# data[].attributes.body
SENSOY, O., & DiAngelo, R. (2017). IS EVERYONE REALLY EQUAL?: An introduction to key concepts in social justice education. S.l.: TEACHERS COLLEGE PRESS.

Me And We: We are All Similar and Different. (n.d.). Retrieved June 7, 2018, from https://www.tolerance.org/classroom-resources/tolerance-lessons/me-and-we-we-are-all-similar-and-different

North Iowa Diversity Appreciation Team - Contests. (n.d.). Retrieved June 7, 2018, from http://northiowadiversity.org/contests/

# data[].attributes.body
The book "Is everyone really equal?" discusses many prejudices that individuals have and how to help reduce action on those prejudices.  The following activity is meant to help students do this.

Each month I will ask that students research a certain type of prejudice (racism, sexism, classism, nationalism). Students will then find pictures and articles to post on half of the bulletin board that show these prejudices in our society. On the other half of the board, students will write ideas on how we can fight these prejudices (what can we do to lessen these prejudices). The idea here is that the more students are aware of these prejudices, the more they will be able to consciously think about and avoid acting on these prejudices in life.

# data[].attributes.body
Our classroom curriculum already contains many books that discuss the struggle for change and oppression. Some of the books feature Cesar Chavez and his fight for migrant workers, while others discuss Amelia Earhart's challenging of gender norms. In these units students simply learn about these struggles and write down the main ideas from the book. I would like to transform this into students advocating for change in their own worlds. Beyond simply wanting change at a school level, I would ask my students to research and fight for change on a global level. Whether students chose to send a letter to the President or other prominent figures would be their choice, but I would ask them to fight for some type of current social justice.

# data[].attributes.headline
Beginning of the Year Ice Breaker Activity

# data[].attributes.subject
Beginning of the Year Ice Breaker Activity

# data[].attributes.body
Me And We: We are All Similar and Different

This activity's aim is to build relationships with peers and understand that we all have different preferences.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This activity is useful for planning Mix It Up at Lunch Day or when building intergroup relationships.

Icebreaker Activity for All Grades

Procedures

Take students out in the hall and mark off an area about 40 feet long with sections ranging from 1 to 10.

Encourage students not to talk during this exercise, but to keep their eyes open. Then say, "I'm going to name some concepts, items or titles. I want you to move to an area based on how you rate each one. For instance, if you like something a great deal, move to the 7 or 8 area. If you love it, move to 10. If you really hate it, move to the 1 or 2 area." Then read the following list:

After each concept or item, allow students time to move and look at where their peers moved. With each new topic, expect a lot of movement, a lot of looking around, some laughter and a few remarks.

Early Grades Procedures

Return to the classroom and ask students: "Was there a time in the hallway when you and one of your friends felt differently about an item I named?" Invite volunteers to share. Explore with students the idea that we don't have to like all of the same things to be friends. As a class, discuss: "What brings people together as friends? What kinds of behaviors are really important for people to stay friends with each other?" Students can work in pairs to create booklets describing how their answers in the icebreaker activity were different and how they can still be friends.

Upper Grades Procedures

Return to the classroom and ask students, "What kinds of things tend to divide us in this school?" Provide prompts as needed, such as "Hobbies? Where we live?" and allow students to drive the conversation as much as possible.

Next, re-do an icebreaker item that really Mixed Up students in the hallway, one that you noticed resulted in students standing with peers with whom they don't normally interact. (Rather than returning to the hall, students can simply stand in groups whose "scores" are 1-3, 4-6 and 8-10.)

Point out that while some things may divide us, other things can unite us - even simple things like ice cream. As a closing activity, students should extrapolate the larger "diversity message" of the activity by reflecting in writing on Jimmy Carter's words: "We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams."
This lesson is adapted from Tom Scheft's activity Setting the Stage for Controversial Subjects.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Me and We: We Are All Similar and Different

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teaching Tolerance provides free resources to educators-teachers, administrators, counselors and other practitioners-who work with children from kindergarten through high school. Educators use our materials to supplement the curriculum, to inform their practices, and to create civil and inclusive school communities where children are respected, valued and welcome participants.

# data[].attributes.body
I already have many books in my classroom library that deal with diversity, but I would like to expand on those books. I would like to have specific sections within my class library that include books on social justice as well as information on other cultures. Throughout the year, I would highlight specific cultures and ask students to research and share out more information about those cultures. This information would hopefully help students be more open and accepting of other cultures and their beliefs.

# data[].attributes.body
A friend that I attended University of Northern Iowa with is a teacher in Texas. Her class is 80% Latinx. We have been talking for years about creating pen pals for our class, but have always had a technology barrier (her school didn't have access to regular technology). Things have recently changed in her district, and each child now has access to a computer. I think the pen pal idea would be a great way for our students to share their cultural practices and get to know about other's cultures. I also think these interactions would be useful during our opinion writing unit. Students could find out about struggles or hardships of people in other communities and research ways to help (and write trying to initiate change). Because many of my students haven't ever left the state of Iowa, this would open their eyes to other cultures and hardships of people in another area of the country.

# data[].attributes.body
Through my community and school research, I learned more about a diversity team in my community.  This information will be used in the following ways:

I intend on having our class participate in the North Iowa Diversity Appreciation Contest and Ceremony.  This contest asks students to create a writing and a drawing describing what diversity means to them.  There is then a ceremony that presents all students with a certificate and recognizes three student winners from each age group.  Many of our students have never been to a ceremony like this before.  The North Iowa Diversity Appreciation Team holds this ceremony at Music Man Square in Mason City.  Our PTO would buy a diversity book for each student that participates.  This activity introduces students to a new experience while also teaching them about the importance of diversity.

# data[].attributes.body
At the beginning of each year we have parent-teacher conferences.  My goal is to have a form for parents to fill out with students that discusses their likes, dislikes, home life, traditions, and preferences. I will give each student a week on our calendar to bring artifacts from home to discuss with the class. Because not all students have artifacts about their heritage, I will ask them to bring something that means a lot to their family. Examples may be pictures a or a drawing of a special activity they do at home.  I will send home a digital camera for students to take pictures with the week before they are the star of the week.  If students have a special event taking place during another time of year, they may check out the digital camera to capture these moments.

During my funds of knowledge activity, I was able to learn more about an individual student. Ideally, I would like to learn more about all of my students and their families. This activity would help me do that. The goal of this event is to learn more about each student, their family, and their traditions.  Through Star of the Week, students can learn a lot about others different from themselves.

# data[].attributes.body
On my monthly calendar, I plan to include holidays for all religions and belief systems of my students.  I would also like to include holidays and special events for religions in which my students don't celebrate.  During these dates, I would like to have discussions and have students research holidays that they do not celebrate.  It would be great to schedule visitors to come and share artifacts or their experiences with all holiday traditions.