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Objectives & Outcomes

After a lesson on friendship, accepting differences, and positive qualities, the learner will compare and contrast dance movements between peers. The learner will also draw a picture of what they do or have that is different than anyone else to put into our own class' "It's Okay to Be Different" book.

Materials Needed

"It's Okay to Be Different" by Todd Parr

markers

crayons

paper

dynamic music

Vocabulary

Procedure

Opening to Lesson

Each student will create a short movement and sound.

One student will begin, then the next will do the same movement and sound, just a little louder.

This will continue until the movement has reached the creator, who will do the loudest and largest sound and movement.

Discussion about the game: What was hard or easy about the game? Was there any sound or movement that was exactly the same? Were there any similarities? Why do you think we all did a different movement and sound?

Use music and dance vocabulary

Body of Lesson

Teacher will explain begin to read "It's Okay to Be Different".

Ask: What did you like about the book? Was there anything you did not like? Why did it say in the book that it was "okay" to have all those different things? Why is it okay to be different? What if we weren't all different?

Dance

Children will listen to a 20 second clip of a dynamic song (any song can work as long as it has elements of fast, slow, high, low)

In pairs, children will respond spontaneously to the music

Students will then share perform their spontaneous movements for their peers

Teacher and student will compare and contrast movements.

We all listened to the same song, why were everyone's movements different? How is this similar to the story "It's Okay to Be Different" by Todd Parr.

Write responses on to chart paper.

Independent Practice

Close your eyes and imagine that we all had the same hairstyle, the same shirt on, and the same parents. How would this make you feel?

Think of one thing that makes you different from everybody else.

Keep it to yourself.

Teacher will explain to students that the class is going to make their own "It's Okay to Be Different" book.

Students will draw a picture of what they have or do that makes them different from everyone else.

Teacher will collect all pages and staple them with a front cover.

Closing

At this time, students and teacher will gather back on the rug to view their finished book.

Students will discuss their own works of art, using appropriate art vocabulary (e.g., color, shape/form, texture).

Students will discuss how and why they made a specific work of art.

Assessment & Evaluation

Informal/Anecdotal Assessment

Informal teacher observation of student participation as compare and contrast dance movements.

Illustration

Teacher will assess students' ability to find a characteristic that makes him/her different.

Related Lesson Plans

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Friendship - Accepting Differences Lesson Plan | Teacher.org

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Lesson Plan: Friendship - Accepting Differences, Grades: K - 2nd, Subject:

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Grade Level: 2nd Grade

Subject:

Length of Time: About 45 Minutes

Objectives & Outcomes

Students will be able to describe their good deeds through drawing a picture and writing about what they have done.

Materials Needed

Procedure

Opening to Lesson

The teacher will preface the lesson with a discussion on the importance of Dr. Seuss. The teacher will ask the students for the names of their favorite Dr. Seuss books. The teacher will ask the students if they notice anything about what the books have in common.

Body of Lesson

Direct Teaching

The teacher will have students gather on the rug to listen to a "read aloud" of Horton Hears a Who by Dr. Seuss. The teacher will prompt the students to put their listening ears on. Throughout the story the teacher will prompt the students to participate in the reading by having them complete each line with the correct rhyming word.

Guided Practice 1

After the story is read the teacher will lead a discussion on the lesson of the story with the students that, "a person's a person no matter how small." Some questions that will be asked are: What did Horton do that was so important? How do you think it made the Who's feel that Horton cared so much? What would have happened to the Who's if Horton didn't protect them? What was the lesson of this story? What does, " a person's a person no matter how small" mean? Have you ever done a good deed for someone else? How did it make them feel? How did it make you feel? The teacher will get various responses from students.

Independent Practice

The teacher will have the students return to their desks. The teacher will then explain that the students will be making a clover. The students will be drawing a picture of a nice thing that they did for someone else. On the lines provided, the students will write one sentence that says what they did and another sentence that describes how it made them feel.

Closing

Have students present their clovers to the class or in pairs.

Assessment & Evaluation

Through guided questions, close monitoring and informal observation; the teacher will be able to assess student's ability and understanding of the subject being introduced. Through individually assessing during independent practice and reviewing during guided practice the teacher will be able to evaluate students.

Modification & Differentiation

Students may work in groups or individually in order to complete their assignments. In order to accommodate for all students, allow extra time to review for lower students and extra worksheets to occupy the time of advanced students.

Related Lesson Plans

Ready to Pursue a Master's Degree in Education? Make it Your Time!

Teacher.org's lesson plans encourage conceptual understanding and lifelong learning skills in students as well as empower and motivate teachers.

Are you currently teaching but have the desire to pursue a Master's Degree in Education? Follow your passion for teaching but at the same time give yourself the tools to further your career and learning. Whether it's higher salaries, advanced career opportunities, or leadership positions, earning your Master's Degree in Education is one worth pursuing. Make it your time!

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Lesson Plan: Good Deeds, Grades: 2nd Grade, Subject:

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When creating a Culturally Responsive Teaching environment, it is important to use language that is inclusive to all people. There is inclusive language to consider when discussing race, ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation, as well as disabilities and other situations. It is important to use "person-first" narratives when it comes to describing people, to ensure that certain characteristics are not negatively-defining or limiting people to a certain 'category.' Overall, it is important to use inclusive language in order to appeal to everyone's unique circumstances and to not judge anyone based on their characteristics or circumstances.

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"Language is power, in ways more literal than most people think. When we speak, we exercise the power of language to transform reality. Why don't more of us realize the connection between language and power?" - Julia Penelope (American linguist, author, and philosopher)
If the last few years have taught us one thing, it is that all our fates are linked. From the climate crisis, to global pandemics, wars, and racism - it is evident that collective problems require collective solutions. Communicating in a way that builds bridges and breaks barriers resonates with more audiences and is key to laying the groundwork for collective solutions. Simply put, words matter. Language is powerful. It can enhance our empathy, clarity, and understanding of each other as complex individuals with intersectional and varied identities and experiences. However, when language ignores issues of power and equity that shape people's lives, it only foments further exclusion of marginalized people. It is more important than ever to use language that creates inclusive and equitable cultures.

Inclusive language is more than just avoiding the use of a few antiquated or offensive terms and phrases. It is about embracing communication that acknowledges the power differentials and dynamics of our society and their deleterious effects. It is about showing appreciation for the diversity everyone brings to the table. And finally, it is about creating cultures where people can feel free to be their full authentic selves.

