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Discuss how culture is a lens through which people view the world

Goals: Students will learn what it means to have cultural identity and be able to name parts of their personal identity that pertain to their culture of origin.

Materials:
Kostecki-Shaw, J. S., & Adam, V. (2015). Same, same, but different. Weston Woods.

Prior to reading:
-Discuss with students that you will read a book about two friends who live on different sides of the world who explore their cultural differences in a positive way.
-Locate the U.S.A. and India on the globe.
-Ask students what are some ways they think the boys will be similar, and how they think they will be different (keep this brief)

Read: Same, Same but Different

After reading:
- Have students think-pair-share some of the differences and similarities between Elliot and Kailash.
-Explain that Elliot and Kailash come from different cultures. Discuss the meaning of 'culture'- it involves what you and the people around you are comfortable and familiar with (Riccardi), and often includes language, food, religion, dressing, etc. Invite students to brainstorm other cultural markers.
-Invite students to think about how they usually greet others in their culture, and to share their own cultural greetings with each other. They may also research and share other cultural greetings.
-Point out that Elliot and Kailash explore their differences with positivity. This is not always the case- sometimes people show bias or prejudice against people and customs that are different from their own. Have they ever witnessed prejudiced behavior?
-Next time, we will discuss the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is a document that says everyone has the right to be treated with equal respect and dignity, no matter what their differences may be.

Optional follow-up activity:
Students create an identity map. With their names in the middle, they create a web which connects to different aspects of who they are. They may color code for internal and external traits. They may discuss which aspects of their identity are related to their culture.

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📪Kids Read Aloud: "Same, Same but Different" by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

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School Around the World (identity follow-up)

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School Around the World (identity follow-up)

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This is an optional follow-up to the identity lesson. Students may watch and discuss how these classrooms/students seem similar to/different from their classroom/classmates.

Materials:
Quantum Figo. (2015, October 2). Scenes from schools around the world (video). Youtube. Retrieved August 4, 2021 from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=at2gAjtsgtk

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Identity Map Guide (follow-up activity template)

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Identity Map Guide (follow-up activity template)

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If you choose to do the optional identity map activity from Same, Same but Different (map is drawn by me). I recommend the activity- it grounds many of the following discussions about rights and cultural experiences.

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Analyze the United Nations’ Declaration of Human Rights

Materials:
Frances Lincoln Children's Books. (2015). We are all born free: The Universal declaration of human rights in pictures.

Goal: For students to understand what 'human rights' are, and that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was written to guide lawmakers in making laws that protect people's rights.

"We Are All Born Free" presents the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in picture book form.

Before reading:
Introduce the idea of 'human rights':
-Ask students, what is a 'right'? What are some rights that people have? How do we make sure that people's rights are protected? (laws)
-Show "What is a Human Right?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpY9s1Agbsw&t=4s (UN Human Rights)

-Give a brief history of the UDHR- in 1948, leaders from many countries gathered together to write the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Their goal was to make it very clear what rights belong to every person, no matter where they live. The leaders of the countries who signed this Declaration agreed that they would work to make sure the people in their countries had these rights protected.

Read: We Are All Born Free

After reading:
Ask students to think-pair-share some examples from the UDHR that people in our country have. Can they think of any examples of when those rights haven't been protected for all people in our country?

Follow-up activity:
Let's look at our classroom rules (made collaboratively at the beginning of the year). Do you think our rules protect each other? Why or why not? Should we make any adjustments to our rules?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3ozxrdD30s

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Warrior With Words: Education Rights for Girls

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Warrior With Words: Education Rights for Girls

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Examine women’s representation in society and gender equality

Goal: Students will learn about the life and activism of Malala Yousafzai for girls' rights to education.

Materials:
Abouraya, K. L., & Roth, S. L. (2019). Malala Yousafzai: Warrior with words. Lee & Low Books Inc.

