1. Cultural Advocacy Activity Katie Dorsey SCHC 7992

2. Rationale Based on several interviews, teachers expressed their concern for a lack of respect and acceptance among their students. Several accounts of bullying were reported and teachers felt like a lesson centered around tolerance and learning to value peers would be beneficial and successful. Based on several interviews, teachers expressed their concern for a lack of respect and acceptance among their students. Several accounts of bullying were reported and teachers felt like a lesson centered around tolerance and learning to value peers would be beneficial and successful.

3. Standards & Objectives IIA (1) Advocate for school policies, programs and services that are equitable and responsive to cultural differences among students. IIA (5) Use student outcomes data to facilitate student academic success. BOARD OF REGENTS STANDARDS PS:A2.3: Recognize, accept, respect and appreciate individual differences. PS: A2.4: Recognize, accept and appreciate ethic and cultural diversity. ASCA STANDARDS

4. Guidance Activity Name: “A Rainbow of Hands” Name: “A Rainbow of Hands” Developmental Level: 4 th & 5 th Grade Developmental Level: 4 th & 5 th Grade Purpose: Generate a discussion about diversity and tolerance. Identify positive attributes that every child possesses. Purpose: Generate a discussion about diversity and tolerance. Identify positive attributes that every child possesses. Lesson was taught to three 4 th grade classes & two 5 th grade classes Lesson was taught to three 4 th grade classes & two 5 th grade classes

5. Activity Introduction: “A Rainbow of Friends” by P.K. Hallinan. This book introduces differences among friends and how we can learn to not only accept those differences, but to value them in our friends. Activity: Students receive a piece of construction paper and trace/cut out their hands. On each hand, students will write two attributes about themselves that they are proud of or that make them unique. Once the class has cut out all of their hands, students will work together to create a class “rainbow” which will be displayed outside their classroom. This rainbow represents the diverse attributes of the class and symbolizes acceptance among classmates.

6. Class Rainbow

7. Data & Results A pre-test was given to each class prior to the lesson. The pre and post test included 10 questions that centered around acceptance of multicultural differences. This graph represents each class average from pre and post test scores. Every class improved their score significantly from their pre-test results.

8. Reflection Students really enjoyed the book and rainbow activity Students expressed excitement when they saw their completed rainbow outside of their classroom My data results indicated that students did learn something meaningful In the future I would like to spend more time on individual student’s attributes, skills, likes, abilities, and interests to demonstrate an even wider scope of acceptance