This type of communication is needed more than ever to adapt to a rapidly diversifying nation and world. In the United States, Generation Z is on track to become the most diverse generation in history. Nearly half (48%) identify as people of color and over one in five (20.8%) identify as LGBTQ+. On a global scale, the world's population is projected to reach 8 billion by November 2022 , each with their own unique identities that are influenced by factors such as age, disability, gender, race, ethnicity, culture, nationality, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status.

In December 2021, APA released the first edition of its Inclusive Language Guidelines to raise awareness, guide learning, and support the use of culturally sensitive terms and phrases that center the voices and perspectives of those who are often marginalized or stereotyped. It includes guidance for people working to foster equity, diversity, and inclusion in the settings in which they learn, live, and work.

The guidelines are grounded in psychological science and designed to be iterative given the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of language. They provide direction not only for research articles and formal writing but also for verbal communication, due to the significance of building relationships in day-to-day exchanges.

Within the guidelines, you will find:

definitions related to issues of power and equity that cut across various social identities

explanations of the differences between person-first and identity-first language with numerous examples

identity-related terms that cover age; disability status; race, ethnicity, and culture; sexual orientation and gender diversity; and socioeconomic status

guidance for how to avoid cultural appropriation, pejorative language, and casually offensive language in conversation.

Inclusive communication can be awkward and uncomfortable for even the most well-intentioned person. Many people feel inadequately prepared or lack confidence in their abilities. Others fear they may cause unintended offense or, even worse, appear performative in their efforts. These are all natural and understandable emotions to have.
Here are three tips to use as you build your inclusive communication skills.

Focus on people over labels

Putting people into boxes is reductive, dehumanizing, and harmful. Listen carefully to the ways in which different groups identify themselves and reflect those choices when in communication with them. For example, various groups differ on whether they prefer person-first or identity-first language. They all have their own unique and valid reasons that reflect their experiences and it is best to do your research rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

Show cultural humility

Embrace that you are a learner, not an expert, when it comes to understanding the experiences of other people, their cultures, and their experiences - especially if they are from a marginalized group. This requires challenging some of your own biases, continual self-reflection, and knowing that you may mistakes but should remain open to continual learning and growth.

When you make a mistake, think impact over intention

Everyone makes mistakes - we are human. When you learn you have caused someone harm with your words, decenter yourself and focus not on what your intentions were, but on the impact on that person or group. Listen carefully to understand how it affected them, give a genuine apology, and commit to doing better.

References

American Psychological Association. (2021). Inclusive language guidelines. https://www.apa.org/about/apa/equitydiversity-inclusion/language-guidelines.pdf

Fry, R., & Parker, K. (2018, November 15). Early benchmarks show 'post-millennials' on track to be most diverse, best-educated generation yet. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2018/11/15/early-benchmarks-show-post-millennials-on-track-to-be-most-diverse-best-educated-generation-yet/

Jones, J. M. (2022, February 17). LGBT identification in U.S. ticks up to 7.1%. Gallup https://news.gallup.com/poll/389792/lgbt-identification-ticks-up.aspx

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2022). World Population Prospects 2022: Summary of Results. UN DESA/POP/2022/TR/NO. 3. https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/sites/www.un.org.development.desa.pd/files/wpp2022_summary_of_results.pdf

About the author

Efua Andoh is a public engagement manager on the APA Communications team. She has a bachelor's degree in anthropology from the University of Pennsylvania and a certificate in strategic communications from George Washington University. Prior to her current role, Efua managed communications and outreach for APA's Public Interest directorate. More recently, Efua has been involved in much of APA's equity, diversity, and inclusion-related communications including the development and rollout of the APA's Inclusive Language Guidelines and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Framework. She also manages a number of strategic communications partnerships between APA and other organizations.

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Consider these important tips as you build your inclusive communication skills.

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Both the author and illustrator of this children's book are early childhood educators and find it important to start the conversation with children about race early. The easy to understand language and illustrations serve as an introduction of all different races and skin colors for children. This book is intended to introduce young children (toddler age) to different races among people. Introducing children to race is important in order to create an accepting culture and to begin the encounter stage of forming a racial identity. This book will also work to affirm children's identity who don't often see themselves represented. Overall, research and educators have found that creating an anti-racist environment starts young, and it is important to incorporate these topics into children's knowledge.

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This children's book is centered about Asian looks and how a girl notices she looks different from other kids in her class. The book celebrates Asian features and each individual's uniqueness. The girl also grows to accept and love her (and her family's) look, even though they are different from others'. This story is important, not only to introduce readers to a culture that may be different from their own, but is also important to model how to accept and love one's own culture.

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This children's book is an introduction to all different types of families and what that may look like to children. The illustrations and story shows families with a mom and a dad, two dads, two moms, and one parent. By showing kids a story about what makes a family and how that may be different to each person, is important in order to show that we all come from different backgrounds and have different experiences that shape our cultures. By children (and adults/teachers) knowing the message of this book, can help foster a culture of acceptance among the classroom, taking into account everyone's different cultural backgrounds, thus incorporating CRT into the classroom environment.

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Similar to "Love Makes a Family," this children's book also addresses the different makeups of a family. However, one thing that is added in this story is families who may be separated and not live together. I think this is an important addition, because children coming from divorce potentially have vast differences from children coming from a family raised by two parents. I think it is especially important for young children, since a majority of young children are only introduced to the idea that a family means a mom and a dad, and kids, living together. So, by incorporating this into the classroom, opens up more room for Culturally Responsive Teaching.

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Objectives & Outcomes

Students will be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a school rule. Students should be able to decide if a rule is clear, if it accomplishes its purpose, and if it protects the rights of others. Students should be able to explain the purpose of rules and laws and why they are important. Rules and laws relate to the ways people should behave and provide order, predictability and security.

Materials Needed

Never Spit on Your Shoes by Denys Cazet

Large piece of paper for chart or whiteboard

Procedure

Opening to Lesson

Read the book Never Spit on Your Shoes by Denys Cazet. This book is about a puppy's first day in first grade. Each double-page shows the rambunctious students in action. The teacher has the students create rules for their classroom and takes them on a tour of the school. Each page includes an inset depicting Arnie having cookies with his mother as he tells her about his day.

Show students the cover of the book and ask them to predict where they think the story takes place. Have students describe what is happening in the picture. Locate the title, name of the author, and name of the illustrator. Identify the front cover, back cover, and title page of the book.

Point out the School Rules list on the chalkboard. Rule number 1 is "Don't run." Ask, "Why do you think this is a rule? How could we reword this rule to that it is more positive? What else do you think the teacher and the students may include on their list of rules?"

Body of Lesson

Direct Teaching

Ask, "What do you think the title of the story means?" Do you think this will be a true story or a make-believe story? What clues do you have?

