Anti-Bias Unit

1. Unit Overview
Title: A Closer Look at Social Class and Our Differences
Age Range: 8-10, Grades 2-3
Big Question 1: What inequalities exist among different social classes?
Key Concepts: inequality, social class, have and have nots, needs and wants, , poverty, wealth
Big Question 2: How should we treat people with respect who are different from us? What actions can we
take to promote respect?
Key Concepts: respect, target, perpetrator, bystander, ally, confronting prejudice, individual and
community action, differences, empathy
Social Action
The students have now completed an anti-bias unit addressing social class and how to respect
differences. To conclude the unit, the class will participate in a Poverty Awareness Walk-a-Thon. The
teacher will introduce the idea of a Walk-a-Thon as a way to inform the community on the reality of those
who live in poverty and the prejudice they face in their everyday lives. The goal of the Walk-a-Thon is to
help those in the community develop empathy for people who live differently from them. Rather than
having sponsors donate money to the cause, students will ask the sponsors to wear handmade crafts to
promote poverty awareness within their business. Students will begin the project by creating handmade
crafts such as posters, badges, and necklaces with a tag that says a fact about poverty on one side and a
suggestion on how to take action on the other. For example, one side of a poster could say, 1 in 5 children
in America lives in poverty and Volunteer at your local Habitat for Humanity to help those who are in
need. These items will allow students to raise poverty awareness within the community. Next students will
need to find local sponsors to wear their handmade items. The sponsors should agree to wear the items on
the day of the Walk-a-Thon. Teachers should encourage students to find sponsors outside of their
immediate family. Students should contact the communitys local newspaper and speak about raising
awareness to the cause. The day of the Walk-a-Thon students will walk a designated distance for each

sponsor. This project will help students become advocates for the issue of poverty and social inequality
and will help raise awareness within in their local community.
Note: The teacher will draft a letter to parents to gain sponsors for the walk-a-thon. The letter will ask if
any family members or acquaintances work in businesses that would be willing to support the walk-a-thon
by wearing the students crafts or hanging up posters in their place of work. Sponsors will not be donating
money but instead are agreeing to spread awareness. The teacher will share the letter with the students
and they will sign the letter along with the teacher.
The students will make an effort to find sponsors outside of their immediate family as well. They can
go to local business or organizations but must have a parent volunteer.

The students will write a friendly letter asking friends and/or family to volunteer at the walk-a-thon.
The letter must include why the student wants the recipient to volunteer.

Week 1, Day 1
Big Question: What inequalities exist among different social classes?
Key Concepts: social class, inequality
Materials: chart paper, markers, Cups Held Out by Judith L. Roth, student journals, pencil
Warm-Up
The teacher will introduce the term, social class, by writing the words on chart paper. The teacher
will then create a K-W-L chart on the same paper. To start the discussion, the teacher will ask, What
do you think social class means? What comes to mind when you hear this term? Have several
student responses recorded in the K column (misconceptions are expected from students).
The teacher will transition by saying, Now that we have shared what we think of the term, social
class, we will read a story about a young girl and her family who travel from California to Mexico and
see people living in a social class different from their own. As I read, think if your meaning of social
class changes.
Activity
Read, Cups Held Out by Judith L. Roth.
Post-reading Discussion Questions: Was the girl surprised how she saw the people living in Mexico?
Why do you think she was surprised? Do you think the girl and her family live differently or the same
from the people in Mexico? In what ways?
The teacher leads the discussion to the point that the girl and her family live in different social
classes, even though they are different, one is not better than the other.
The students will be given journals to be used specifically for this unit. They should be ones that have
not been used before; at the end of the unit the students will name their journals.
The teacher will ask the students to write about a time they met or saw someone who lived differently
from their own family. Students will record responses in their journals and those who volunteer can
share.
Assessment
The students journal assignment will be used as a formative assessment to indicate their
understanding of the differences among people/groups.
Resources
http://dictionary.kids.net.au/word/social_class

2. Block Plan
Week 1, Day 2
Big Question: What inequalities exist among different social classes?
Key Concepts: social class, inequality, poverty, wealth, haves, have-nots
Materials: The Table Where Rich People Sit by Byrd Taylor, K-W-L Chart, marker, student journal, pencils,
anticipation question worksheet
Warm Up:

Review Cups Held Out by Judith L. Roth: The teacher will ask a student to tell a brief summary orally,
share the differences between the two families, and something they want to learn.
The teacher will retrieve the K-W-L chart from the previous day and will record what the students want
to learn in the W column.
The teacher will transition the discussion with the following points: 1) people live with different means,
and therefore 2) have to decide their needs and wants. Before we discuss a need versus a want, lets
discuss what it means to haveor not havesomething.
As a class, brainstorm a list of things the students might have that make kids who dont have them

feel jealous. (Ex: video games, particular toys or clothing.)

