Looking for a great way to teach diversity to your elementary school students? CLIMB Theatre’s acceptance of differences lesson plans provide fun, interactive activities for elementary school teachers to bring these positive behavior skills into the classroom.
In our acceptance of differences lesson plans, you’ll find the following activities:
- Popcorn, an activity to help students learn about similarities and difference. Students pretend to “pop” like kernels of popcorn whenever you give a statement that is true for them. For example, “Pop if you have a brother or sister,” “pop if you’ve ever been on a roller coaster,” or “pop if your favorite flavor of ice cream is vanilla.”
- Lemons introduces the concept of stereotyping and helps students understand how generalizations influence thinking. First, divide students into groups of five and ask them to list characteristics of lemons. Then give each group their own lemon to examine for unique marks and characteristics. After 30-60 seconds, collect all the lemons. Invite one person from each group to comes up and identify their group’s lemon. This is usually no problem; the lemons have become distinct and individual.
- The Line of Goodness teaches students that people are good at different things. Place a scarf, rope, or yardstick on the ground to use as a “line.” Ask for a volunteer to stand a few feet away from the object, facing it like a finish line in a race. Instruct the class to give the volunteer compliments. For every compliment, the student takes one step closer to the line until s/he has crossed it. Repeat with as many students are in the class.
- Attitude Sculpture, an activity that explores how body language expresses different feelings. In this activity, students practice making “sculptures” with their bodies, expressing emotions such as dislike and acceptance.
- Paper bag gives students the chance to get to know one another and find common ground. Give each student a brown paper lunch bag and instruct them to return the next day with three things that represent who they are and what’s important to them. The next day, divide the students into groups of four or five to take turns sharing the items in their bags and discover commonalities they didn’t know they had.
For more detailed instructions and debrief/conversation questions…
Download Different and Same, the acceptance of differences lesson plans for grades K-2.
Download A Common Thread, the acceptance of differences lesson plans for grades 3-6.