Introduce the words "fact" and "fiction". Ask students if they think Never Spit on Your Shoes is a true story. How do we know? Chart responses.

Discuss characteristics of factual stories: names, dates, places, actions that can be verified. List these and other possible student responses on a Fact/Fiction Chart. Keep this chart and record information as you read different stories during this unit and from your reading series.

Guided Practice 1: After reading

Guided Practice 1

After reading Never Spit on Your Shoes, ask students to share examples of rules--rules from home, rules from school or other places, rules for kids, rules for adults. Ask, "What is a rule?" "Why do we have rules?" "How are rules made?" "Who makes the rules?" "What are some of the consequences of not following rules?" Record student comments on chart paper.

Guided Practice 2

Have students break into pairs and discuss the list of school rules from long ago. Are these rules fair? What is the reason for each rule? Do we have the same rules today? (CFU: Review worksheets, having each student orally share one rule and consequence. Chart rules and punishments as students present.)

Independent Practice

Draw a Venn diagram with two circles labeled rules long ago and parents' rules. Overlap each circle to record rules each had in common.

Closing

As a class, draw a third circle for today's rules and discuss: comparing old rules new rules and parent rules. Have students share as you see fit.

Assessment & Evaluation

Through guided questions, close monitoring and informal observation; the teacher will be able to assess student's ability and understanding of the subject being introduced. Through individually assessing during independent practice and reviewing during guided practice the teacher will be able to evaluate students.

Modification & Differentiation

Students may work in groups or individually in order to complete their assignments. In order to accommodate for all students, allow extra time to review for lower students and extra worksheets to occupy the time of advanced students.

Related Lesson Plans

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Rules and Laws Lesson Plan | Teacher.org

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Students will be able to identify the strengths and weaknesses of a school rule. Students should be able to decide if a rule is clear, if it accomplishes its purpose, and if it protects the rights of others. Students should be able to explain the purpose of rules and laws and why they are important.

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Though it is not a formal policy put into place within the educational system, districts have started to see the importance of SEL learning -- Social and Emotional Learning -- and implementing it into the classroom. It is an important pillar for students to learn how to develop and sustain healthy social skills, as well as creating an environment of acceptance. Social Emotional Learning is important in order to put into practice Culturally Responsive Teaching. However, proper training and education is required in order to teach teachers how to incorporate SEL and Culturally Responsive Teaching into their classrooms.

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By Vicki Nishioka | April 25, 2021

State-level policy reforms can help school and district leaders improve school discipline practices by shifting the focus away from punishment and toward building students' social and emotional learning (SEL) skills. Building adult capacity to teach, model, and coach SEL skills throughout the school day promotes stronger teacher-student relationships, student engagement, and better classroom management that prevents school discipline problems. ¹

However, policy reforms may not achieve their intended goals if schools and districts lack the professional development and resources needed to shift discipline practices. ² In a recent REL Northwest study, we examined the relationship between a 2015 Oregon state policy reform and shifts toward nonexclusionary discipline- actions that do not remove students from classroom instruction- among students in grades K-5. While many racial/ethnic student groups were significantly less likely to be suspended or expelled after the reform, the opposite was true for Black students. In some cases, American Indian/Alaska Native and Hispanic students also experienced higher discipline rates than students overall.

To successfully implement policy reforms, schools need resources to train and support all educators- teachers, school staff members, and administrators- in the new approach to discipline. ³ With these resources, educators can proactively build student SEL skills, improve culturally affirming practices, and strengthen educator-student relationships. This can reduce cultural misunderstandings that may result in unnecessary exclusionary discipline, particularly for students of color. ⁴

School and district leaders can consider supporting the following approaches to improve relationships- and reduce reliance on exclusionary discipline- in their own schools. The suggestions draw from several REL Northwest reports and trainings, as well as other research on school climate and discipline.

Strengthen relationships with students

Educators tend to see fewer behavior issues in classrooms where students perceive educators to be caring and involved. ⁵ Educators can practice perspective-taking and empathy to build connections with students and help them feel safe, welcome, and understood. ⁶

Train educators to teach, model, and coach SEL skills

Educators can help students learn SEL skills by actively teaching and modeling core competencies of SEL such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, responsible decision-making, and relationship skills. ⁷ Educators can then coach students to develop their skills by weaving opportunities to practice SEL into the school day. For example, educators can model and teach students how to apply SEL skills in different social activities or settings and then praise students for using SEL appropriately or reteach skills as needed.

Understand and address implicit bias

Every person sees the world through the lens of their own beliefs, values, and prior experiences. ⁸ Thus, implicit or unconscious biases may shape an individual's understandings and perspectives of others.

Implicit bias can lead educators and students to interpret the same events in two different ways, especially when they do not share common lived experiences or cultural backgrounds. ⁹ Schools can address this by helping educators build awareness of their own implicit biases and learn about their students' cultural backgrounds and perspectives. This can increase educators' empathy, helping them build positive relationships with students from racial and cultural backgrounds different from their own and respond to discipline situations in culturally responsive ways. ¹⁰

Create a culturally responsive school climate

When educators and students hold different cultural beliefs and values, they may have different expectations about student behaviors that could result in disproportionate discipline. ¹¹ For example, many U.S. schools implement expectations and routines that are developed by the teacher. However, many students, especially students of color, feel more welcome in schools and classrooms that center students and collectivist cultural values, such as cooperation and maintaining relationships to achieve goals that benefit the whole community. ¹²

To improve cross-cultural understanding, educators can invite students and families to teach about their cultures and co-create school environments that uphold their values. Research-based culturally responsive strategies to promote SEL can also contribute to positive, inclusive environments that reduce behavior issues.

Use data to promote equity in school discipline

School and district leaders can review their own discipline data, disaggregated by racial/ethnic groups, to understand opportunities and challenges related to racial equity in discipline within their own schools. These REL Northwest training materials from a 2018 training series can help teams use evidence to identify interventions, develop an action plan, track their effectiveness, and inform improvement decisions. Ongoing continuous improvement and data-informed decisionmaking will ensure that SEL and school discipline practices respond to the ever-changing racial, language, and cultural diversity of our school communities.