Activity
In your journal or notebook, write a sentence and draw a picture to go with it showing an experience
you can remember of having something that someone else wanted. Then write and illustrate a
sentence describing an experience you can remember of someone else having something you
wanted.
Once you are finished, we will talk as a class about the experiences you recorded. We will discuss how you
felt in both of these situations. Then, we will make a class chart depicting what it feels like to HAVE and NOT
HAVE things that are wanted.
Students will complete a set of anticipation questions in their journal, using only yes or no. The teacher
will return to these responses at the end of the lesson.
I feel rich when
-Everyone around me cares about me
-A friend gives me a hug
-Someone buys me the latest fad running shows
-I am given extra money
-I have more money and materials than the people around me
-Someone gives me a great idea
Read The Table Where Rich People Sit by Byrd Taylor
Post-reading discussion: 1) Why do you think Mountain Girl is upset with her parents about their living
situation? 2) Why do you think she feels the need for her family to be rich? 3) What does it mean to
be rich? 4) How do you think a rich child would view Mountain Girls living situation? As a class, talk
about the idea of being rich and how it relates to the discussion of having and not having particular
things. The teacher will reiterate with the class that richness and poorness is relative, and each
individuals perspective is different.
Assessment: The students will revisit their anticipation questions and will write a 3-5 sentence paragraph
explaining if their responses changed and why they did or did not.
Resources
https://www.bctf.ca/uploadedFiles/Public/SocialJustice/Issues/Poverty/TheTableWhereRichPeopleSit.pdf

Week 1, Day 3
Big Question: What inequalities exist among different social classes?
Key Concepts: social class, inequality, inequity, poverty, wealth, needs and wants
Materials: chart paper, marker, Tight Times by Barbara S. Hazen, Its Me paper doll template, pencils,
working scissors, broken scissors, construction paper, notebook paper, new box of crayons, used crayons
Warm-Up

Review the terms rich and poor from the previous days activity

Introduce the terms, poverty and wealth, and how they relate to rich and poor. The teacher says,
Poverty relates to being poor. It is a more specific word and it means, the condition of lacking sufficient
money or goods to meet basic human needs such as food shelter, clothing. Wealth, on the other hand, is
related to being rich; wealth is defined as, an abundance of valuable possessions or resources.

The teacher will write both definitions on chart paper so that the students can revisit it.

Poverty and wealth are opposites, which means there is an imbalance, or inequality. Lets read about a
young boy whose parents are struggling with money. Think about the words poverty and wealth as I read the
story
Activity

Read, Tight Times by Barbara S Hazen

How would you feel if you were the boy in the story?

As we talked about yesterday, the young boy wanted a dog but could not have one. How did this make
him feel? Why do you think he felt this way?

Why wouldnt the parents let the child have a dog?

The teacher will say, Many times people have to give up certain things because they do not have the
money.

What does tight times mean? (Link to poverty, being poor versus wealthy)

How would the loss of the fathers job affect the familys tight times?

Do you think a family not going through tight times would give their child a dog? Why or why not? (There
are may answers to this question and the teacher should address that money is not the only factor when
choosing to own a pet or buy a wanted item)

The social class that you belong to does have a big impact on your life
Activity 2


Students will complete an activity to see the effect unequal resources have on student achievement

1. The teacher will provide half the class with construction paper, a new box of crayons and high-quality
scissors

2. The teacher will provide the other half of the class with notebook paper, broken scissors, and one
crayon each.

3. The teacher will instruct the students to use the paper doll template to trace their doll onto their
paper. Once they are done, the students will cut out their dolls.

4. The activity will be repeated by having the students swap their materials (so each student will each
have 2 dolls, one with the high-quality materials and one made with the poor materials)

The teacher will conduct a round robin asking students to respond to the following questions
Did the materials make a difference in how your paper doll looked?
Which of your paper dolls did you like better?
How did you feel when you were trying to complete the project using poor materials?

Is it fair for some students to have better materials than others? How does this relate to inequality?
(teacher can help students by explaining that inequality means people have different things/opportunities)
Assessment: The teacher will assess the students by evaluating their participation in the round robin activity,
specifically how well the students listened, expressed their ideas, and completed the paper-doll craft (did they
follow directions and each have 2 dolls?)
Resources:

www.tolerance.org/lesson/what-poverty

www.tolerance.org/activity/thats-not-fair

Schniedewind, N., & Davidson, E. (2006). Open minds to equality. Milwaukee, WI: Rethinking Schools

Week 1, Day 4
Big Question: What inequalities exist among different social classes?
Key Concepts: social class, inequality, poverty, wealth, needs and wants
Materials: Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts, notebook paper, pencil
Warm-Up
Review what the boy in Tight Times wanted in the story (a dog). Why couldnt he have the dog? (Lack
of money, tight times)

Define a need and want by reading Harcourt Horizons About My Community textbook, Lesson 6:
Needs and Wants

Sample needs: water, food, shelter, clothing

Sample wants: pets, games, toys, dessert

Activity
Continue the discussion: when trying to figure out your own needs and wants, ask yourself the following
questions:
1. What items do I need in order to get ready in the morning? Maybe a toothbrush, towel, shampoo,
and/or a hairdryer?
2. How about my clothes? Do I need shoes, socks, pants, and a sweater?
3. How do I get to school? Do I need bus fare, a bike, a skateboard, or good walking shoes?
4. Are there things I need for school? Books? Backpack? Binders? Pencils?
5. How about things to help me study? Do I need a desk, chair, and/or a computer?
6. Do I have any sports or hobbies that need equipment? Like tennis rackets, cleats, riding gear, or
scrapbooking supplies?
Activity 2
Read Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts

How did Jeremy feel when his grandmother told him that the shoes were a want? What did she
mean?

Why did Jeremy want the shoes?

