a T chart and make a tally mark under yes
or no after each student answers. Once all students have answered, show them the
chart and tell them that all/ the majority of the class thinks that they are not all exactly
the same.
Modeling/ Demonstration
• Say, “I wonder why that is? I wonder why everyone thinks that we are not exactly the
same?”
• Tell the students that the class will be reading a story together that will help them to
understand more about the things that make each person unique!
• Read to the class the book I'm Like You, You're Like Me: A Book About Understanding
and Appreciating Each Other by Cindy Gainer
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• As the teacher is reading the book, they should pause and have students identify the
things the characters in the picture have in common and which things make them
unique
• Connect these characteristics discussed in the book to the class and have students take
a moment to look around at the class after reading the book. Tell them to consider the
things people have in common and that are unique that were discussed in the book and
have them share those about the class.
• Go around the room to give each student a chance to share one thing, but enable
students to pass to the next person if they are unsure.
o Examples of things students may come up with include: skin color, hair,
height/size, age, glasses, clothes, voice, food eat at home, etc.
o If students do not understand what you mean at first, teacher may need to
scaffold them by saying “Are we exactly the same, you and me? Why not? Tell
me one thing that makes us unique.”
• As these things are identified, make a list on the board of what characteristics students
are pointing out. Make the list with two columns: one for similarities and one for
differences
• Have the students look at the large list on the board and read it back to them. Tell them
that these are all part of each person’s identity.
• Ask the students if they think they know what an identity is and have them raise their
hands and share ideas. Scaffold them into the definition of identity:
o “The set of qualities and beliefs that make one person or group unique and
different from others.”
• Now, draw a Venn diagram on the board and describe that Venn diagrams are a great
way to write down the things that two people or things have in common and that are
unique.
o Model how the students would go about using the Venn diagram by comparing
and contrasting yourself with a character from the book
o Demonstrate how the students can look at the list on the board to help them
think of things that are different and similar.
o Model finding and writing two differences and two similarities.
Guided Practice/ Feedback
• Put up images of two popular human children’s characters on the board (Ex: Dora the
Explorer and Mario)
• Give each student a miniature white board, marker, and eraser.
• Draw a Venn diagram on the board and have the students help you fill it out for these
characters.
o First, ask students what you should write on each segment of the Venn diagram
one at a time and have them write their answer on the mini whiteboard. This
serves as a formative assessment as it enables the teacher to scan the room and
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check to see which students understand the concept and which could benefit
from further individual instruction.
▪ Ask for a volunteer to share their answer each time – if the student had
the wrong answer, scaffold them to correct their own answer and
understand why it was incorrect
o Next, ask students to provide two similarities between the characters and write
them on their white boards. Have them all raise their boards.
▪ Again, choose various students to provide their answers and explain their
thought process to the class.
o Do the same process for sharing the differences between the characters.
Independent Practice/ Exploring
• Give each student a pre-printed Venn diagram worksheet with bullet points and lines
inside of the Venn diagram for them to write on.
• Tell the students they may choose any book they have read this year whether as a class
or as an individual during quiet reading time and that they must choose two characters
from that book to identify what they have in common and what is unique between
them.
• There will be lines at the bottom of the paper, under the Venn diagram where students
must right some of the components of each character’s identity and why.
• This activity shall serve as a formative assessment, as students will hand the worksheets
in, enabling the teacher to know how well the grasp the topic.
Review & Preview
• The teacher will remind students of the definition of identity and tell them that next
class they will be learning about how amazing all of the things that make everyone
unique are and how we should welcome everyone to be our friend and then learn from
the things that make them unique.

Class 2: Emphasize How Amazing These Differences Are

Objective: Given the reading of three books about welcoming differences and the engagement
in a circle discussion activity, the young elementary school student will write 1-2 sentences
about how they will welcome everyone under their big umbrella with at least 80% proficiency
on a teacher created rubric (that will mainly focus on the welcoming aspect of their writing).
