Grade 3 “Promoting Respect” Workshop My Dream House Grade 3 “Promoting Respect” Workshop My Dream House! Greater Mankato Diversity Council

Introduction and you Facilitators begin by introducing themselves. Instructions: Facilitators begin by introducing themselves. One of the facilitators should mention that they are from the Greater Mankato Diversity Council. Each facilitator should try to mention something relevant to the goal of the lesson as part of their introduction. Student introductions: Tell us your first name and the name of a pet or friend that you have known really well for a long time.

Diversity? Activity: defining “diversity” Instructions: Ask students what “Diversity’ means, or give some examples. Diversity= difference= everyone is special= everyone is unique= variety

Unique? Activity: defining ‘Unique” Instructions: Ask students what “Unique” means, or give some examples. Unique = one of a kind =special Introduce a concept where diversity also means everyone is unique.

Find your classmates who… I play a musical instrument. I, my parents, or grandparents lived in a foreign country. I can speak more than one language. I do not like to eat sweet things. I once won a contest or race. I like to cook. I have a special pet. I once had a broken bone I went to a different school before I came here. I have no brothers and sisters. I have more than 3 brothers and sisters. I am good at computer games. I am left handed. I play a sport. My favorite class is Math. Objective: To have all the students move around the room at the same time, having other students put their name in a square that describes them. Only one name to a square and students may not sign their own sheets. Instructions: Pass out the sheets and read aloud all the boxes (some may not able to read). Give students time to ask clarifying questions. Tell students if any of descriptions matches them, they can put their own name in ONE square. If there are students who is not capable of doing ‘Bingo” game by themselves, they can be paired with teacher, facilitator or another student. Circulate during the activity to make sure students are not having trouble. If a crowd gathers around one student, direct the students to work on other boxes and come back to that one at a later time. If a student is having trouble finding students to sign a box, he or she may have one person sign two boxes but try to avoid this.

Did you get all the boxes signed? Did you have any trouble with any of the boxes? What were they? Why do you think you had trouble? Did you learn something new about some of your classmates? What did you learn? Do you think that makes them more interesting to know? Does it help you to understand them better? Are there some students you might want to get to know better? Discussion: (10 minutes) Ask questions above to make key points: Key point - Students should recognize their differences and see them as positive Key point - When students get to know others better, they see their differences as assets.

“The Big Orange Splot” Instructions: Read “The Big Orange Splot.” It takes about 7 minutes to read this book. Plot Summary: Mr. Plumbean lives on a street where the houses are all the same, painted red with olive-colored roofs and windows with green trim. He and his neighbors all like this, characterizing their street as a "neat street." One day, a seagull drops a can of bright orange paint on Mr. Plumbean's house, leaving a big orange splot on the house. Everyone on the street sympathizes with Mr. Plumbean, who will have to paint his house again, and that's what Mr. Plumbean plans to do. He looks at the house for a long time and finally, in response to his neighbors' urging, Mr. Plumbean takes out some paint and paints his house. But instead of using the house's original colors, he paints it a rainbow of colors. Over the next couple of days, he adds to his house a clock tower, palm trees, a hammock and an alligator. Horrified, one by one the neighbors stop in to see Mr. Plumbean to talk with him about their dissatisfaction with what he's done to his home and remind him that all the houses have to be the same for their street to continue to be a "neat street." And, one by one, after each neighbor visits with Mr. Plumbean, sitting under the palm trees, drinking lemonade and talking, each neighbor repaints his or her own house to "fit his dreams.“ Copyright © 2013 University of Washington Center for Philosophy for Children

“The Big Orange Splot” Did you like the story? Why or why not? Instructions: post-reading discussion The point of the story is that: In the beginning, everyone’s house was the same; therefore, we assumed everyone is the same. One orange splat changed the situation. It gave Mr. Plumbean the opportunity to express what his dream house was. As it turned out, everyone had their own “dream” house ideas, and in the end the street was full of “different” houses, each one unique. Discussion questions: Did you like the story? Why or why not? Did you like the story? Why or why not?

“The Big Orange Splot” Discussion Question #1: What was Mr. Plumbean’s street like in the beginning? (houses are all the same) What, do you remember, did everyone who lived on the street say? What was Mr. Plumbean’s street like in the beginning? Do you remember what everyone who lived on the street said?

“The Big Orange Splot” They said, “This is a neat street.” Discussion questions #2: They said, “This is a neat street.” Do you think people living in the houses were also the same? What about inside the houses--furniture, walls, kitchen, bathroom…? They said, “This is a neat street.” Do you think people living in the houses were also the same? What about inside the houses--furniture, walls, kitchen, bathroom…?

“The Big Orange Splot” Discussion questions 3: What did the big orange splot do to Mr. Plumbean’s house? (made his house different from other houses) What did the neighbors want Mr. Plumbean to do? (paint the house the same as before) What did Mr. Plumbean do instead? What did the big orange splot do to Mr. Plumbean’s house? What did the neighbors want Mr. Plumbean to do? What did Mr. Plumbean do instead?

“The Big Orange Splot” Discussion questions 4: Do you like Mr. Plumbean’s new house? Why or why not? Do you think it was right for Mr. Plumbean to paint his house in wild colors? What did everyone else think about his house at first? What did they do eventually? Do you like Mr. Plumbean’s new house? Why or why not? Do you think it was right for Mr. Plumbean to paint his house in wild colors? What did everyone else think about his house at first? What did they do eventually?

“The Big Orange Splot” Discussion questions: Do you think everyone really wanted the same house in the beginning of the story? Do you think every house is unique and different now? What do you think this story teaches? (You do not have to follow other people. You can express your own ideas, which do not have to be the same as others). Do you think everyone really wanted the same house in the beginning of the story? Do you think every house is unique and different now? What did you learn from the story?

What is YOUR dream house? House activity instruction: Explain “dream house” to students. In the story, Mr. Plumbean and others said “My house is me and I am it. My house is where I like to be and it looks like all my dreams.” Distribute ‘My dream house” sheets and markers and ask students to draw their dream house (what kind of house you want to live in the future). You can be unique and wild like Mr. Plumbean and his neighbors. Give them 5 minutes to draw pictures. Ask everyone to stand up and show their pictures (you could gather them in front of the class and take a picture if you have a smart phone).

Closing Why is it important to talk about differences? Do you have to follow others when you do things? It would be boring if everybody was exactly the same. Differences make us unique and more interesting. Ask questions on the screen.

Evaluation Today I learned more about what it means to be “unique.” 1= Strongly Agree 2=Agree 3=Disagree 4=Strongly Disagree Today I learned more about what it means to be “unique.” In the Bingo game, I learned that people also have special qualities and each person is an individual. Like Mr. Plumbean in “The Big Orange Splot,” I understand I do not have to follow others and I can be myself. Today I learned that it is more interesting when people can contribute different things to my life. Please write any comments at the bottom of the sheet! Distribute the survey form: Explain 1-4 evaluation categories Read each questions Stress “we really would like your comments”

Thank you! Thank students for having us, how great they have been, etc.