How would you have treated Jeremy? Why do you think some of the kids chose to exclude (leave
out) Jeremy? Was this right?

How do you treat others who have different things than you (i.e. clothes, shoes, backpacks)?

Week 1, Day 5
Big Question: How should we treat people with respect who are different from us? What actions can we take
to promote respect?
Key Concepts: target, perpetrator, ally, bystander, respect, differences, empathy
Materials: A World of Difference ADL Handbook, pg 230-233, chart paper/document camera/Smart Board,
student journal, pencil
Warm-Up:
Review differences among social classes (resources, needs and wants, inequality)
The teacher will ask the class, How does what a person owns affect how others see them? Is it right to
treat someone poorly because they are different?
Teacher: Unfortunately people judge others immediately based on the things they own, what they wear,
or what type of house they come from. This is absolutely unacceptable- it is not right or fair to judge
someone in this way. Instead, we need to show respect. (The teacher will ask volunteers to explain what
respect means to them.) The teacher will gauge the students responses and will define respect, if
needed. Respecting someone means you act in a way that shows you care about their feelings and wellbeing.
Activity
Teacher: Sometimes having and not having things can be a reason for bullying or exclusion. In your
journal, write a skit or draw a comic showing a scenario where kids get teased or excluded because of
what they do not have. In your skit, show how you would respond in this situation and help solve the
problem. Try to make your solution as realistic as possible.
Once most students have finished, the teacher will ask the class to share or act out their skit with
classmates.
Post-activity Discussion: Were any of you stumped of what you would do? Did any part of this activity make you
uncomfortable? As a class, we are going to participate in an activity that will help you identify the roles people
play when they see or help someone who is mistreated. A person is mistreated when they are made fun of or
are not shown respect.
Activity 2
Ask students to think about a time when they had to meet new people, for example maybe their family
moved to a new school where they didnt know anyone, or maybe they joined a new club or team.

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How did you feel during this experience?

Can you remember what people did to make them feel welcome or what people did to make them feel
uncomfortable?
After students have shared, the teacher will tell the students that s/he will share a story about a girl who
went through a similar experience.
Read The New Girl, pg. 231, ADL Handbook
Post-discussion: 1) How did you feel as I read the story aloud? 2) Do you think events like the one in this
story really happen? Explain your thinking or give an example of an incident similar to Juanitas situation. 3)
Juanita says she felt invisible. What do you think she meant by that? Have you ever felt as if you were
invisible? Describe the situation 5) Is this story an example of exclusion?
The teacher will draw the diagram shown on page 232 of the ADL handbook. The teacher will define the
following 4 terms for the class:
Target: someone who is the focus of mistreatment
Bystander: someone who sees something happening and does not say or do anything
Ally: someone who speaks out on behalf of someone else
Perpetrator: someone who says or does something against another person
To gauge the students understanding, the teacher will use the following questions to facilitate the
discussion:
How have you ever heard the word target used? How does it apply to this story? Who was the target in
your skit/comic?
Was there a bystander in this story? If so, who?
What about a perpetrator? How do you know?
Which of the four roles do people not have a choice about? (i.e., target)
Was there an ally/friend in this story? What did this person do?
How can you be an ally? Was there an ally in your skit/comic?
Teacher should record answers in the four-square diagram
Assessment: The students will be assessed based on their participation in their written skit/comic strip, input
in the post-discussion, and their identification of the four roles in the story.
Resources:
Southern Poverty Law Center: http://www.tolerance.org/supplement/wants-versus-needs-primary-grades,

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http://talkingtreebooks.com/what_is_respect.html#sthash.NSYWsI32.dpbs, A World of Difference ADL

Handbook

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Week 2, Day 6
Big Question: How should we treat people with respect who are different from us? What actions can we take
to promote respect?
Key Concepts: target, perpetrator, ally, bystander, respect, differences, empathy
Materials: Four Squares student handout, Manila paper, coloring supplies, Say Something by Peggy Moss
Warm-Up
The teacher will show the four squares diagram that was drawn and completed the previous lesson.
The teacher will ask volunteers to read the information recorded in each of the boxes, making sure that
the meanings of target, bystander, perpetrator, and ally are clear to students.
Activity
The teacher will ask students to retrieve their skit/comic strip recorded in their journals the day before.
The teacher will say: Yesterday you wrote about a time when a student was made fun of because of
what they did or did not have. Now that we have read The New Girl and have talked about the four roles
of people that can be involved, I will put you in groups of four and want you to draw about a time when
someone was made fun of. You may use one of the group members stories or create a new one. Once
you have finished drawing it, you will fill out the four squares handout so that I know who in your story
were the target, perpetrator, bystander, and ally. When you are finished, raise your hand.
The teacher will divide the class into groups of four and hand out the Manila paper and coloring supplies.
Once the groups have completed their activity, the teacher will read, Say Something by Peggy Moss.
The teacher will stop reading in the middle of the book and ask the following questions: Why do you think
the bullies in the book felt the need to make fun of the little girl? How do you think the teasing made the
girl feel? Do you think the girl will act differently the next time she sees someone being bullied since she
experienced being the target? I want you to think about the different characters in the book and the
reasons why each person who was involved acted the way they did.
The students will go back and fill in why each role in the four squares diagram acted the way they did.
Assessment
The teacher will collect the groups four square worksheets to assess their understanding, specifically the
teacher will check for: 1) completion, 2) character names, 3) reasons explaining why they acted 4)
contributions from each group member
Resources

