To conclude the discussion on desegregation, celebrate diversity! Seat students in a circle and ask them to think of something that makes them special or unique. Encourage them to think about what they’re good at and what makes them feel proud. Invite them to take turns, sharing their thoughts with the class.
Read
The Color of Us
by Karen Katz. The story paints a very vivid picture of all the beautiful skin colors that exists. Ask children to look around. Are any of them really the same exact color? Remind them of the painting activity they did at the beginning of the unit. Everyone’s a shade of brown, but not necessarily the same shade.
Read
Think Again
by Doug E. Fresh. It’s about a black boy and a white boy who learn to get along and eventually become best friends. After reading the story, play the CD that comes with the book. Doug E. Fresh sings the lyrics that are written in the book. Allow students to stand up and dance to this meaningful tale.
Have students learn to sing the song “Listen” by Kathy and Red Grammar. It celebrates the ways people are alike. In the lyrics, it explains how a heartbeat, singing, and laughter always sound the same.
Again, present the students with Norman Rockwell’s
The Golden Rule
. Ask students to examine the painting and express what makes each individual unique.