¹ Brackett, M. A., Reyes, M. R., Rivers, S. E., Elbertson, N. A., & Salovey, P. (2011). Classroom emotional climate, teacher affiliation, and student conduct. Journal of Classroom Interaction, 46(1), 27-36. http://eric.ed.gov; Darling-Hammond, L., & Cook-Harvey, C. M. (2018). Educating the whole child: Improving climate to support student success. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. https://eric.ed.gov
² Fixsen, D., Blase, K., Metz, A., & van Dyke, M. (2013). Statewide implementation of evidence-based programs. Exceptional Children, 79(2), 213--230. https://eric.ed.gov
³ See endnote 3.
⁴ Gregory, A., & Fergus, E. (2017). Social and emotional learning and equity in school discipline. Future of Children, 27(1), 117-136. https://eric.ed.gov
⁵ Brackett, M. A., Reyes, M. R., Rivers, S. E., Elbertson, N. A., & Salovey, P. (2011). Classroom emotional climate, teacher affiliation, and student conduct. Journal of Classroom Interaction, 46(1), 27-36. https://eric.ed.gov; Cornell, D., Shuckla, K., & Konold, T. R. (2016). Authoritative school climate and student academic engagement, grades, and aspirations in middle and high schools. AERA Open, 2(2), 1-18. Retrieved March 14, 2021, from https://journals.sagepub.com
⁶ Okonofua, J. A., Paunesku, D., & Walton, G. M. (2016). Brief intervention to encourage empathic discipline cuts suspension rates in half among adolescents. PNAS Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 113(19), 5221-5226. Retrieved March 14, 2021, from https://www.pnas.org/content/113/19/5221
⁷ Darling-Hammond, L., & Cook-Harvey, C. M. (2018). Educating the whole child: Improving climate to support student success. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. https://eric.ed.gov
⁸ Gehlbach, H., & Brinkworth, M. E. (2012). The social perspective taking process: Strategies and sources of evidence in taking another's perspective. Teacher College Record, 114(1), 1-29. https://eric.ed.gov
⁹ Allen, Q. (2010). Racial microaggressions: The schooling experiences of Black middle-class males in Arizona's secondary schools. Journal of African American Males in Education, 1(2), 125-143. Retrieved April 7, 2021, from https://diversity.utexas.edu.
¹⁰ Galinsky, A. D., & Moskowitz, G. B. (2000). Perspective-taking: Decreasing stereotype expression, stereotype accessibility, and in-group favoritism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78(4), 708-724. Retrieved April 6, 2021, from https://www.academia.edu; Okonofua, J. A., Paunesku, D., & Walton, G. M. (2016). Brief intervention to encourage empathic discipline cuts suspension rates in half among adolescents. PNAS Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 113(19), 5221-5226. Retrieved March 14, 2021, from https://www.pnas.org
¹¹ Irvine, J. J. (1990). Black students and school failure: Policies practices and prescriptions. New York: Greenwood Press. https://eric.ed.gov
¹² Cortina, K. S., Arel, S., & Smith-Darden, J. P. (2017). School belonging in different cultures: The effects of individualism and power distance. Frontiers in Education, 2(56). Retrieved March 30, 2021, from https://www.icos.umich.edu

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educational improvement; excellence in education; educational research; statistics; statistical data; statistical surveys; national center for education evaluation and regional assistance.

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Improving Racial Equity in School Discipline through Culturally Responsive SEL

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The National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE) conducts unbiased large-scale evaluations of education programs and practices supported by federal funds, such as Reading First and Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

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Incorporate a diverse group of role models for students to look up to. Both with curriculum and in everyday classroom conversation. When talking about important historical figures, do not only pay attention to white figures (George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, etc.), but give students diverse role models (MLK Jr., Ruby Bridges, Gandhi, Harriet Tubman, etc).

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Districts have put into practice non-exclusionary disciplinary practices, due to the disciplinary disparities among racial and ethnic groups. The intention of non-exclusionary disciplinary practices are intended to create an environment where students are not removed from the classroom environment or excluded from their peers, when it is not required. Though it is not a formal policy, this is a popular movement in the educational environment where teachers themselves are realizing that exclusionary discipline is not fair among students. So, by moving away from exclusionary practices, teachers and classrooms are moving toward a more equitable classroom.

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Incorporate the use of books with culturally diverse authors and characters. This ensures that all students have the opportunity to learn and see the perspective of someone from a diverse background. As well as ensuring that students who come from a diverse background feel represented in the classroom. By using and seeing diverse people in the classroom, it gives students the opportunity to see people that may come from a similar culture to them, that may not otherwise be represented typically.

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Culturally Responsive Teaching is a method to empower student learning, cultural competence, and critical consciousness. CRT is an approach to teach all students better and more fairly, regardless of cultural background (race, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, gender, etc), and to address the barriers among student achievement. Culturally Responsive teaching is associated with the incorporation and goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom, through multicultural instruction. Culturally Responsive Teaching is used to empower students of all backgrounds to become critical thinkers and "lifelong learners." CRT is a shift in the pedagogy of teaching and requires changes in the content and methods of instruction, for the betterment of all students, not only the majority.

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For decades, researchers have found that teachers in public schools have undervalued the potential for academic success among students of color, setting low expectations for them and thinking of cultural differences as barriers rather than assets to learning.

In response, scholars developed teaching methods and practices-broadly known as asset-based pedagogies-that incorporate students' cultural identities and lived experiences into the classroom as tools for effective instruction. The terms for these approaches to teaching vary, from culturally responsive teaching and culturally sustaining pedagogy to the more foundational culturally relevant pedagogy. Though each term has its own components defined by different researchers over time, all these approaches to teaching center the knowledge of traditionally marginalized communities in classroom instruction. As a result, all students, and in particular students of color, are empowered to become lifelong learners and critical thinkers.

This explainer unpacks what it means to be a culturally responsive teacher, how all these research terms are related, and where other academic concepts such as critical race theory tie in-or not.

What is the definition of culturally responsive teaching?

Culturally responsive teaching means using students' customs, characteristics, experience, and perspectives as tools for better classroom instruction.

The term was coined by researcher Geneva Gay in 2000, who wrote that "when academic knowledge and skills are situated within the lived experiences and frames of reference for students, they are more personally meaningful, have higher interest appeal, and are learned more easily and thoroughly."

It's the kind of teaching that helps students of color see themselves and their communities as belonging in schools and other academic spaces, leading to more engagement and success.

What is culture, and why is it relevant to student learning?

Culture refers to the customs, languages, values, beliefs, and achievements of a group of people. Students' culture and lived experiences that influence how they understand and make sense of the world or themselves are an integral part of who they are as learners. As Emily Style, the former founding co-director of the National SEED Project (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity), once wrote, "Half the curriculum walks in the door with the students."

While more than half of public school students are students of color, most schools are organized around the mainstream culture of white Americans. The culture that many students experience at home and in their communities is not always represented at school-or is represented in a stereotypical way.