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http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/feelings/bullies.html#, Anti-Defamation League. (2000). A World of

Difference Institute: Anti-bias study guide. NY, NY: Author. (Guide available as part of the ADL workshop)

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Week 2, Day 7
Big Question: How should we treat people with respect who are different from us? What actions can we take
to promote respect?
Key Concepts: target, perpetrator, ally, bystander, confronting prejudice, respect, differences, empathy
Materials: nametags, chart paper, marker, The Lunch Thief by Anne C. Bromley
Warm-Up
The teacher will create a word-web with prejudice in the middle bubble. The teacher will ask students
what they think the word means and will write their ideas in the web.
Define prejudice: a word that means judging someone or having an idea about them before you actually
know anything about that person
Do you think it is fair to you or the other person to be prejudice?
Activity
The teacher will divide the students into new groups of four. The students will participate in a role-play,
with each student representing a role in the Four Squares diagram (target, bystander, perpetrator, and
ally). Each student will wear a nametag identifying which role they are playing. The scenario is as
follows: A teacher announces that there will be a field trip the following week. A boy turns to one of the
students sitting near you and says, Well, you know that Billy wont be able to go because the trip costs
money.
After students have developed their first role-play, have them switch nametags and repeat the activity.
To wrap-up the activity, the teacher will conduct a whole-group discussion:
How did you feel when participating in the target role?
Did participating in the target role influence how you acted when you were in any of the other roles?
Explain.
Was it difficult to play the role of someone who was unfair to others? If so, why was it difficult for
you?
What strategies were used in these role-plays to confront prejudice and unfairness? (The teacher will
record strategies on chart paper)
Activity 2
The teacher will read The Lunch Thief by Anne C. Bromley
Post-Discussion Questions: How do you think Rafael felt when his best friend Alfredo was friendly

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teasing him about his weight? How do you think he felt when Kevin was bullying him about his weight?
Is there a difference between friendly teasing and bullying? The teacher should explain that even friendly
teasing could be hurtful. Friendly teasing starts out as a joke but can quickly become a hurtful action.
Activity 3
The teacher will read the Out for a Soda role-play on pg. 90 of Open Minds to Equality.
The students will act out the role-play
The teacher will end the activity with a discussion using the questions
How do you think Ashley felt?
Have you ever felt this way? When? What did you do?
What else do you think Ashley could have done?
What do you think of what the other children said or did? Are there any other more creative ways they
could have handled the situation?
Assessment
The teacher will assess students based on their participation in both role-play activities. Did each student
in the group act as a character? Were they sincere?
Resources
http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&id=2348&np=286
http://www.tilburyhouse.com/childrens/the-lunch-thief-teachers-take-note.htm
http://www.reachandteach.com/content/article.php/lunchthief
Schniedewind, N., & Davidson, E. (2006). Open minds to equality. Milwaukee, WI: Rethinking Schools

16

17

Week 2, Day 8
Big Question: How should we treat people with respect who are different from us? What actions can we
take to promote respect?
Key Concepts: target, perpetrator, ally, bystander, confronting prejudice, individual and community action,
respect, differences, empathy
Materials: Lily and the Paper Man by Rebecca Upjohn
Warm-Up
The teacher will ask students if they have ever seen someone who is homeless? How did seeing this
person make you feel? Did it make anyone feel uncomfortable?
The teacher will play the Lilly and the Paper Man Book Talk video (play until 0:43)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t31wVSbeLiY&list=PLDB4E9427B3E35BC1
Activity
The teacher will read Lily and the Paper Man aloud to the class.
Post-Discussion Questions: 1) Why was Lily afraid of the Paper Man when she met him? 2) Even
though the Paper Man looked different than Lily, did she have any reason to treat him without respect?
3) Do you think Lily was prejudice towards the homeless man? Why or why not? 4) How did Lilys
opinion of the Paper Man change as the book went on? 5) How did Lily take action to help the Paper
Man? 6) How did she get others involved in her efforts to help?
The teacher will divide the class into pairs for the students to discuss possible solutions to help those
who are homeless in the community. The teacher should walk to each pair, listening and helping the
students brainstorm.
The teacher will bring the class back together and choose pairs to share their ideas of how individuals
can take action The students will record the ideas in their unit journals.
The teacher will introduce the next activity by saying, You shared good examples of individual action.
Individuals can have a big impact, but when they come together in the community, they can do even
more. To help us learn about community resources, we are going to listen a guest speaker from the
local organization Catholic Charities.
Activity 2 (Social Action)
Emma Rojas, supervisor of Catholic Charities Donation Center, will speak to the class about her
organization. She will discuss how donations to Catholic Charities help struggling families meet basic
everyday needs. Ms. Rojas will explain how the students can get involved by donating gently used
clothing items. She will share how families have benefited from the items donated.
The teacher will explain that their class will arrange a school-wide clothing drive for Catholic Charities.
Students will create posters advertising the clothing drive and hang them up all over the school.
Flyers will be sent home with students so that parents will be informed and encouraged to donate
clothing. Parents will have the opportunity to volunteer at the donation table the day of the event.
Parent volunteers will arrange for Catholic Charities to pick up all of the donated items.
Assessment
The teacher will collect the students journals to assess if they recorded the ideas shared with the
class

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Week 2, Day 9
Big Question: How should we treat people with respect who are different from us? What actions can we
take to promote respect?
Key Concepts: target, perpetrator, ally, bystander, confronting prejudice, individual and community action,
respect, differences, empathy
Materials: Alliance square handout (pg. 255), poster paper, markers, crayons, scissors, yarn, beads, pipe
cleaners, hole-punch
Warm-Up
To review the idea of individual and community action, the students will complete the alliance square
handout. The handout will be themed about how to treat those that are different from us and reach
out to them (i.e., different social class, wear different clothes, have different resources, live in different
types of shelter)
Example for teacher to use as a reference OR to show the class.

