Title: Similarities and Differences

Grade: 1
Length of Lesson: 45 minutes
Lesson Number 1
Domain: Social Emotional
ASCA Mindset Standard:
M 3. Sense of belonging in the school environment.
ASCA Behavior Standard:
B-SS 2. Create positive and supportive relationships with other students.
Common Core:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.B
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others
with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1.D
Explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.2
Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse
media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

Learning Objective: Students will discover 1 or more ways in which they are similar to their
classmates.
Materials: bingo card, parent take home letter about today’s lesson, exit ticket
Introduction (15min):
Read the story, “Elmer the Elephant” by David McKee. Ask students throughout the story
comprehension questions to make sure they are understanding and the following questions at the end.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abVx9_dPKg8
o BEFORE
 What do you notice about Elmer? Does Elmer look like a normal elephant?
o AFTER
 Why was Elmer sad?
 What did Elmer do?
 How did Elmer feel when no other elephant knew who he was?
 Is it okay to be different? What is something that is special or different about you?
 Do you think it’s okay to be mean or make fun of other people because they are
different? What about if they have a different favorite color? What about if they
wear glasses or don’t wear glasses? What about if they have a different color skin?

When we accept other people’s differences, everyone can be happy and feel like they belong.

Now, we are going to learn more about similarities and differences we share with our classmates.
Activity (20min):
Explain activity to students: I will share my bingo card with the class (shown at the bottom). We need to
find someone or multiple people who will fit in each box on our bingo card. I will read through each
statement and hold up a picture of each box (picture of a bike for can ride a bike) and write a name or
initial of students who the statements are true for. If it is true for you, you will stand up so I can see that
you fit in the box (continue to emphasize that is it okay if a friend can do something but we can’t, we all
have different things that we are good at).

Discussion: Who wants to something that they learned about a classmate that you did not know before.
Ask for responses of what they learned and if that was a similarity between them or a difference. [Take
2-3 more responses].

Now when we find these differences in our classmates, we want to respect them. How can we show our
classmates that we respect them and differences we may have with them? [Response]

Conclusion (2min): Today we have discussed what is means to belong, similarities and differences we
have with our classmates, and how to respect differences.
Assessment (8min): To finish off our lesson, I want everyone to say one thing that is similar between
you and a classmate. You can either draw a picture of this similarity of write is down on the exit ticket.
Follow up:
Next time we meet, we will discuss problem solving and what to do when problems arise in our lives.
 B I N G O
Speaks another Has a pet. Favorite color is Is an only child. Has a brother.
language. red.

Can ride a bike. Has a sister. Made a new Wears glasses. Likes to draw.
friend this year.

Loves pizza. Is the oldest Can do the Family is from

sibling.
FREE monkey bars. another country.

Favorite color is Has been on an Has a birthday in Loves ice cream. Is the youngest
blue. airplane. November. sibling.

Likes to play Loves dancing. Plays video Was born in a Has brown hair.
ball. games. different state.