Introduction
• Introduce the second portion of week one’s topic. This portion shall draw upon the
previous lesson on the components that make up one’s identity to open a conversation
about coming together and welcoming everyone despite the differences that make us
unique. This topic shall include the promotion of the idea that differences are things
that should be celebrated and are opportunities to learn something new or try
something you may not have experienced before.
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• Read the story All Are Welcome as a short, general introduction to the topic.
• Ask the students what kinds of people are welcome?
Modeling (demonstrating acceptance of all through stories)
• Read What's the Difference?: Being Different Is Amazing by Doyin Richards
o As you read, take pauses to ask the students things like…
▪ Does it matter if you and your friend are different?
▪ What matters about friends and fellow students?
• Students should come to understand that the only thing that
matters is that they enjoy playing together
▪ Why is it good for us and our fellow students to be different?
• Read The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates and Juniper Bates.
o As you read the story, take pauses to ask the students things like…
▪ Did they let that person join them under the umbrella? Why?
▪ Would you have let them join you under the umbrella?
▪ Was that person exactly the same as the person under the umbrella?
Guided Practice
• Now have the students create an inside and outside circle so they will be able to discuss
different questions with different students. After each question, have one of the circles
move two places to the right. Ask them one question per partner in the circle…
o Who is welcome to go under the big umbrella?
o Do the things that make us unique stop us from being welcome under the big
umbrella?
o If you had a big umbrella, who should you let join you under the umbrella?
o How would you feel if the person with the big red umbrella did not let you join
them under it?
• After the circle discussion, come back together as a class and have students raise their
hands to share what they discussed with their partners in the circle activity and what
they learned.
• Ask students what they would do if they had the big red umbrella and have them all go
around the room and share. Ask them to share how doing so would make them feel.
o This will prepare them for the independent practice activity.
Independent Practice
• Provide each student with a paper that is half picture and half lined paper. Tell the
students they will be writing and responding to the sentence starter you put on the
board based on what they talked about and learned on the carpet and during the circle
activity: “If I had the big red umbrella, I would…”
o Model an example for the students by drawing lined paper on the board. Write
“If I had the big red umbrella, I would let everyone join me because it feels ___.”
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• After students are done writing, instruct them to draw a picture of them and what they
chose to do with the red umbrella.
Review & Preview
• Have a large poster board with a big red umbrella drawn on it. Write your room number
on the umbrella in black Sharpie.
o Have each student draw a picture of themselves and come tape themselves
under the big umbrella.
o Use this poster to reemphasize the message that everyone is welcome because
we are all amazing and unique and can learn new things from one another’s
differences!
• Tell the students that next class you will be exploring the specific different identities
that exist and what makes each one so unique and beautiful!

Week 2 – Exploration of Various Cultures & Their Beauty

Objective Class 1: Given a book about a cultural group other than their own, reflective
questions, and a breakdown of the aspects that make up a culture; the young elementary
school student will work with their group to identify what makes that culture unique and
prepare a presentation for the class of their findings.
Objective Class 2: Given presentations from their classmates on each cultural group and an
observational walk, the young elementary school student will write a paragraph reflecting on
what they have learned, what surprised them, and how it felt to learn these things.
Introductory Activity
• Have the students remind you of what an identity is.
• Explain that part of what makes us each so unique is that we all come from different
cultures and backgrounds that make us who we are
• Ask if anyone knows what culture is – write culture on the board largely and if the
students list a correct component, write it
o If not, scaffold students into the definition of culture
▪ a set of values, beliefs and behaviors shared by a group of people
▪ ex: food, language, clothing, tools, music, arts, customs, beliefs, and
religion
• Tell the students that today we will be exploring those cultures so we can learn about
what makes each so beautiful and unique
Modeling/ Demonstration
• Introduce students to each of the cultural groups they will be focusing on. As you
introduce it, show them the book cover for the children’s book associated with that
identity. Ask students to share some observations they can make from each book cover
about some things that make the cultural group unique and beautiful. Especially
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emphasize that these are not the only groups that exist, but will be those of focus for
today.
o Identity groups: Black, Latinx, Native American/ Indigenous, Asian American,
Caribbean, Muslim, Mixed, Immigrant
• Ask the students to remind you of the things discussed previously about aspects of a
culture that make each unique beyond just how they may look. Help scaffold them to
remember by having them consider their own personal experiences.