Before reading:
-Ask students if they know who Malala Yousafzai is, and invite them to share what they know. Ask: what do they think it means to be a "warrior with words"?
-Read to find out: Who is Malala?  What does education mean to you? What does it mean to have the right to an education? Why is the right to education important?

Read: Malala, Warrior with Words

After reading:
Have students choose one of the following prompts to write a response to in their journals (Lee & Low):
- Why does Malala believe that education will lead to a better future? How does education change and improve the lives of children everywhere? Why do you think Malala is inspired to help efforts to provide education to children all over the world?
- How would you describe Malala to a person who had never heard of her before? What are some qualities you would use to describe Malala? What are the most important things to say when explaining Malala’s life and mission?
- How did Malala demonstrate perseverance, despite her injury and the obstacles the Taliban placed in her way? Why do you think Malala continued to fight for what she believed in, despite the incredibly dangerous risks?

Lesson plan adapted from:
Lee & Low Books. (2019).  Teacher’s Guide Malala Yousafzai: Warrior with Words. Retrieved August 4, 2021 from https://www.leeandlow.com/uploads/loaded_document/718/MALALAYOUSAFZAI_TeachersGuide.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt5otIVcYKk

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"Warrior with Words: Malala Yousafzai" by Karen Leggett Abouraya

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Analyze the United Nations’ Declaration of Human Rights

Goal: Students will understand more of the history behind the BLM movement.

Materials:
Glassman, J. (2020, June 29). Helping kids understand the black lives matter movement. Brainpop. Retrieved August 5, 2021 from: https://blog.brainpop.com/helping-kids-understand-black-lives-matter-movement/

This material will be used in the persuasive speech writing unit to bring attention to one of the issues they might like to write their own speech about.

-Lead a discussion about the BLM protests that have been in the news. Ask students what they know about the BLM movement. Review prior knowledge of the civil rights movement.
-Show the video.
-Follow-up activity: Make a Poster
Give students the sentence starter "Black Lives Matter means..." and invite them to complete the sentence at the top of a poster and illustrate it.

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At BrainPOP, we are devastated and deeply disturbed by the senseless murder of George Floyd and many other Black Americans. We stand in solidarity with the Black community in declaring that Black Lives Matter and we are inspired by the thousands upon thousands of people coming together to demand justice in protests across the country and around the world.

Just like adults, young people are trying to make sense of what is happening in their world. Understandably, they have lots of questions! Because every BrainPOP movie is inspired by a real question, we've been receiving tons of email from families and teachers with questions from kids! Here are a few:

In support of our mission to empower kids to shape the world around them and within them, we produced a new movie-Black Lives Matter Protests.

The movie provides context for the ongoing protests, as well as background on the movement. Its development was made possible by the invaluable insight, expertise, and feedback of several key advisors: Dena Simmons,activist, educator, and author of the forthcoming book, White Rules for Black People; Renae Williams, COO & Co-leader at BLEND Employee Resource Group; and Christy Crawford, Director of Culturally Responsive/Sustaining Education & Equity Initiatives at Computer Science For All.

We strongly suggest parents, caregivers, and teachers preview the movie before watching it with children as it describes acts of racist violence. While we don't advise this movie for younger students, you can find collections of free, age-appropriate topics that support antiracism on both BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr. Please note we are committed to expanding these collections in the coming months.

Our hope is that the Black Lives Matter Protest movie opens the door to challenging and essential conversations at home and in the classroom, as well as inspires action. We understand that these discussions may not be easy, but silence is not an option. Silence allows racism to thrive.

Following are some suggestions from Dr. Jean Schlegel Ph.D., a New York-based clinical and school psychologist, to guide you on how to begin these important discussions and how to keep them going:

Creating a Safe Space

Create a space that is safe for kids to reflect on their emotional responses to the recent tragic events. Start by asking what they've heard. Focus on themes they understand, such as fairness and empathy. You can point out that George Floyd was not treated fairly and in our school/family, we believe everyone should be treated fairly.