Onetime

Longterm
or
ongoi
ng

Individual
Action
Stop a classmate
from teasing
another
classmate about
their secondhand clothes
Make a personal
commitment to
always interrupt
hurtful remarks
by a perpetrator
(prejudicial,
disrespectful)

Community Action
Organize a clothing drive
for the immediate
community at a school

School can adopt

awareness and action
campaign; monthly
meetings will be help to
develop plans and discuss
areas of need and
concern
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Activity (Social Action)

The teacher will introduce the next activity by saying, These past two weeks we have learned about
inequality, social classes, empathy, respect, differences, and prejudice. Now we want to help pass
along these ideas to others in our community. Its important to help our community understand why it
is wrong to treat others who look or live differently. We need to spread awareness about those who
live in poverty and help others develop empathy for them.
The teacher will explain that they will spread awareness by creating handmade crafts (necklaces,
badges, etc.) and posters to give to members of the community. These artifacts will contain facts
about poverty on one side and a suggestion for action on the other.
The teacher will take the class to the computer lab so that students have the opportunity to research
facts and social actions.
If students are struggling with finding resources the teacher could provide a list of pre-determined
websites.
After researching facts and social action ideas the students will begin making their artifacts. The
teacher will provide the students with craft supplies to create their handmade items.
Assessment
The teacher will assess students based on the quality of the information used for their handmade
artifacts (Is the information relevant to the unit topic?).
The teacher will collect the alliance squares to check for completion and relevance (i.e. a community
action is written in the community column)
Resources
Anti-Defamation League. (2000). A World of Difference Institute: Anti-bias study guide. NY, NY: Author.
(Guide available as part of the ADL workshop)
Week 2, Day 10
Big Question: How should we treat people with respect who are different from us? What actions can we
take to promote respect?
Key Concepts: target, perpetrator, ally, bystander, confronting prejudice, individual and community action,

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respect, differences, empathy

Materials: The Sandwich Swap by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdulah and Kelly DiPucchio, note cards
with poem printed, glue, student journals, colored pencils/crayons, markers, pencils
Warm-Up
The teacher will hand out note cards with one of the six statements from the Poverty Poem (shown
below). Six students will be designated to read from a note card.
Who is poor in the United States? This is how those living in poverty would answer.
We are White. We are African-American. We are Hispanic and Native-American and Asian, too.
We are young and we are old. We live in cities, suburbs and in the country. We go to work and go to
school.
We are concerned about raising our children well. We help others who are in worse shape than we
are. We sometimes depend on the kindness of other.
We are one out of every five children in America. We are one out of every ten families in America.
We arent all the same.
The teacher will ask the students in the audience, What were you thinking as the poem was being
read? The teacher will then ask the students who read the statements, How did you feel when you
were saying these words? The teacher will ask the students if any of the statements were surprising.
The teacher will explain that its important to realize that not everyone who lives in poverty is exactly the
same. The teacher will explain the importance of spreading this knowledge to others in the community.
Activity
The students will pair themselves and read The Sandwich Swap by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al
Abdullah and Kelly DiPucchio
The students have the option of drawing, writing, or scripting how the book applies to what they have
learned over the past two weeks. (If this unit is being used with second grade, the teacher can prompt
students with: How did the two friends let a difference come between them? What did the girls use to
judge each others sandwiches (Ex: it was different, unfamiliar) How did the girls solve their problem?
(Ex: with a school-wide event/brought in the community)
Activity 2 (Social Action)
Students will now name and decorate the cover of their unit journals based on what they felt they
learned during the unit. Encourage students to think about what made them emotional, angry, or

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change how they thought of things.

Assessment
The students will share their journal title and illustrations in a round robin fashion. The teacher will
assess for completion and thoughtfulness (was their theme relevant and explained well?)
Resources
Poverty Poem: www.usccb.org%2Fabout%2Fcatholic-campaign-for-human-development%2Fpovertyeducation%2Fupload%2FPoverty-USA-Student-ActionProject.pdf&ei=eHPZUt2bCJe2sASN5ICADw&usg=AFQjCNFIWxzDveVbQUd7_WpBP0JO035kWA&bvm=bv.595
68121,d.cWc
TEKS
Grade 2
115.4. Health Education
(10) Personal/interpersonal skills. The student understands healthy and appropriate ways to communicate
consideration and respect for self, family, friends, and others. The student is expected to:
(D) Describe how to effectively respond to bullying of oneself or others
(E) Explain the benefits of treating friends, teachers, family members, and peers with respect
(12) Personal/interpersonal skills. The student understands that bullying behaviors result in negative
consequences throughout the life span. The student is expected to:
(A) Identify negative consequences that result from bullying behaviors; and
(B) Identify ways to respond when made to feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
110.13. English Language Arts and Reading
(3) Reading/Beginning Reading/Strategies. Students comprehend a variety of texts drawing on useful
strategies as needed. Students are expected to:
(A) Use ideas (e.g., illustrations, titles, topic sentences, key words, and foreshadowing) to make and
confirm predictions
(9) Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Fiction. Students understand, make inferences and draw
conclusions about the structure and elements of fiction and provide evidence from text to support their

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understanding. Students are expected to:

(B) Describe main characters in works of fiction, including their traits, motivations, and feelings.
(18) Writing/Literary Texts. Students write literary texts to express their ideas and feelings about real or
imagined people, events, and ideas. Students are expected to:
(A) Write brief stories that include a beginning, middle, and end
(22) Oral and Written Conventions/Handwriting, Capitalization, and Punctuation. Students write legibly and
use appropriate capitalization and punctuation conventions in their compositions. Students are expected
to:
(B) Use capitalization for
(iii) The salutation and closing of a letter;
(29) Listening and Speaking/Speaking. Students speak clearly and to the point, using the conventions of
language. Students continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to
share information and ideas that focus on the topic under discussion, speaking clearly at an appropriate
pace, using the conventions of language.
(30) Listening and Speaking/Teamwork. Students work productively with others in teams. Students
continue to apply earlier standards with greater complexity. Students are expected to follow agreed-upon
rules for discussion, including listening to others, speaking when recognized, and making appropriate
contributions.
Grade 3
115.5. Health Education
(9) Personal/interpersonal skills. The student uses social skills in building and maintaining healthy and
respectful relationships. The student is expected to:
(A) Demonstrate effective verbal and nonverbal communication, including when responding to a
bullying issue;
(B) Demonstrate strategies for resolving conflicts;
(G) Describe ways to help build self-esteem for oneself, friends, and others.
(10) Personal/interpersonal skills. The student explains healthy ways to communicate consideration and
respect for self, family, friends, and others. The student is expected to:

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(A) Demonstrate respectful communication with family members, peers, teachers, and others
110.14. English Language Arts and Reading
(8) Reading/Comprehension of Literary Text/Fiction. Students understand, make inferences and draw
conclusions about the structure and elements of fiction and provide evidence from text to support their
understanding. Students are expected to:
(A) Sequence and summarize the plot's main events and explain their influence on future events;
(B) Describe the interaction of characters including their relationships and the changes they undergo
(19) Writing. Students write about their own experiences. Students are expected to write about important
personal experiences.
(20) Writing/Expository and Procedural Texts. Students write expository and procedural or work-related
texts to communicate ideas and information to specific audiences for specific purposes. Students are
expected to:
(B) Write letters whose language is tailored to the audience and purpose (e.g., a thank you note to a
friend) and that use appropriate conventions (e.g., date, salutation, closing)

3. Annotated Resources
a. Text Set
Question 1

Cups Held Out by Judith L. Roth

Reference: http://judithlroth.wordpress.com/tag/cups-held-out/
Roth, Judith, L. Cups held out. (2006). Herald, PR
Summary: A girl and her father travel to Mexico and she encounters poverty for the first time. She
realizes that not everyone in the world has the same amount of money and assets. She begins to
wonder what she can do to help those who are less fortunate. This book opens up a discussion on

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what we as a society can do to help those in poverty.

Reading Level: 1-3

The Table Where Rich People Sit by Byrd Baylor

Reference: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/406356.The_Table_Where_Rich_People_Sit
Byrd, Baylor. The table where rich people sit. (1994). Aladdin.
Summary: Mountain Girl wishes that her parents made more money so that their family could
have nicer things. Her parents teach her that wealth can be measured in many different ways.
She discovers that her loving family members and beautiful home are worth far more than gold.
Reading Level: 1-3

Tight Times by Barbara Shook Hazen

Reference: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/630810.Tight_Times
Hazen, Barbara Shook. (1979). Tight times. New York, Penguin Books.
Summary: Tight Times tells the story of a little boy and his parents who live in a small, but nice
apartment in the city. One day the boy expresses his desire to his parents to own a dog.
Unfortunately, his father explains that they cannot get a dog because these are tight times.
Things worsen for the family when the father loses his job. That same day the boy finds a kitten in
a trash can outside the apartment. The kitten helps the boy realize that he and his family can still
be happy in these tight times.
Reading Level: K-3

Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts

Reference: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/those-shoes#cart/cleanup
Boelts, Maribeth. (2007). Those shoes. Somerville, M.A. Candlewick & Press.
Summary: Jeremy wants a pair of shoes that all of the kids at school seem to be wearing. He asks
his grandmother if he can buy them but she explains that they dont have room in their life right

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now for wants but just needs. When Jeremy sees a pair of the shoes on sale he decides to buy
them even though they are a size too small. After walking around in his too-small shoes for a day,
Jeremy realizes that he doesnt need them as much and he already possesses everything he
needs to be happy.
Reading Level: K-3

Harcourt Horizons: About My Community, Grade 2, 2009 Textbook

Reference: http://www.harcourtschool.com/menus/auto/20/210.html
Summary: The Harcourt Horizons textbook is an informational text that includes content
correlated to the Texas state standards. Included are references, pictures, charts, graphs, and
teacher resources. About My Community designed to be used in conjunction with Grade 2
curriculum.
Reading Level: 2