Guided Practice/ Feedback
• Tell students that today they will be acting as investigators and it is their job to work
with their group to read the book about their cultural identity and find the aspects of
that culture that makes it unique. Tell the students it will be their job to create
something to present and share what they discover during their investigation with the
rest of their students next class.
• Tell the students they may use the other books in our classroom library as other sources
for their investigation.
• Demonstrate that each student will get their own clipboard with worksheets to guide
their investigative work, as well as with paper to take other notes. (these clipboards are
simply to make them feel like true investigators)
• Model the worksheets to them and read them the questions and clarify any confusion
they may have about the assignment or questions on the worksheet.
• Before the students are split into groups, give them each their own clipboard and have
them fill out the “Know” and “Want to Know” segments of their KWL chart.
Independent Practice/ Exploring
• Assign students to groups of 3-4 to one of each of the 8 books reflecting a specific
cultural group.
o Black – ABC I Love Me by Miriam Muhammad
o Latinx – Green Is a Chile Pepper: A Book of Colors (Color Books for Kids, Hispanic
Books for Kids, Early Reader Books) by Roseanne Greenfield Thong
o Native American/ Indigenous – We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell
o Asian American – A Morning with Grandpa by Sylvia Liu
o Caribbean – My Caribbean Grandma by Sandra Campbell-Notice
o Muslim - Under My Hijab by Hena Khan
o Mixed – I Am Mixed (I Am Book) by Garcelle Beauvais
o Immigrant – Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
• Allow the students to investigate and create their presentation with their group
independently for the remainder of the class period.
• Things included in the worksheets on their clipboard include
o A breakdown of the different aspects that make up a culture and what each
means for reference
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o A KWL chart to track their knowledge growth throughout the investigation

o Reflective questions about their particular book
o A chart for them to write in what makes their group unique in each aspect that
makes up culture
Review & Preview
• In the next class during Week 2, students will be presenting their findings to the rest of
the class using whatever materials they chose to utilize.
• After presentations are finished, as a method of engaging students more and making
their learnings about cultural groups apply to their local community, students will be
going on an observational research walk around the neighborhood (or around the
school yard based upon ability/ safety to take students).
o This walk will enable students to apply their learnings and take notice of the
cultural foods or music as they walk around. The teacher will point these things
out to them as they walk.
• Upon finishing the walk and presentations, students will complete a writing assignment
discussing the things they learned, what they found to be most interesting, how it felt to
go on the walk, etc.
• After the second class of this week, tell students that next they will be diving into their
own identities and the things that make them who they are!
Week 3 – The Ingredients of My Identity
Objective Class 1: Given two book readings about a child exploring where they are from, an
“Ingredients of my Identity” packet, and centers, the young elementary school student will
complete written activities about their identity and read texts in the classroom library
associated with their cultural group with at least 80% accuracy on a teacher created rubric.
Objective Class 2: Given an “Ingredients of my Identity” packet and family interview questions,
the young elementary school student will create a script to speak about their identity, record an
interview speaking about their identity, and write a reflection on the identity exploration
experience with at least 80% accuracy on a teacher created rubric.
Prior to this lesson, gather information on the student’s identity from their family of from
paperwork from the beginning of the year to ensure they are being accurately identified.
Introductory Activity
• Start by reminding students of how they talked about the things that make up a
person’s identity and what makes up a culture and makes them unique.
o Have students remind you of the things that make up an identity & a culture –
then pull out the papers from the other classes when you discussed these topics
& put them on the board for students to reference (the ones that state the
components of each).