It's okay not to have all the answers. But it's important to recognize that upsetting events are happening and this is a safe space to talk about it, listen to one another, and learn how we can change things. For more ideas on how to create a safe space for reflection, see Facing History and Ourselves.

Talking About Race and Racial Identity

Children, like adults, see skin color. Even from a young age, they're aware of these kinds of differences. It's essential to acknowledge race even if you think it doesn't impact your family because it does, in fact, affect everyone. When we discuss identity-and encourage kids to take pride in who they are and respect the differences in others-we empower them to stand up to racial injustice. Talking about these issues with children also allows us to show how they can disrupt inequality and combat systemic racism. Talking about race is not racist. It's important!

White parents tend to avoid conversations about race with their children much more frequently than Black parents and other people of color, according to the study " Identity Matters " conducted by Sesame Workshop and NORC at the University of Chicago. There are multiple reasons why this may happen. Perhaps some white parents feel ill-equipped to have the conversations. Or they want to shield their kids from conversations about race. Or they worry about their own biases-that it's better to pretend that race doesn't exist. They think their kids will be happier and less racist if they don't talk about it.

Regardless of the reason, avoiding these discussions has negative consequences. For example, it places an undue burden on Black families because it means the people who are experiencing the effects of racism are the only ones talking about it-and the only ones advocating for change.

The Child Mind Institute, in their article Racism and Violence: How to Help Kids Handle the News, makes these four suggestions for engaging in conversations about race with your child:

Being Antiracist

"Black Lives Matter" doesn't mean that only Black lives matter. It means that racism unfairly affects Black lives-the Black Lives Matter movement is calling on everyone to change that. Even if the intention is sincere, help your child understand that the phrase "All Lives Matter" implies that the BLM movement's critique of systemic racism and its effects on Black people is invalid. For more teacher support on this topic, see Dena Simmons' article, How to Be an Antiracist Educator. For more family support, read " 6 Reasons 'All Lives Matter' Doesn't Work-in Terms Simple Enough for a Child " from Parents.com.

Racial colorblindness is the idea that NOT seeing color is a good thing; that race shouldn't matter. But, in fact, it does the opposite. When we don't recognize race, we perpetuate racial misunderstandings and we erase the specific lived experience of those affected by racism. For a truly antiracist society to exist one day, it's essential to be aware of and talk about race. We can't afford to be silent.

Giving Young People Hope and Empowering Them to Speak Up

Acknowledge kids' anxieties and fear, but also reassure them that many people are working very hard to change things and keep them safe. It's important to give children hope. We can give them hope by offering tools to work with. Explain that mass protest movements-from Civil Rights and Women's Suffrage to Black Lives Matter -have historically been able to change institutions and systems. Assure them that society can continue to improve. Empower young people by encouraging them to use their voice and actions to participate and make a difference. They can stand up for their friends and classmates, write letters, and engage in adult-guided activities-like fundraisers.

Since BrainPOP's earliest days, we've helped kids understand difficult subjects, from September 11th to Coronavirus. By building background knowledge about challenging topics, we prepare and equip them to have critical conversations. To that end, BrainPOP is committed to developing additional new topics to help children, families, and teachers have necessary conversations about racism and identity.

For more on BrainPOP's thoughts and response to recent events, read the letter from our CEO which includes a link to a blog post featuring our free resources for supporting antiracist education.
Additional writing by Tamara Fisch.

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Helping Kids Understand the Black Lives Matter Movement - BrainPOP

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At BrainPOP, we are devastated and deeply disturbed by the senseless murder of George Floyd and many other Black Americans. We stand in solidarity with the Black community in declaring that Black Lives Matter and we are inspired by the thousands upon thousands of people coming together to demand justice in protests across the country and around the world.

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One Plastic Bag: Protecting Our Environment

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One Plastic Bag: Protecting Our Environment

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Analyze the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals

Goal: Students will learn that everyone can make a positive contribution in preserving the environment.