Also, 80 percent of teachers are white. Research has found that teachers are just as likely to have racial biases as non-teachers, and those biases tend to influence the expectations they have for their students and their ways of managing their classrooms. For example, past research has found that white teachers have lower expectations for Black students than they do for white students, and those can turn into "self-fulfilling prophecies" when students internalize them or when teachers change their approach to students as a result of their mindsets.

One study found that white teachers were more likely to praise a poorly written essay if they thought it was written by a student of color than if they thought the essay was by a white student. Teachers' racial biases can also result in decreased access to advanced coursework and higher rates of suspensions.

When did culturally responsive teaching start?

Culturally responsive teaching stems from the framework of culturally relevant pedagogy, which was introduced by scholar Gloria Ladson-Billings in the 1990s. Ladson-Billings was tired of the commonly held narrative that Black children were deficient and deviant, and that there was something wrong with them. Instead, she wanted to find out what was right with Black children, their families, and their communities. To do so, she researched the practices of effective teachers of Black students.

For about two years, Ladson-Billings observed teachers who were identified by both principals and Black parents as being excellent. The teachers had different ways of teaching, but they all had high expectations for their students and fostered academic success. They also all valued and integrated themselves in the community from which their students came.

Ladson-Billings distilled the commonalities in those teachers' beliefs and practices into the framework of culturally relevant pedagogy, which she defined as a model that "not only addresses student achievement but also helps students to accept and affirm their cultural identity while developing critical perspectives that challenge inequities that schools (and other institutions) perpetuate."

There are three components of culturally relevant pedagogy:

student learning-prioritizing students' intellectual growth, including their ability to problem-solve;

cultural competence-creating an environment where students affirm and appreciate their culture of origin while also developing fluency in at least one other culture; and

critical consciousness-teaching students how to identify, analyze, and solve real-world problems, especially those that result in societal inequities against marginalized groups.

So, what are the characteristics of culturally responsive teaching?

Gay's research shows five essential components of culturally responsive teaching:

A strong knowledge base about cultural diversity. Teachers should understand different racial and ethnic groups' cultural values, traditions, and contributions to society, and incorporate that knowledge into their instruction.

Culturally relevant curricula. Teachers should include multiple perspectives in their instruction and make sure the images displayed in classrooms-such as on bulletin boards-represent a wide range of diversity. Teachers should also contextualize issues within race, class, ethnicity, and gender.

High expectations for all students. Teachers should help students achieve academic success while still validating their cultural identities.

An appreciation for different communication styles. Teachers should understand different communication styles and modify classroom interactions accordingly. For example, many communities of color have an active, participatory style of communication. A teacher who doesn't understand this cultural context might think a student is being rude and tell the student to be quiet. The student may then shut down.

The use of multicultural instructional examples. Teachers should connect students' prior knowledge and cultural experiences with new knowledge.

Doesn't that require teachers to reinforce stereotypes about students of color and even discriminate against white children?

In short, no. While the academic framework of culturally responsive teaching and other asset-based pedagogies emerged from how to best support students of color, it evolved into a teaching approach that serves all students, regardless of their racial background.

Sharroky Hollie, the director of the nonprofit Center for Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning, works with teachers to practice what he calls cultural and linguistic responsiveness. In his work, he talks about the rings of culture, meaning the various aspects of students' identities that can impact how they interact with the world around them.

To Hollie, it's not just about thinking of ways to validate and incorporate a student's racial background into the classroom. It's not about thinking of students in a one-dimensional, stereotypical way. Culturally responsive teachers must also consider the student's gender, age, socio-economic status, whether they live in the suburbs or a rural area, and more.

"It's not as simplistic as we're trying to value our students of color," he said. "We're actually trying to value the rings of culture that they bring to our schools, regardless of their racial background."

For instance, in predominately white school districts, there are white students who, due to where they live or their family's socio-economic status, are underserved by their school district and could benefit from a culturally responsive approach to education, Hollie said.

What is culturally sustaining pedagogy, and how is it different than culturally relevant teaching?

Schools are still places where white norms are considered the default standard in the curricula, behavioral expectations, linguistic practices, and more. Culturally sustaining pedagogy says that students of color should not be expected to adhere to white middle-class norms, but their own cultural ways of being should be explored, honored, and nurtured by educators.

The framework builds on the work of Ladson-Billing and others but offers a "loving critique" that cultural relevance in the curriculum is not enough for students in today's world, given demographic shifts toward a more diverse society. Paris and Alim also argue that asset-based pedagogies, like culturally relevant teaching, traditionally haven't paid enough attention to young people's more fluid relationships with their identities.

Ladson-Billings has embraced the evolution of her foundational pedagogy, writing in 2014 that "culturally sustaining pedagogy uses culturally relevant pedagogy as the place where the beat drops." She also told Education Week that she is now paying close attention to how teenagers shape culture, an aspect that wasn't present in her original work.

It's important to remember that these asset-based pedagogies-culturally responsive, culturally relevant, and culturally sustainable, among others-are not in conflict with each other. While their frameworks vary, they all have the same goal of dismantling a deficit approach to educating students of color and focusing instead on their strengths, assets, and communities in the classroom.

What does the research say about the effectiveness of these teaching frameworks?

A 2016 synthesis of decades of research on culturally responsive teaching and related frameworks found that engaging in culturally affirming practices across subject matters, including mathematics and science, led to positive increases in students' understanding and engagement with academic skills and concepts.  For instance, students in high school math class could learn about statistics by assessing the probabilities of racial profiling cases in various neighborhoods or using other datasets applicable to their communities that bring up questions about justice and injustice.

Culturally responsive teaching and similar approaches to teaching also increased students' motivation, interest in content, and the perception of themselves as capable students, among other benefits, the study found. Brittany Aronson, an associate professor in educational leadership at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and a co-author of the study, said, whenever teachers drew direct connections between classroom lessons and students' experiences outside of school, students could see greater value in the academic content as it applies to the real world. Such work helps students see themselves as knowledge producers and researchers.

Overall, teaching that makes school relevant to students helps them succeed both in terms of quantitative measures such as high test scores, and more qualitative measures such as becoming life-long learners able to ask critical questions about the world around them, both in and out of school, Aronson said.

What are some examples of culturally responsive teaching?

Teachers who practice culturally responsive teaching have a classroom full of books featuring characters and images that represent a variety of ages, genders, ethnicities, and other types of diversity. They share the achievements and expertise of people from different ethnic groups in every subject area. They include multiple perspectives when discussing historical and contemporary events, including those from oppressed groups who are often left out of the narrative. And they encourage students to draw on their prior knowledge and cultural experiences to make connections to the academic content.