• Tell them that now they will be exploring what makes each of them unique and amazing
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Modeling/ Demonstration
• Ask the students if anyone ever asked them where they are from? [expect mixed
responses] Tell them you are going to read a book about someone who was asked
where they were from and did not know how to answer.
• Read them Where Are You From? By Yamile Saied Méndez
o As you read the story, pause and ask questions like
▪ How would you feel if you did not know where you were from?
▪ Why is it important to know about our identity and where our family
came from?
▪ She asked her grandpa – but who would you ask about where you are
from?
▪ What things did she learn about her culture and about where her family
is from?
• Next read them Islandborn by Junot Díaz
o As you read, pause to ask questions like
▪ are all of the kids in Lola’s school from the same place or different
places? – What about our class, do you think we are all from the same
place or different places?
▪ What were some of the different places people in the school were from?
▪ At the end of the book, ask the class to raise their hands if they
remember anything about where they/ their parents are from.
Guided Practice/ Feedback
• Tell the class that similar to what Lola’s class did in the book, we will be exploring where
everyone in our class and their families are from.
• Tell the class that first we will do a quick practice of exploring where someone is from so
that they will know how to do it for themselves.
• Show the class the “ingredients of my identity” packets on clipboards that they will
utilize as they conduct research on the aspects of their identity and where they/ their
families are from.
• Choose a character from a book of TV show that the students are familiar with and
model them exploring their identity utilizing the packet.
Independent Practice/ Exploring
• The “Ingredients of my identity” packet includes… (worksheets in packet are based on
the books they read in class)
→ each paper in the packet will be completed at a different center [center will have the
resources they need to fill out the paper]
o Reminder worksheets on what the components of an identity & a culture are
o A worksheet on “You Soup” where they must fill in the various “ingredients” of
their identity (worksheet breaks down what components to include)
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o Paper where they draw and describe what they know about the place they/ their
family are from [to take home]
o Paper that describes where they currently live
o Paper to create interview questions for their family to help them understand
their identity further
o Paper where they write down the name of books from the classroom library on
their cultural group and next to it, take notes on what they learned from the
book
Review & Preview
• Kids will ask families about more about their identity & where they are from when they
go home using the interview questions they created, in the same way the character in
Islandborn does
• Students will bring back their completed interview questions for the next class
• In class two, students will work on their “ingredients of my identity packets more” and
once students have completed the packets in their entirety – they will write a script for
themselves to use as they give an interview on the “news” about their identity.
• Once their scripts are completed, each student will have an opportunity to do their
“recorded interview on the news.” The teacher will have green paper hung up on the
wall in a corner of the room to make a green screen and a chair in front of it for the child
to sit in. The app TouchCast will be used on an iPad to record them as they give their
interview (the app will turn the green paper into the background of a newsroom.
• Then students will write a paragraph reflecting on the experience of investigating their
identity, interviewing their family, and conducting their own interview about
themselves.
• Then, the class will have a movie night that Friday at the end of the day to watch all of
the interviews of their friends. The teacher will print a picture of the student giving the
interview in the newsroom and their script and hang it up around the room.
Week 4 – What Makes Me Unique & Special
Objective Class 1: Given a book reading, free write, partner conversation, and a fingerprint
paper, the young elementary school student will write everything that makes them unique and
proud on fingerprint lines in complete sentences with at least 80% accuracy on a teacher
created rubric.
Objective Class 2: Given a book reading, their fingerprint worksheets, and a blank book cover,
the young elementary school student will illustrate a book cover that represents all that makes
them unique, verbally share what makes them unique to the class as they walk the catwalk, and
write a paragraph reflection on the experience.
Introductory Activity
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• Tell the students that now that we all know about our identities and where our families
come from, we will be learning what makes each of us so unique & special and be
embracing those things!
