Kindergarten BMP Ridge St School Creating Connections Introduce yourself. Here to chat about people who have different abilities. Ask the question: What are some things that are the same about kids in the class (all in K, all have same teacher, etc)? Ask about differences between people (girls/boys, siblings/no sibs, favorite food is pizza/not pizza). Say that some differences you can not see (like preference for food), and some you can. Some differences are choices (hairstyle, etc.) and some are not (gender, family makeup, etc.). Yet everyone is equal at RSS, even if they are different from each other. This is what makes friendships interesting, learning about how other people are different from you. Kindergarten BMP Ridge St School

What does DISABILITY mean?? Disability means that something is not working properly A car can be disabled when it does not start The internet can be disabled on a cell phone People can be disabled too This can either be temporary, until the body heals, or it can be permanent Disability is a very grown up sounding word It means that something that is supposed to work properly does not. Ask kids to give an example Give example of breaking an arm or leg. When the arm/leg breaks, you can’t use it until it heals and the dr says ok Ask for examples of what might happen if you can’t use your arm or leg (no playground, help with getting dressed, special equipment like crutches) This is a disability, but your body can get better and eventually you use your arm/leg again. Now think about what would happen if your arm/leg did not heal.

Physical Disabilities and Low Vision/Blindness Some people are born with disabilities Blindness or Low Vision: Seeing very little or not at all Physical Disability: Parts of the body does not work the way it should Have you ever met anyone with a physical disability? Just like your eye color or hair color is one part of you, some people have disabilities that are just one part of who they are. Ask the class to name a disability that someone might have. We are talking specifically about Physical Disabilities and Low-Vision/Blindness Blindness – A person’s eyes can not see properly Physical Disabilities: A person’s arms or legs don’t work how they are supposed to. They may use crutches, a walker, or a wheelchair to help them get around. We each want people to get to know all of us, not just one part of us. (i.e. not just that I have blue eyes). Someone with a disability wants you to know more about them than just that they have a disability.

Attitudes and Disabilities Some kids and adults can have prejudices against people who have disabilities or are different. Prejudices can be hurtful to others. You can control your own attitude and your own actions. Ask for the definition of attitude (how you feel about something), then prejudice (feeling one way about someone or something not based on fact). Sometimes we can be scared or uncertain when we meet someone who looks or acts differently than what we are used to. Give an example of when you were unsure of something to generate conversation (a child in the park who used a wheelchair). Remember that everyone has differences, some we can see and some we can not. All people like kindness and deserve to be treated fairly. What are some ways we can be a friend to everyone? (Say hi, help when needed, be kind, etc.) We are friends to someone with a disability in the same way we are friends to everyone.

What can you do? Be a Friend Offer to help if needed Remember: All of us are different in one way or another With good attitudes, patience, and caring acts, we can enjoy all that each of us has to offer! Summarize. Reinforce that disabilities are no different than other differences Reinforce a positive attitude

Thank You!!!