Culturally responsive teaching also must have an element of critical consciousness, where students are empowered to critique and analyze societal inequities. For example, Teddi Beam-Conroy, an associate teaching professor at the University of Washington, was teaching the Declaration of Independence to a class of 5th graders. When they got to the line that said, "All men are created equal," Beam-Conroy asked her students, "Who were the men who were considered equal at that point?" To illustrate the point, she asked everyone to stand up-and then told them to sit down if they didn't identify as male, if they didn't identify as white, or if their parents rented instead of owned a home.

That exercise opened the door to a conversation about how Americans weren't all equal in the late 18th century. Beam-Conroy's students discussed when women and African Americans got the right to vote-and what implications that has had on the composition of U.S. Congress or the Supreme Court. The critical consciousness piece is "examining how historically, power has been distributed and guarded among particular folks who make the laws," Beam-Conroy said. "Fifth graders can understand that."

Culturally responsive teaching can also involve a deeper reimagining of classroom codes of conduct. For instance, in some students' culture, talking while someone else talks shows how invested and engaged they are in the conversation, said Hollie with the Center for Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning. Culturally responsive teachers find ways to incorporate that verbal overlap into their lesson rather than seeing it as rude or worthy of discipline.

What isn't culturally responsive teaching?

Researchers note that some educators say they're practicing culturally responsive teaching, but it's an overly simplified version. For example, for some teachers, a multicultural school potluck meal or adding diverse books to their classroom library sufficiently counts as affirming students' culture in education. But culturally responsive teaching is deeper, more critical work.

"There's a tendency to truncate culturally responsive teaching to be about a whole myriad of things-it's about relationships, it's about anti-racist education, it's about diverse books," said Zaretta Hammond, the author of Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain. "It's like that old parable of the king who asks nine blind men to describe an elephant. Each one grabs a different part of the elephant. 'Oh, it's flat and wide'-he's got the ear. 'No, it's like a rope'-he's got the tail. No one has the whole picture."

Too often, she said, white progressive educators view culturally responsive teaching as an add-on to their regular instruction instead of a fundamental shift in their pedagogy. For example, a teacher might think students of color just need to see themselves in order to feel motivated and do the work, so she'll incorporate diverse books into her classroom or syllabus-but not change anything to the content or her way of instruction.

Another common misconception is that culturally responsive teaching is a way of addressing student trauma, which is a deficit-based ideology that assumes the universal experience of people of color is one of trauma, Hammond said.

How widespread is culturally responsive teaching?

Most teacher-preparation programs have also incorporated culturally responsive teaching into their courses. And some school districts, including New York City and Baltimore City, have adopted a culturally responsive and/or sustaining approach to education.

Still, experts say it's difficult to pinpoint exactly how many teachers have adopted these asset-based pedagogies because some may use only certain tenets. For instance, helping students develop a critical consciousness is often ignored.

What does all of this have to do with critical race theory?

Critical race theory, broadly speaking, is an academic concept with the core idea that race is a social construct, and racism is not only the product of individual bias or prejudice but is also embedded in policies and systems, such as a legal system-or as some scholars such as Ladson-Billings propose, an educational system.

Aspiring K-12 teachers in graduate level courses may study aspects of critical race theory to better understand how school systems are designed in ways that don't serve the needs of students of color. But critical race theory is not taught as a guide for classroom instruction, nor is it typically used as a culturally relevant or culturally responsive lesson plan for kids and teens, said Aronson with Miami University.

Asset-based pedagogies, like culturally relevant or culturally responsive teaching, are not the same thing as critical race theory. They have different theoretical bases and different goals. However, there might be some commonalities-for example, the questions students are encouraged to ask about social systems, including education, may ring close to the consciousness critical race theory is meant to evoke.

In an interview with Education Week, Ladson-Billings stressed that culturally relevant teaching, as she defined it, has nothing to do with critical race theory. But opponents to critical race theory have glossed over those nuances, she said, adding that deliberative public debate is hard when people don't know what they're talking about.

"The attack on anything that allows more participation and moves us toward equity is going full force," she said.

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Here's what it means to be a culturally responsive teacher and where critical race theory ties in-or not.

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Culturally Responsive Teaching is not the same as Critical Race theory, which is the idea that racism is embedded in our educational system, and is not "merely the product of individual bias." Culturally Responsive Teaching does not divide and pit people against each other, based on their race; Culturally Responsive Teaching is not a practice of discriminating against white people in hopes of achieving equity.

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Is "critical race theory" a way of understanding how American racism has shaped public policy, or a divisive discourse that pits people of color against white people? Liberals and conservatives are in sharp disagreement.

In truth, the divides are not nearly as neat as they may seem. The events of the last decade have increased public awareness about things like housing segregation, the impacts of criminal justice policy in the 1990s, and the legacy of enslavement on Black Americans. But there is much less consensus on what the government's role should be in righting these past wrongs. Add children and schooling into the mix and the debate becomes especially volatile.

School boards, superintendents, even principals and teachers are already facing questions about critical race theory, and there are significant disagreements even among experts about its precise definition as well as how its tenets should inform K-12 policy and practice. This explainer is meant only as a starting point to help educators grasp core aspects of the current debate.

Just what is critical race theory anyway?

Critical race theory is an academic concept that is more than 40 years old. The core idea is that race is a social construct, and that racism is not merely the product of individual bias or prejudice, but also something embedded in legal systems and policies.

The basic tenets of critical race theory, or CRT, emerged out of a framework for legal analysis in the late 1970s and early 1980s created by legal scholars Derrick Bell, Kimberlé Crenshaw, and Richard Delgado, among others.

A good example is when, in the 1930s, government officials literally drew lines around areas deemed poor financial risks, often explicitly due to the racial composition of inhabitants. Banks subsequently refused to offer mortgages to Black people in those areas.

Today, those same patterns of discrimination live on through facially race-blind policies, like single-family zoning that prevents the building of affordable housing in advantaged, majority-white neighborhoods and, thus, stymies racial desegregation efforts.

CRT also has ties to other intellectual currents, including the work of sociologists and literary theorists who studied links between political power, social organization, and language. And its ideas have since informed other fields, like the humanities, the social sciences, and teacher education.

This academic understanding of critical race theory differs from representation in recent popular books and, especially, from its portrayal by critics-often, though not exclusively, conservative Republicans. Critics charge that the theory leads to negative dynamics, such as a focus on group identity over universal, shared traits; divides people into "oppressed" and "oppressor" groups; and urges intolerance.

Thus, there is a good deal of confusion over what CRT means, as well as its relationship to other terms, like "anti-racism" and "social justice," with which it is often conflated.