• Ask what kinds of things make people unique & special.
Modeling/ Demonstration
• Read the book What I Like About Me!: A Book Celebrating Differences by Allia Zobel
Nolan
Guided Practice/ Feedback
• Ask the students what kinds of things in the book made each person so unique and
special. Ask them about whether they thought the kids felt proud of those things that
made them unique & have them provide their explanations as to why.
• Go around the room and have each student state one thing that makes them unique,
that they are proud about.
Independent Practice/ Exploring
• Have the students go to their desks and on lined paper, have them free write without
stopping for 2 minutes, writing everything that pops into their head that makes them
unique & proud. Then, have them take a moment to read over what they wrote.
• Have each student pair up with someone else and tell them about what makes them
unique. Give each partner 2 minutes to share with their partner, then for two more
minutes, have the partners add five more things they think makes their partner unique
to their partners paper (in a different color)
• When the students are done, they will go back to their desk and you will give them a
paper with an image of a fingerprint (the line design of a fingerprint). Each student will
write their name at the top and fill in the lines with all of the things that both they and
their partner wrote down as making them unique. They’ll use different colors to make it
look nice. The end product will be a “fingerprint” of what makes them unique (since
every fingerprint is unique).
Review & Preview
• Class 2: The class will begin with the teacher reading I Love Being Me, Uniquely Me! By
Karlene J Froling
• Then ask the students whether all of the characters in the book were the same. How did
they all feel about themselves and their identity? To be proud of your unique self, what
things could you do (that the characters did)? What does being proud of your unique
self look like?
• Students will then create their self portrait book cover for the book they will be creating
about how unique they are. Tell them they will be the Illustrator for the cover of the
book and their goal is to demonstrate everything that makes them unique in that cover
o Students will be given and fill out a worksheet to help them brainstorm how to
portray all that makes them unique
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• Once they have finished their book covers, they will all partake in an empowering
activity where they will each get their 1-2 minutes of fame – during which they will walk
the “red carpet” (construction paper) with their classmates gathered around and each
time they stop to pose, will share something about what makes them so unique. At the
end of the catwalk, they will show their unique book cover.
• Each book cover will be framed and hung around the classroom as a constant reminder
to students.
• Lastly, students will write a paragraph reflection on the identity embracing experience.
Week 5 - It’s Okay to Feel Different Sometimes
& Why Would Someone Make Fun of Me for my Difference?
Tools for Negotiating Racial Differences
Objective Class 1: Given two book readings and joint class brainstorming, the young elementary
school student will reflect on times they have been made fun of for being themselves, write a
letter with advice to the dragon about being different, and complete a writing assignment
where they state why they are proud of their differences and provide advice for those who are
not with at least 80% accuracy on a teacher created rubric.
Objective Class 2: Given a book reading, their previous writing assignment, and a guiding
worksheet to organize their ideas, the young elementary school student will write an illustrate a
book with their group that promotes being proud of one’s differences, why to be proud of ones
differences, and advice for those who are not proud of their differences with at least 80%
accuracy on a teacher created rubric.
Introductory Activity
• Start by telling the students that now that they have all embraced their unique selves,
they’re going to learn how to stay proud of their unique identity even when other
people try to make them feel bad
• Ask the class if they have ever been made fun of or if someone has even made them feel
bad for being themselves.
• Pass each child a clipboard with lined paper and have them reflect on that question
silently to themselves and write about how they felt when it happened.
Modeling/ Demonstration
• Read Teach Your Dragon About Diversity: Train Your Dragon to Respect Diversity. A Cute
Children Story to Teach Kids About Diversity and Differences by Steve Herman
o Tell them the book is about a dragon who felt sad because he was different
o Throughout the story, pause and ask questions like…
▪ How is the dragon feeling?
▪ What is making him feel sad?
▪ Should his unique differences make him feel sad?
