RUNNING HEAD: Diversity Lesson Plan 1

Diversity Lesson Plan

Dara Marquez
College of Southern Nevada
Diversity Lesson Plan 2

Kindergarten Diversity Lesson Plan

Teacher: Mrs. Teri Wyckoff
Book: Shades of People
By: Shelley Rotner and Sheila M. Kelly
Published: September, 2010
Grade Level: Kindergarten through 1st Grade
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Multicultural theme:
Creating understanding of different skin color
Accepting differences between oneself and others

Materials:
The book Shades of People by Shelley Rotner and Sheila M. Kelly
Digital Camera (for teacher to use for group activity)
Large light blue piece of construction paper (for putting down on the ground as the
background for group activity)
Small white adhesive labels
Crayons, Colored Pencils, Markers, and Pencils
Handout (created for individual activity: Top half blocked off for drawing and bottom
with designated lines for writing)
White board with white board markers

Standards addressed:
English Language Arts
Speaking and Listening Standards – Kindergarten
1. Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and
texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
a. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns
speaking about the topics and texts under discussion).
b. Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges.

Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas

5. Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail.

Objectives:
Students will be able to demonstrate an awareness of other’s skin color in group
discussion with 95% accuracy.
Students will illustrate different shades of skin by drawing themselves with their favorite
person in an individual activity with 90% accuracy.
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Procedure:
1. Introduce: Start by asking the class, “Have you ever noticed all the different colors
around you? Have you ever noticed that your skin looks different than other people’s?”
We are going to talk about diversity today. Diversity means that there is variety; there is
a range of different things. We have diversity in our classroom with all the differences
between each of you. The teacher writes out the word “Diversity” along with the
previously given definition. Teacher takes the time to take about what it means to say
“shades”. “Class I want you to think about all the beautiful colors you see every day.
There are so many, not just white or black.” The teacher draws a line across space on the
white board and writes “white” on one end and “black” on the other. “The colors we see
come in different shades.” -Teacher indicates the space that is between the “white” and
“black”-. “Today we are going to read Shades of People by Shelley Rotner and Sheila M.
Kelly.” Show the front and back cover to the students. Teacher uses the pictures on the
cover to point to two different children and use for an example to show the shades of
people. “These two children have different shades of skin.” “After we read our book we
will answer questions about it.”
2. Read: The teacher will read the book aloud, making sure to show each page around
entire room. The teacher will take extra care to show the very last picture to all of the
class (it is a picture of several different children’s hands).
3. Discuss: After completing the book, the teacher informs the students that it is time to
talk about the story.
1. What makes you different from me?
2. -Teacher opens book and points to two different children. - How are they
different?
3. How are they different on the inside?
4. Can you tell what someone is like just from looking at them? How can you get to
know them? -Teacher listens for examples (playing with them, talking to them, etc.)-
5. When you notice that someone is different, should you enjoy that or say mean
things about it? Explain how it would make you feel if someone said something
mean to you? How about if they said something nice to you?

Activities: The teacher tells the students they will have two activities to complete today.
1.
The first activity will be done by the entire class. The teacher tells the students to each
hold up one hand, and to look at it. Then the teacher directs the students to look at hand
of the person next to them. After the students, have done this the teacher will tell the
students that the class is going to put their hands together to take a picture of them all.
“We want to show the world how much we love our diverse classroom, and that we are
proud to be different and nice to each other.”
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The teacher goes around the room and hands out pages of small white labels with the
student’s names already written on them. “Please place the label with your name on it to
one of your hands.”
“Do you remember the last picture in the book, class?” The teacher brings out the book
again and shows the class the last picture with the children’s hands again. “I am going to
have you all put one hand out over this blue paper (the teacher indicates the light blue
construction paper already laid out on the ground). “Then once everyone has a hand out
and together with everyone else, I am going to take a picture! Tonight, I will be going to
the store to print the picture out and put it in a beautiful frame so we can hang it up in the
classroom tomorrow morning!”
“I will dismiss you by table to begin putting your hands down. Please be respectful of all
the other students as we do this fun group activity!”
2.
“The second activity will begin once we are all back at the tables sitting nicely like ladies
and gentlemen!” The teacher waits till all the students are back in their seats.
The second activity will require the students to use the handout. “I want each of you to
think about yourself. (wait 30 seconds) Now, think about your favorite person. (wait 30
seconds). Today, I need you to draw a picture of you with your favorite person. The
special thing about this drawing though is that I want you to draw you and your favorite
person with the shade of skin they have. After drawing, please write two sentences one
about who you are with; who is your favorite person? And, the other sentence is about
what shade of skin you each have.” (The teacher walks around the room and sets out the
materials for the second activity at each table as the directions are being given.

Evaluation:
Group Activity: The students will be evaluated on whether they participated or not.
Full credit will be given to the students who actively complete the activity.
Individual Activity: The teacher will collect the handouts. The teacher will evaluate
each student’s work and make sure two people are drawn and that the student to has
written two sentences about specified information.