Question 2

Say Something by Peggy Moss

Reference: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/say-something-peggy-moss/1102570932?
ean=9780884482611
Moss, Peggy. Say Something. (2008). Tilbury House Publishers.
Summary: In this book a young girl describes several instances in which she witnesses bullying at
school and on her bus ride home. She knows that bullying is wrong but she chooses to remain a
silent bystander. One day when her friends are absent from school she must sit by herself during
lunch. Several other classmates see her and begin to make fun of her. As she is teased she is
frustrated that none of the other students witnessing the event will stand up for her. This
experience helps her empathize with the students she has seen bullied in the past. The following
day the girl sits down with another student who is often bullied and gains a new friend. This book
identifies that bystanders who remain silent only contribute to the problem of bullying. It

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encourages students to stand up to bullying and have a zero tolerance attitude towards teasing.
Reading Level: 1-4

The Lunch Thief by Anne C. Bromley

Reference: http://www.amazon.com/The-Lunch-Thief-Anne-Bromley/dp/0884483118
Bromley, Anne. The Lunch Thief. (2010). Tilbury House Publishers.
Summary: Rafael is hungry because someone stole his lunch at school. The next day he notices
another boy, Kevin, grabbing his lunch bag from underneath his desk and placing it into his
backpack. Rafael is initially very angry but remembers his mothers advice to use your words
rather than picking a fight. Rafael soon discovers that other students lunch is disappearing too.
One afternoon while out with his mother, he sees Kevin carrying clothing into a motel room.
Rafaels mother explains that Kevins family probably lost their home in a recent wildfire. This
causes Rafael to reexamine his feelings towards Kevin. The next day he approaches Kevin but
instead of accusing him he invites Kevin to share his lunch. Through Rafaels offer of friendship
and a meal, the boys reconcile their differences.
Reading Level: 1-3

Lily and the Paper Man by Rebecca Upjohn

Reference: https://www.forewordreviews.com/reviews/lily-and-the-paper-man/
Rebecca Upjohn. Lily and the Paper Man. (2007). Second Story Press.
Summary: One day Lily is walking home from school with her mother and encounters a gruff
and untidy-looking man selling papers on the street. The man frightens Lily and she decides
she would like to take the bus so she doesnt have to see the Paper Man again. As the weather
gets colder Lily begins to notice new things about the Paper Man such as his worn clothing and
shoes. That night she begins to wonder how the Paper Man will stay warm in the cold weather.
She comes up with an idea to help the Paper Man while simultaneously overcoming her fear of
him.
Reading Level: K-3

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The Sandwich Swap by Her Majesty Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah

Reference: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sandwich-swap-queen-rania-of-jordan-alabdullah/1100211022?ean=9781423124849
Her Majest Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah, The Sandwich Swap. (2010). Disney-Hyperion.
Summary: Best friends, Salma and Lily like to do everything together. They eat lunch
together everyday. Salma always eats hummus and Lily always eats peanut butter and jelly.
One day, Lily tells Salma her sandwich looks gross and smells bad. Before they know it, the
two friends have caused a school-wide food fight. The two girls feel guilty over starting such
a fiasco that they decide to try one anothers sandwiches. To their immense surprise, they
love one anothers sandwich. The girls organize a school picnic so that all of the students
can try each others food and learn about the different cultures in the school.
Reading Level: 1-3

b. Teacher Resources

http://onehen.org/
o The One Hen organization started with the childrens book, One Hen by Katie Smith Milway,
and then evolved into a non-profit organization. According to the website, the aim of the
organization is to help children become global citizens who succeed in school and beyond.
This website provides lesson plans and activities for teachers that are correlated to math,
science, social studies, finance studies, ELA, and public service. The animations and userfriendly format also make it attractive for students to use. I think the website would need to be
guided by the teacher for students to use it more effectively. Teachers can also use the For
Parents page to send home activities or as a resource for families to use to start critical
conversations.
www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/200905/BTJOnOurMinds.pdf
o The National Association for the Education of Young Children is a nonprofit organization that
works to improve the quality of early childhood education. The article referenced here is
written with educators as the audience and provides useful tips to fight bias against

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socioeconomic class and develop a sense of equity in the classroom. This resource can be used
beyond the unit as it explains how to make daily interactions in the classroom promote equity.
http://www.ncpc.org/topics/hatecrime/activitiesandlessonplansforkidsingrades15
o The National Crime Prevention Council offers activities and lesson plans ideas. Specifically, this
page focuses on diversity for grades K-2 and 3-5. This site can be used in another anti-bias unit
or as an integral activity to use in another lesson.
http://www.understandingprejudice.org/readroom/teachbib.htm
o This site offers articles and auto-biographies of teachers who have learned to remove bias from
their teaching and how to truly educate in a non-prejudicial manner.
http://www.the-teachers-lounge.com/blog/2012/04/how-to-teach-kids-respect/
o The Teachers Lounge Website provides links to teachers for ideas and lessons on how to teach
respect in the elementary classroom. There are also videos and comments from other
educators so that teachers can see how the resources were used. The link to 35 Activities You
can do to Learn Respect is especially helpful as its directness can serve as a quick and easy
resource for teachers to reference.
http://www.laurens55.k12.sc.us/Page/6113
o If students are having difficulty understanding what respect means, the teacher can use this
site, which provides synonyms, references to childrens books that teach respect, and a poem
that can be used as a handout.
Anti-Defamation League Anti-bias study guide: This guide provides lesson plans and activities for
teachers to use for anti-bias curriculum. The guide is divided into four units that can be used in
conjunction or separately.
o Anti-Defamation League. (2000). A World of Difference Institute: Anti-bias study guide. NY,
NY: Author. (Guide available as part of the ADL workshop)
Open Mind to Equality is a resource handbook with student handouts, lessons, and resources for
teachers to use that address the isms of classism, racism, ageism, gender equality, cultural bias,
individualism
o Schniedewind, N., & Davidson, E. (2006). Open minds to equality. Milwaukee, WI: Rethinking
Schools