• Then, pause the story at the conflict and have students write a short letter to the sad
dragon with advice and suggestions. Have a few volunteers read their letters.
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o This will demonstrate how students would currently go about dealing with
adversity and racial differences.
• Then finish the story [make it seem like the dragon took their advice].
• Have the students go around and share what the dragon learned in the story.
Guided Practice/ Feedback
• Tell the class that now they will be taking turns reading the next story, which is about a
human child who faces a similar problem as the dragon. Read The Day You Begin by
Jacqueline Woodson
o Pause as you read and help scaffold understanding of the story
▪ What about the girl in the story makes her unique and different?
▪ Why does she feel sad about this?
▪ What about the boy in the story makes him unique and different?
▪ What does the teacher think about the things that make them unique?
▪ Are the characters alone? Do they have to solve the problem by
themselves?
▪ What happens when the characters come together?
▪ How did the characters solve their problem?
• As a class have students work with partners to brainstorm reasons someone would
make fun of someone else for their unique differences & write the list on the board
Independent Practice/ Exploring
• Students will write why they are proud of their differences and write advice for people
who are not proud of their differences.
Review & Preview
• Class 2: Read Chocolate Me! By Taye Diggs
• After reading, have a discussion about how the main character was feeling and have
students think back to the advice they wrote in the last class and share some ideas that
could help the main character in the book.
• Have students split up into groups of 4-5 and work together with their individual advice
writing assignments from last class to create a book that promotes being proud of one’s
differences, why to be proud of ones differences, and some of the best advice for those
who are not proud of their differences.
a. Students will be given a worksheet to work collaboratively on to guide them
through organizing their ideas and the content of their book.
b. Emphasize to the class that they can be authors and write their own books in the
future just like they are doing now.
• Students will receive real blank books to create their final copies of their books. It will be
up to them to write, illustrate, and come up with a name for the book collaboratively.
• They will save space at the end of the book to include the topic of advocating for
themselves and others during adversity.
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Week 6: What Can You Do if Someone Makes Fun of You

or Someone Else for Their Difference?
Tools for Negotiating Racial Differences
Objective Class 1: Given a book reading, list and modeling of methods of advocacy, and a
modeling of how to identify how to use what makes you unique to advocate, the young
elementary school student will write about their unique talent and how they will use it to
advocate for others with at least 80% accuracy on a teacher created rubric.
Objective Class 2: Given a book on advocacy and guiding questions, the young elementary
school student will demonstrate a method of advocacy to the class based on their book, add an
advocacy section to their books, and write a reflection on their author/ illustrator experience
with at least 80% accuracy on a teacher created rubric.
Introductory Activity
• Tell the class that now that they have learned about embracing their differences and
have come up with advice to help others do so too, they will be learning about specific
things they can do to advocate for themselves and others if people are making fun of
their differences.
o Scaffold the students into coming up with the definition of advocate.
• Ask the students if they have ever advocated for someone or something or if they have
ever seen someone else do so. Provide an example of advocating for a sibling.
Modeling/ Demonstration
• Tell them they’re going to read a book about some of the people who changed the
world with their courage and how they did so.
o Scaffold students into the definition of courage
• Read Courageous People Who Changed the World (1) (Little Heroes) By Heidi Poelman
o Pause after each person and ask about how that person changed the world and
how they went about doing it
o Make a list on the board of these different ways they went about advocating
Guided Practice/ Feedback
• After reading, have a discussion
a. Does everyone who changed the world look the same?
b. What do you think they used to change the world?
i. Scaffold them into understanding that each person used the things that
make them unique and embraced those things to advocate for others.
• Explain that each person is unique as you have been talking about and so you must
embrace what makes you unique and use it to advocate for both yourself and others.
a. Give them many examples of ways to advocate through art, poems, writing,
speaking, singing, dancing, being caring, etc.