To an extent, the term "critical race theory" is now cited as the basis of all diversity and inclusion efforts regardless of how much it's actually informed those programs.

One conservative organization, the Heritage Foundation, recently attributed a whole host of issues to CRT, including the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, LGBTQ clubs in schools, diversity training in federal agencies and organizations, California's recent ethnic studies model curriculum, the free-speech debate on college campuses, and alternatives to exclusionary discipline-such as the Promise program in Broward County, Fla., that some parents blame for the Parkland school shootings. "When followed to its logical conclusion, CRT is destructive and rejects the fundamental ideas on which our constitutional republic is based," the organization claimed.

(A good parallel here is how popular ideas of the common core learning standards grew to encompass far more than what those standards said on paper.)

Does critical race theory say all white people are racist? Isn't that racist, too?

The theory says that racism is part of everyday life, so people-white or nonwhite-who don't intend to be racist can nevertheless make choices that fuel racism.

Some critics claim that the theory advocates discriminating against white people in order to achieve equity. They mainly aim those accusations at theorists who advocate for policies that explicitly take race into account. (The writer Ibram X. Kendi, whose recent popular book How to Be An Antiracist suggests that discrimination that creates equity can be considered anti-racist, is often cited in this context.)

Fundamentally, though, the disagreement springs from different conceptions of racism. CRT puts an emphasis on outcomes, not merely on individuals' own beliefs, and it calls on these outcomes to be examined and rectified. Among lawyers, teachers, policymakers, and the general public, there are many disagreements about how precisely to do those things, and to what extent race should be explicitly appealed to or referred to in the process.

All these different ideas grow out of longstanding, tenacious intellectual debates. Critical race theory emerged out of postmodernist thought, which tends to be skeptical of the idea of universal values, objective knowledge, individual merit, Enlightenment rationalism, and liberalism-tenets that conservatives tend to hold dear.

What does any of this have to do with K-12 education?

Scholars who study critical race theory in education look at how policies and practices in K-12 education contribute to persistent racial inequalities in education, and advocate for ways to change them. Among the topics they've studied: racially segregated schools, the underfunding of majority-Black and Latino school districts, disproportionate disciplining of Black students, barriers to gifted programs and selective-admission high schools, and curricula that reinforce racist ideas.

Critical race theory is not a synonym for culturally relevant teaching, which emerged in the 1990s. This teaching approach seeks to affirm students' ethnic and racial backgrounds and is intellectually rigorous. But it's related in that one of its aims is to help students identify and critique the causes of social inequality in their own lives.

Many educators support, to one degree or another, culturally relevant teaching and other strategies to make schools feel safe and supportive for Black students and other underserved populations. (Students of color make up the majority of school-aged children.) But they don't necessarily identify these activities as CRT-related.

As one teacher-educator put it: "The way we usually see any of this in a classroom is: 'Have I thought about how my Black kids feel? And made a space for them, so that they can be successful?' That is the level I think it stays at, for most teachers." Like others interviewed for this explainer, the teacher-educator did not want to be named out of fear of online harassment.

An emerging subtext among some critics is that curricular excellence can't coexist alongside culturally responsive teaching or anti-racist work. Their argument goes that efforts to change grading practices or make the curriculum less Eurocentric will ultimately harm Black students, or hold them to a less high standard.

As with CRT in general, its popular representation in schools has been far less nuanced. A recent poll by the advocacy group Parents Defending Education claimed some schools were teaching that "white people are inherently privileged, while Black and other people of color are inherently oppressed and victimized"; that "achieving racial justice and equality between racial groups requires discriminating against people based on their whiteness"; and that "the United States was founded on racism."

Thus much of the current debate appears to spring not from the academic texts, but from fear among critics that students-especially white students-will be exposed to supposedly damaging or self-demoralizing ideas.

While some district officials have issued mission statements, resolutions, or spoken about changes in their policies using some of the discourse of CRT, it's not clear to what degree educators are explicitly teaching the concepts, or even using curriculum materials or other methods that implicitly draw on them. For one thing, scholars say, much scholarship on CRT is written in academic language or published in journals not easily accessible to K-12 teachers.

What is going on with these proposals to ban critical race theory in schools?

The bills are so vaguely written that it's unclear what they will affirmatively cover.

Could a teacher who wants to talk about a factual instance of state-sponsored racism-like the establishment of Jim Crow, the series of laws that prevented Black Americans from voting or holding office and separated them from white people in public spaces-be considered in violation of these laws?

It's also unclear whether these new bills are constitutional, or whether they impermissibly restrict free speech.

It would be extremely difficult, in any case, to police what goes on inside hundreds of thousands of classrooms. But social studies educators fear that such laws could have a chilling effect on teachers who might self-censor their own lessons out of concern for parent or administrator complaints.

The laws could also become a tool to attack other pieces of the curriculum, including ethnic studies and "action civics"-an approach to civics education that asks students to research local civic problems and propose solutions.

How is this related to other debates over what's taught in the classroom amid K-12 culture wars?

The charge that schools are indoctrinating students in a harmful theory or political mindset is a longstanding one, historians note. CRT appears to be the latest salvo in this ongoing debate.

In history, the debates have focused on the balance among patriotism and American exceptionalism, on one hand, and the country's history of exclusion and violence towards Indigenous people and the enslavement of African Americans on the other-between its ideals and its practices. Those tensions led to the implosion of a 1994 attempt to set national history standards.

The culture wars are always, at some level, battled out within schools, historians say.

"It's because they're nervous about broad social things, but they're talking in the language of school and school curriculum," said one historian of education. "That's the vocabulary, but the actual grammar is anxiety about shifting social power relations."

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What Is Critical Race Theory, and Why Is It Under Attack?

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Here's what you need to understand about the academic concept-and how it's portrayed in political circles.

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Objectives & Outcomes

Students will analyze the nutritional value of the foods that will be eaten around Thanksgiving. Students will create a 3D pyramid.

Materials Needed

food pyramid overhead worksheet for the teacher (attached)

blank food pyramid worksheets for students (can be found online)

glue

colored pencils

Procedure

Opening to Lesson

Teacher asks students what they ate for lunch today and writes the responses on the board.
Milk, chicken, broccoli, etc...

Tell students that all of these foods belong in their own group which they will learn about today.

Body of Lesson

Modeling

Put a picture of the food guide pyramid on the board and explain the importance of eating a variety of foods and a balanced meal.

Leave the image projected for the class to use as a reference.

Discuss a balanced diet and healthy eating habits.

Guided Practice

Ask students what they normally eat for Thanksgiving.

Pair students with their partners and have them brainstorm all of the food that they eat.

