K-2 Sample Classroom Activities

Community Bulletin Board- Students showcase artwork and nonfiction writing that addresses
issues they found in the text. The result is a visual, collaborative and creative representation of
student learning and ideas. An alternative to the bulletin board is a community newsletter.

Collage of Concerns- Students create visual artwork combining various images to convey
diversity or social justice issues, concerns or themes related to the central text.

Fairness Fair-Students work in groups to role-play or tell stories about real life situations related
to fairness, community, diversity or social justice themes. Students then perform their skits or
stories for others as part of a class-wide “fairness fair.”

3-5 Sample Classroom Activities

Community Mural / Poster Campaign- Students create a large-scale artistic depiction in a

community space. As an alternative to the community mural, students can create a set of
informational posters that reflect a diversity topic or social justice theme.

Persuasive Letters-Students write to a business, school or community leader to call for action in
response to a social justice issue from the central text. Alternatively, students can write open,
persuasive letters to their peers or family members.

Picture Books-Students work in small groups to write and illustrate an original children's
picture book to teach others about a social justice or diversity topic present in the central text.

Discussion

Discussion is shared inquiry in which students listen and talk. Allowing students, the opportunity
to engage in discussion allows them to enlarge understanding of the ideas, issues and values in
a text. When I use the word text, I am referring to a novel, a document, a video, a photo or
simply a quote. Discussions widen student knowledge and deepen their understanding of issues.