• Model how to use something that makes you unique to figure out how to advocate
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a. Use yourself as an example [walk them through your thought process. “I am a

teacher, I have curly hair, I like to sing, etc. … How can I use these thinks to
advocate?” → Have the class give you suggestions
Independent Practice/ Exploring
• Tell the class they will each be finding how to use what makes them unique to advocate.
• First, students will complete a brainstorming worksheet about what makes them unique
and the ways in which each can translate into advocacy.
• Then, students will write about their talent and how they plan on using it to advocate
for others, as well as why it is important to do so.
• Lastly, they will design a badge for themselves that states the way they advocate for
others.
Review & Preview
• Class 2: Have students split into 3 groups. Each group will be assigned one book to read.
Tell them that each book will teach them something new about ways to advocate for
themselves and others. Make it clear that it will be their group’s task to demonstrate for
the rest of the class how to advocate based on their book.
a. Books: Say Something! By Peter H. Reynolds, Hands Up! By Breanna J. McDaniel,
and Woke Baby by Mahogany L. Browne
• Each group will be provided with guiding and reflection questions to scaffold their
reading and understanding. Then, each group must work together to figure out a way to
best show the class that method of advocacy.
• Groups will present to the class. The class will discuss and reflect on learnings from each
presentation.
• Students will get back into their groups from last week and add in the final section of
their books – advocacy for themselves and others.
• Lastly, each group will read their book to the class.
• The books will be added to the classroom library.
• Students will write a reflection on the process of being the author and/or illustrator of
their own book.
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Annotated Bibliography of Resources for Teachers

“Children's Literature.” Anti-Defamation League, www.adl.org/education-and-
resources/resources-for-educators-parents-families/childrens-
literature#.VwQW3_krLcs.
This webpage, created through the Anti-Defamation league, promotes the importance of books
within the classroom to creating an equitable and welcoming atmosphere. This webpage is a
great resource for teachers who are seeking to expand their classroom library to make it more
inclusive of all groups. The site breaks the children’s books down into various marginalized
groups, and within each group you can view the associated children’s books, the ages it was
created for, and read a description of the book. This is a simple website for teachers to utilize to
browse diverse book options and ensure their bookshelves have equal representation of all
groups.
Creighton, Donna C. “Critical Literacy in the Elementary Classroom.” Language Arts, vol. 74,
no. 6, 1997, pp. 438–445. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41482896.
This journal article describes the occurrence of the shift to critical pedagogy and literacy as we
entered a world with numerous gender identities, diversity in family structures, racial identities,
and much more. It emphasizes the idea of critical literacy as a narrative for both agency and for
critique. The article discusses that the overarching goal of critical literacy is to promote the
uncovering and open discussion of assumptions that arrive when working with texts in the
classroom and utilizing them for learning opportunities. This article is a great resource for
teachers as it provides the main principles of critical literacy and provides teachers with specific
starting points for how they can go about developing critical literacy within their own
classrooms. This can be utilized as a guide for learning about and incorporating critical literacy
in the classroom for teachers who are not aware of the topic.
Hughes‐Hassell, Sandra, and Ernie J. Cox. “Inside Board Books: Representations of People of
Color.” The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy, vol. 80, no. 3, 2010, pp.
211–230. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/652873.
This article included research findings of the importance of exposure to books that align with
one’s identity from when they are a toddler due to its impact on the development of the child
of color’s appreciation of self. This research demonstrates to teachers the importance of
providing and making diverse stories available to students within the classroom, even if they
are not embedded in the curriculum, as it fosters positive identity development and embracing
by marginalized students. Further, upon analysis of the board books published for children
between 2003 and 2008, findings demonstrated that it was rare to find board books that
feature people of color or that were created by authors and illustrators of color. This article
serves as a great resource for teachers to educate themselves on the lack of representation of
students of color in children’s literature, as well as learn about the large impacts this lack can
have on their students.
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“Lessons.” Teaching Tolerance, www.tolerance.org/classroom-

resources/lessons?keyword=&field_grade_level%5B35%5D=35&field_social_justice_do
main%5B39%5D=39.
This webpage is part of a website called “Teaching Tolerance” that provides educators with
articles regarding equity issues to avoid within the classroom based on the season, as well as a
large database of resources they can utilize to make their classroom more inclusive. This
particular webpage is full of lesson plans teachers can utilize that were created to promote
identity exploration in first grade students. Teachers can click on any grade and any equity
related topic they would like to teach and find a large number of resources, materials, and
lesson plans available to them. This is a great resource for teachers who would like to make
their classroom more welcoming and equitable, but do not know how to go about doing so.
Roethler, Jacque. “Reading in Color: Children's Book Illustrations and Identity Formation for
Black Children in the United States.” African American Review, vol. 32, no. 1, 1998, pp.
95–105. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/3042272.
This article describes the struggle of identity development that every individual must undergo
as they grow closer to adulthood, while highlighting the additional challenge faced by
individuals of color throughout this process as they attempt to define themselves both in terms
of their national and cultural heritage. Further, the article discusses the vital role literature
plays in this development as the illustrations create the first schema children have – one that is
maintained through adulthood. Overall, the article discusses the integral role these illustrations
within children’s literature play for socialization while emphasizing the problematic nature of
the false representations or lack of representation of individuals of color within illustrations.
This article serves as a great source for teachers to educate themselves further on the
importance of the illustrations within children’s literature for the socialization of the students
within their class, as well as of the additional challenges in identity development faced by
students of color who are not provided with books they can see themselves in.
Rogers, Rebecca, and Melissa Mosley. “Racial Literacy in a Second-Grade Classroom: Critical
Race Theory, Whiteness Studies, and Literacy Research.” Reading Research Quarterly,
vol. 41, no. 4, 2006, pp. 462–495. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/4151814.
This article is a helpful resource for teachers who would like to talk about race, racism, equity,
or any related issue within an elementary school classroom. Oftentimes, teachers are afraid to
do this or believe the children are too young and do not know how to bring up this more
challenging topic. This article provides teachers with a framework for having these
conversations, specifically with white students who may not have been exposed to these issues.
The article provides specific examples of texts and conversations utilized for these discussions
that teachers can use as a template for their own conversations.
YOKOTA, JUNKO. “Issues in Selecting Multicultural Children's Literature.” Language Arts, vol.
70, no. 3, 1993, pp. 156–167. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41482079.
 Montes 23

This article serves as a resource for teachers as it highlights various things they should be aware
of when choosing texts to represent marginalized groups and integrating them into the
classroom curriculum. To illustrate, the article discusses issues of defining cultural groups too
broadly, whether the text was written from an inside or outside perspective, the cultural
accuracy of text details, the natural integration of cultural details, and the representation of all
marginalized groups. It also provides a concise history of the changing scope of children’s
literature. Teachers can utilize this resource as a checklist of some aspects to check within texts
and lessons related to groups of people.

Additional Resources
Athanases, Steven Z. “Diverse Learners, Diverse Texts: Exploring Identity and Difference
through Literary Encounters.” Journal of Literacy Research, vol. 30, no. 2, June 1998, pp.
273–296, doi:10.1080/10862969809547999.
“Critical Race Theory.” Racial Justice in the Age of Obama, by Roy L. Brooks, Princeton
University Press, Princeton; Oxford, 2009, pp. 89–108. JSTOR,
www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt7pfsm.9.
“Dictionary by Merriam-Webster: America's Most-Trusted Online Dictionary.” Merriam-
Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/.
Gast, David K. “Minority Americans in Children's Literature.” Elementary English, vol. 44, no. 1,
1967, pp. 12–23. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/41386107.
Williams, Bronwyn T. “The Truth in the Tale: Race and ‘Counterstorytelling’ in the
Classroom.” Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, vol. 48, no. 2, 2004, pp. 164–
. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40009165.