Be culturally sensitive, especially to new students and if there are students that don't or haven't yet celebrated Thanksgiving Day. Explain or have a student partner explain the US tradition of eating with the family and being thankful.

Write the food groups on the board or on chart paper: Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Meats and Protein, Dairy, Sweets.

After they have had time to work in partners, call on students to share and write the answers on the board under each listed food group.

This will act as a crutch for students in the next activity.

Independent Practice

Pass out the blank food pyramid worksheet.

Guide students in order to help them label each section of the food pyramid.

Make sure to walk around to check for accuracy and understanding.

Next, allow students time to sort through the traditional Thanksgiving Day foods.

Ask children to group each type of food into the correct location on the food pyramid.

Closing

Allow time for students to discuss their findings with groups or shoulder partners

The following should be addressed: Which group had the most food? Was this a well-balanced meal? What new information did you learn?

Students can then share their findings during a whole group discussion.

Send the students home with the pyramids to share with their family for Thanksgiving.

Read our guide to teaching about the many holidays throughout the year here.

Assessment & Evaluation

Teacher can assess conceptual understanding by noting student responses during the group discussion at the end of the lesson. Teacher can also use the blank food pyramid worksheet to check for accuracy in grouping food items.

Modification & Differentiation

Some students may need help understanding the food groups. Teacher can provide a mini lesson to those students who need extra help. In addition, teacher can allow students to work with partners or small groups.

Learn more about becoming a Science Teacher.

Teaching about holidays can be tricky, learn more here.

Related Lesson Plans

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Are you currently teaching but have the desire to pursue a Master's Degree in Education? Follow your passion for teaching but at the same time give yourself the tools to further your career and learning. Whether it's higher salaries, advanced career opportunities, or leadership positions, earning your Master's Degree in Education is one worth pursuing. Make it your time!

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Thanksgiving Food Pyramid Lesson Plan | Teacher.org

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Lesson Plan: Thanksgiving Food Pyramid, Grades: 1 - 3rd, Subject:

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Give multiple perspectives, especially when it comes to historical (or modern-day) context. Do not only teach the 'majority' or white people perspective. It is important to give students the full context, especially when it comes to different racial, ethnic, or cultural backgrounds.

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Classroom codes of conduct are also an important aspect when it comes to Culturally Responsive Teaching. It is important to recognize and understand that all cultures and all backgrounds have different norms for behavior. Cultures, and even home-lives, alter what is considered appropriate behavior. For example, in some cultures a sign of respect is talking quietly or not at all and talking loudly or over another person is considered rude and inappropriate; whereas, in other cultures or backgrounds, it is completely acceptable to talk loudly and over one another. This is just one example where an individual's personal background and experience shapes their norms and behaviors. Thus, teachers and the education system must recognize this and not treat students different based on their individual backgrounds. This is one area where teachers must explicitly teach students the norms and appropriate behaviors for the classroom.

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In terms of race and ethnicity, the inclusive and appropriate terms are: white, African American, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, Multiracial, and Indigenous Peoples.

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When it comes to disabilities, both mental and physical, it is important to not define a person by a disability. So, the appropriate language to use when discussing disabilities are: person with a disability, person in a wheelchair, Deaf-person, or Blind-person.

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When it comes to other circumstances, such as poverty or abuse, it is important to use inclusive language as well, such as: person without housing, person living below the poverty line, person who has experienced...

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When it comes to gender and sexual orientation, some of the inclusive and appropriate terms are: proper pronouns (he/his, she/her, they/them), transgender people, LGBTQ+, and assigned sex.

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Objectives & Outcomes

After a lesson on Chinese New Year, the learner will act out (role play) a 30 second scene from a traditional family visitation tradition using oranges, tangerines, and sweets. The learner will use at least three details that we discussed.

Materials Needed

American New Year paraphernalia (e.g., glitter glasses, beaded necklace, horns)

"Chinese New Year: Festival of New Beginnings" by Terri Sievert

8 tangerines

8 oranges

Various wrapped fruit candies.

Procedure

Opening to Lesson

Without much explanation, teacher will begin by acting out the countdown segment of a typical American New Year celebration. Teacher will turn the lights off in the classroom and wear typical American New Year party paraphernalia (glasses, beaded necklaces, horns) in order to create the setting. Teacher will excitedly count backwards from 10-1, then finally proclaim HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Teacher will invite students to partake in discourse regarding the scene that was just performed. Have you experienced anything like that before? What was familiar about it? What did my performance remind you of? What types of feelings were evoked when you watched my performance? Teacher will dictate students' responses on to chart paper.

Body of Lesson

Instructional Activity/Development

Teacher will read "Chinese New Year: Festival of New Beginnings" by Terri Sievert.

Teacher and students will discuss the gifts of oranges, tangerines, and sweets that were present in both the story.

Oranges represent money and wealth while tangerines are symbols of good luck

Students will be invited to discuss the similarities and differences between American New Year and the Chinese New Year Celebrations.

Teacher will introduce the phrase gung hay fat choy, which is the traditional Chinese New Year greeting that means "May you prosper".

Guided Practice

Teacher will bring out the traditional gifts that families give to one another on Chinese New Year's Day (oranges, tangerines, and sweets).

With a student volunteer, teacher will act out (role play) the visitation and gifting process that was described in the book.

The tradition is to visit family members within three days of the new year. At the visitation, it is customary to take sweet treats to family members' homes. This is to symbolize wealth and good fortune in the new year.

Independent Practice

Teacher will bring out the traditional gifts that families give to one another on Chinese New Year's Day (oranges, tangerines, and sweets).

With a student volunteer, teacher will act out (role play) the visitation and gifting process that was described in the book.

The tradition is to visit family members within three days of the new year. At the visitation, it is customary to take sweet treats to family members' homes. This is to symbolize wealth and good fortune in the new year.

Closing

At this time, we will gather back on the rug to discuss new concepts that were learned in the lesson. Teacher will dictate student responses onto chart paper.

Read our guide on Teaching Holidays in the Classroom.

Assessment & Evaluation

Performance Assessment

The role play section will be used as a performance assessment. This provides students an opportunity to convey their understanding through gestures, sounds, and physical movement. This provides students with a deeper connection to the material.

Informal/Anecdotal Assessment

Informal teacher observation of student participation as they create their scene (record will be kept in teacher log).

Modification & Differentiation

Learn more on how to teach students about holidays and history.

Related Lesson Plans

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Chinese New Year Lesson Plan | Teacher.org

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After a lesson on Chinese New Year, the learner will act out (role play) a 30 second scene from a traditional family visitation tradition using oranges, tangerines, and sweets. The learner will use at least three details that we discussed.