Grade: 1-2

Subject:
Language

UNIT: Diversity (regular class

contianing some ESL stage 3 or 4
students)

Period: 1 - 2
60 minute
periods

Learning Goal:
Students will learn what diversity means and how it applies to them and their everyday
lives. They will also learn how to become empathetic to human beings.
Strands & Expectations:
Listening: 1.6 extend understanding of oral texts by connecting the ideas in them to their
own knowledge and experience; to other familiar texts, including print and visual texts; and
to the world around them
Reading: 1.8 express personal thoughts and feelings about what has been read
Writing: 1.2 generate ideas about a potential topic, using a variety of strategies and
resources

LESSON PLAN
Materials / Resources/ Handouts:
It's Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr (Little, Brown and Company, 2001)
Group brainstorming handout (attached at end of lesson plan)
Art supplies
Chart paper and marker
Computers with Internet access
Scissors and staplers
Student journals
ASSESSMENT
MATERIALS / TOOLS
TEACHING/LEARNING STRATEGIES
(How)
x

Think-Pair- Share
Numbered Heads
Direct Instruction
Seminar

Questioning/Socr
atic
Interview
Simulation/Role
Play
Debate
Small Group
Work
Case Study
Presentation
Computer Lab
Video / Film
Surveys
Jigsaw
Class Discussion

TIME
10-20 minutes

Concept
Attainment/Formation
Four Corners
Cloze Passage
Brainstorm/ Concept
Mapping
Learning Centers

Test / Quiz
x
x

Portfolio
Independent Study
Articles
PMI/KWL

Note Making
Graphic Organizer
Case Studies

Anticipation Guide

Presentations
Observation
Exit Card

Video / Film
Handouts
LCD

Boardrooms

Computers/Laptops

Challenges
Self/Peer Assessment

Textbook
Picture Book

Mini Challenges
Conversations/Confer
ences
Placemat
x
Conversation
ACHIEVEMENT CHART
x
Knowledge/Understan
ding
x
Thinking
x
Communication
x
Application
x

Moodle

ACCOMODATIONS

Notes/Organizers

x
x
x
x

Extra Time
Breaks
Chunking of Lesson
Assistive Technology

Small Group Setting

LESSON STRUCTURE
Minds On (Prior Knowledge/ Mini Challenges)
- Introduce similarities and differences to students by making statements
such as: everyone in grade 1 stand up, everyone with blue eyes stand
up, if you like to read stand up, etc. Discuss what students noticed and
have some volunteers make some statements as well.
- Write down the word diversity on chart paper. Have students think-pairshare with a partner about what they think diversity means. As a class,
work towards the understanding that we are all different from each other.
- Show students the cover of the book Its Okay to Be Different and
discuss what they think it is going to be about (predict).

20-30 minutes

30-40 minutes

Action (Teaching/Learning Activities)

- Read the book to students, stopping a few times to discuss, connect
and check for understanding with students. Some possible questions
may inclue: do you know anyone who is like the characters in this book?
Which of these characters is like you (if any)?
- After reading the book, have students think-pair-share again, adding to
their definition of diversity (what makes us the same and what makes us
different). Have students share their answers, adding to the chart paper
already created.
- Divide students into groups and distribute brainstorming handout.
Explain that they will brainstorm ways that they are different and similar
to each other and other people in the world. As students work, ciruculate
and have conversationswith students and observe/listen to discussions
that are occuring among groups.
Consolidation (Assessment/ Summary of Key Learnings)
- Regroup and have students share their ideas through a whole class
discussion. Record students ideas on chart paper.
- Ask students to think about a diffrerence that has affected them
personally. On a paper, they will write an Its okay statement and
illustrate it (i.e., Its ok to have freckles on your skin). These can be used
as an exit card to check for students understanding. Put all students
pages together to create a class Its Okay to Be Different book. Read the
book to students.

Accommodations (i.e. extra time, provide templates, handout of notes, IEP specifics)
- ESL students can be paired with someone who is familiar with their L1 or they can use
Google translate/biligual dictionaries if they are having difficulty expressing their ideas
during think-pair-share or class discussion times.
- Have technology (i.e. computer, ipad) available for students to use if they are having
trouble communicating their ideas. They may use programs such as Google Translate, read
and write for Google, Kurzweil, WordQ, etc.
- Work with ESL students in a small group setting to ensure they understand what diversity
is and to help them develop Its okay statements.
- Provide students with extra time as needed and graphic organizers to organize their ideas.
- Have students use their L1 to communicate as needed. Have one-on-one
conversations/conferences with students to help guide their thinking.
Assessment:
- Observe students as they think-pair-share, discuss as a class, work in groups, etc. to
assess their understanding of what diversity means and what makes us similar and different
to those around us.
- Have conversations and conference, taking anecdotal notes, with students throughout
lesson (i.e. during group work) to assess students thinking and communication about
diversity and where they see it around them.
- Use students Its okay statements as exit cards to assess their understanding of
diversity and how they apply it to their own life.
REFLECTIONS ON LEARNERS/LESSONS
What worked &what did not work? What to change for next time?

Its Okay To Be Different by Todd Parr

We are different from each other in the following ways:

We are different from people all over the world in the following ways: