Understanding Diversity Lesson Plan 2

Understanding Diversity
by Sara Baiza
Subject: Reading & Writing

Culture: Handicap and Disabilities
Topic: Inclusion
Grade Level: 4th grade
_______________________________________________
Literature: Not So Different By Shane Burcaw, Published November 7, 2017, 4th

Grade
Social Justice Standard(s):

❖ #6 - Students will express comfort with people who are both similar to and
different from them and engage respectfully with all people.
❖ #8 - Students will respectfully express curiosity about the history and lived
experiences of others and will exchange ideas and beliefs in an open-minded
way
❖ #9 - Students will respond to diversity by building empathy, respect,
understanding, and connection.
❖ #16 - Students will express empathy when people are excluded or mistreated
because of their identities and concern when they themselves experience bias.
Nevada Academic Content Standard(s) (Section topic, Grade Level, Number, and
Description): 2.
❖ Reading Standards - Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is
supported by key details; summarize the text. Grade 4, #5
❖ Writing Standards - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development
and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. Grade 4, #4
Objective(s):
❖ Upon completing the lesson, students will develop a friendly relationship with
someone who is disabled and actively discuss various engaging topics with
them.
❖ Students will be able to identify ways in which they can be inclusive towards all
people regardless of their identities with 90% accuracy.
❖ Students will demonstrate how they plan to include those with disabilities and be
able to explain why this is important with 90% accuracy.
❖ Students will show willingness to participate in a positive manner towards those
with disabilities, so often that in hopes they feel no differently towards disabled
students than they do each other.
Materials:
❖ The book, Not So Different by Shane Burcaw
❖ Pencils and paper
Procedure:
1. Introduce: Introduce the book to the students and ask them if they understand
what the term disabled means. Ask if they understand the difference between a
physical and mental disability.
2. Read: Read the entirety of the book aloud to the class.
3. Discuss: Discuss how people with disabilities live their lives, and how that might
be similar and different to our own. What we should do if we meet a disabled
person, and how to show respect. Begin an open discussion on the following
questions:
a. Have you ever met someone who is disabled like Shane?
b. How did Shane seem in the book? Was he happy? Was he sad?
c. Did you learn anything new from Shane’s story?
d. What are some challenges not mentioned in the book that someone who
is adisabled could face?
e. Why do you think Shane wrote this book? What is he trying to say?
4. Activities:
a. Utilize Think/Pair/Share amongst the class, allow them to answer the
prompt “What can we do to make those with disabilities feel included?
Please list at least three ideas” After discussing for fifteen minutes, have
the children share aloud what they wrote down.
b. The student will break away into larger groups and be paired with a
special needs student at the school to become penpals with. They will be
given a picture of their new friend and a list of their interests. The number
and size of groups will be determined on how many special needs
students attend our school. Groups will exchange one letter a month for
the rest of the school year back and forth. Every third letter we will take a
trip down to the Special Education department to visit their friends for a set
amount of time. Activities and question prompts will be provided to give
the children some encouragement to get involved with one another. Upon
returning to the classroom, each student will write a short essay of what
they discussed and learned about their new friend. Students will be given
ideas of what to talk about and ask their new penpal each month.
Assessment:
Think/Pair/Share - Students will be assessed on participating in discussing and writing
down ways to be inclusive. Students will earn points based on meeting the requirement
for three ideas of inclusiveness, and overall participation in the activity. (5pts)
Penpal Letters - Students will be assessed on their overall structure of each letter they
write. Students will be encouraged to make their letters personable and interesting for
their penpal. This will be a monthly assignment that is done in class during the last week
of each month.
Date - Month, Day and Year in upper right hand corner (1 pt)
Introduction - Must have greeting along with their friends name (Hello Jimmy, Dear
Melissa, Etc.) (2 pt)
Body - The letter will be a minimum of four sentences. One of the sentences must be a
question. (5 pts)
Closing - Must have a fond farewell (Yours Truly, Sincerely, etc.) (1pt)
Signature - Student must sign their full name (1 pt)
Total - 10 pts
Short Essays - This will be a writing assignment that students will complete after every
in-person visit they have with their penpal. (3 in total) These short essays must be a
minimum of five sentences in length and include recollections of the visit. Students will
write about at least one new thing they learned about their penpal. Students will be
assessed on the overall detail of their essay (what activity did they do, what they
enjoyed about it, etc.). Instructions will be given on how I expect the essays structured
and how to write an engaging essay. Simple sentences such as “it was fun.” will not be
counted towards the minimum sentence requirement. (10 pts)

Understanding Diversity Lesson Plan 2

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Understanding Diversity Lesson Plan 2

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Understanding Diversity Lesson Plan 2

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Understanding Diversity

Subject: Reading & Writing

Literature: Not So Different By Shane Burcaw, Published November 7, 2017, 4th

Social Justice Standard(s):

You might also like