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c. Student Resources
http://www.hud.gov/kids/hthwho.html
This website explains homelessness and poverty in terms children can easily understand. It provides
students with different examples of how they can take action against poverty and homelessness.
http://www.earthskids.com/predjudice.aspx
This website helps students understand the concept of prejudice and the consequences of it. It
acknowledges that everyone is unique but despite our differences we must treat one another with
respect.
http://www.whyzz.com/what-is-tolerance: This website explains what tolerance is and why it's
important. It also provides extension activities on tolerance that students could complete on their
own.
A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams
Reference: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/chair-my-mother#cart/cleanup
Williams, Vera B. (1982). A chair for my mother. New York, Greenwillow Books.
Summary: When a fire destroys her home and possessions, Rosa, is devastated. Rosa, her mother,
and grandmother are forced to move in with their Aunt Ida and Uncle Sandy. Rosa decides to begin
saving money so that they can buy a chair to make Aunt Idas apartment feel homier. By saving her
money Rosa is able to conquer the tragedy of losing her home.
A Castle on Viola Street by DyAnne DiSalvo
DiSalvo, Dyanne. (2001). A castle on viola street. New Jersey, Harper Childrens.
Summary: A hardworking family of four gets their own house at last by joining a community program
that restores old houses. This book can be placed in the classroom library for children to read
independently as it shows what an individual or community can do to help a family that cannot
afford a safe house on their own. For the unit, this can be incorporated in Day 9 or 10, when
individual and community action are addressed.
4.Community and Other Outside Resources

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A guest speaker from the local organization Catholic Charities will come to the class to inform
students about their donation program. The guest speaker will work with the class to organize a
school-wide clothing donation event.
o Catholic Charities Donation Center: http://www.catholiccharitiesfortworth.org/donationcenter
The teacher and students will involve the community during the walk-a-thon event. Students will
reach out to members of the local newspaper to advertise the event. Students will also find sponsors
within the community to participate in the walk-a-thon. Rather than providing monetary donations
members of the communicate will agree to wear handmade from the students to promote awareness
and encourage social action against poverty.
http://www.povertyusa.org: Poverty USA is a nationally recognized organization. This resource will be
given to students when they are researching facts to include on their crafts for the walk-a-thon.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/nation/jan-june14/povertysuburb_01-11.html: Public Broadcasting
Stations website shares an article that describes the trend of poverty over the past few months. It
gives the most current and up-to-date poverty statistics for the United States. This resource will also
be available for the students to use as they prepare for the walk-a-thon.
http://www.irp.wisc.edu/faqs/faq1.htm: This website explains what povertys guidelines are and how
they are decided. The students will use this as they prepare facts for the walk-a-thon.
www.usccb.org%2Fabout%2Fcatholic-campaign-for-human-development%2Fpoverty-education
%2Fupload%2FPoverty-USA-Student-ActionProject.pdf&ei=eHPZUt2bCJe2sASN5ICADw&usg=AFQjCNFIWxzDveVbQUd7_WpBP0JO035kWA&bvm=
bv.59568121,d.cWc: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Poverty USA Student Action
Project provides suggestions programs and activities that can be implemented in the elementary
classroom. A sequence of steps is provided for teachers and administrators to use. The idea of using
community sponsors for the walk-a-thon was adapted from this site.
http://blog.volunteerspot.com/volunteer_guru/2010/10/seven-tips-for-planning-a-successfulwalkathon.html#axzz2qgIDy6x6: Since our Social Action uses a walk-a-thon to raise community
awareness, we used this site to provide information on how to make the walk-a-thon successful and

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enjoyable for the participants and the community. Additionally, the site provides tips for how to
organize the event that teachers can use.
http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-education-and-poverty-america: For the
handmade items, the students are writing facts related to poverty on their creations. The Do
Something website offers facts not only about poverty, but how poverty affects education. During
the implementation of the Social Action, the teacher can read this site and filter which items he or
she feels is most relevant and meaningful for the students.

5. Parents and Family Involvement

Parents will read a minimum of two entries in the students unit journals and will record responses
and/or questions they have about the topic of study. The teacher will read the responses and bring
up comments and questions for a class discussion, if appropriate.
Parents will also participate in the Catholic Charities Clothing Donation event. Parent volunteers will
help run the donation table and sort clothing.
Parents will be involved in the unit through their role as volunteers in the walk-a-thon. The students
will write letters to their parents and other family members explaining why they want them to
participate in the walk. The volunteers will wear the jewelry and badges made by the students, help
with check-in, participate in the walk, and listen to a retelling of the Poverty Poem (see Day 10).

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