Materials:
Paul, M., & Zunon, E. (2020). One plastic bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling women of the Gambia. Findaway World, LLC.

NASA Climate Kids: What can we do to help? https://climatekids.nasa.gov/how-to-help/

Before reading:
-Have students think-pair-share: what do they do to reduce, reuse, and recycle in their homes? Can one person make a difference in protecting the environment?
-Show a plastic shopping bag. Divide students into groups, and ask each group to make a pro/con list to using plastic bags.

Read: One Plastic Bag

After reading:
-Go through the NASA Climate Kids: What can we do to help? article with students. Invite each student to choose one of the suggestions. Put students in groups, and have each group create a poster showing how their selected goals will help the environment.

Optional follow-up activity:
Show students this video on how to make a jump rope out of plastic bags- invite them to gather used plastic bags to make their own jump ropes.

How To Make A Jump Rope From Plastic Bags:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmRNNqXJaKk

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Compare U.S. education with education systems across the globe

Goal: Students will reflect on the support systems in their life for attaining education.

Discussion questions:
What about Senna's life seems similar to or different from yours?
Why did Senna's father insist that she go to school?
What does poetry mean to Senna?

Follow-up activity:
In their journals, invite students to reflect on who supports them in attaining their education, and how.

Materials:
Girl Rising. (2020, April 28). Senna's Story | Peru

[Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fuvB3DhEpY
(depending on your students' age groups, you may wish to use an editing website to skip over brief mentions of brothels)

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Analyze COVID-19’s global impact across multiple domains

Goal: Students will recognize poetry as a tool to express their feelings/emotions around the Covid-19 pandemic.

Before watching:
-Lead a discussion with students about how they have been feeling about/during the pandemic. If they are not up for verbally expressing their feelings, they can draw/scribble on a piece of paper with crayons/colored pencils- they may then wish to share the meaning behind their drawn expression.
-Tell students that you will share a video of a poem collaboratively written by children around the world about their feelings pertaining to the pandemic.

Watch the video. Discuss with students how they identified with the sentiments expressed in the video.

Optional follow-up activity:
Invite students to write their own poems about how life has changed/how they feel about the pandemic.

Materials:
SaveTheChildren. (2020, June 26). A Global Coronavirus Poem Written by Children Around the World Under Lockdown (Video). Youtube. Retrieved August 5, 2021 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cOBUxT7PxQ

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A Global Coronavirus Poem Written by Children Around the World Under Lockdown

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Analyze the United Nations’ Declaration of Sustainable Development Goals

Goal: Students will research the activist work of young people around the world to inspire their own persuasive speech writing for a writing unit.

Materials:
CBC Kids News. (2020, January 6). Want to be a youth activist? Here are some tips (Video). Youtube. Retrieved August 4, 2021 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1Fx3m2oPC4

Before watching:
The pre-watching activities are covered in the persuasive speech writing unit.

Watch the video.

After watching:
Brainstorm with students causes that they care about and want to persuade others are important.
Students will research youth climate activists from around the world to analyze speech construction to inspire their own persuasive speeches.

Options include:
-Greta Thunbern (Sweden)

Greta Thunberg's full speech to world leaders at UN Climate Action Summit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAJsdgTPJpU

-Autumn Peltier (Canada): Activist who advocates for clean water in her First Nations communities
Autumn Peltier, 13-year-old water advocate, addresses UN:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg60sr38oic

-Leah Namugerwa (Uganda): Activist who advocates for planting trees and a plastic bag ban
School Strike for Climate: A Day in the Life of Ugandan Student Striker Leah Namugerwa:

https://www.earthday.org/school-strike-for-climate-a-day-in-the-life-of-fridays-for-future-uganda-student-striker-leah-namugerwa/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B6p04Zph04

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Want to be a youth activist? Here are some tips | CBC Kids News