One of my favorite parts of the school day is when I read aloud with my kids. It is one of the purest moments you and your students can share. Not only can books take you to fantastical places, I truly value their ability to put you in the shoes of others, transform your thoughts, and change your viewpoints. It is for this reason that I love using children's literature to teach empathy and respect for others to promote classroom community.
One of my new favorite books is Red by Michael Hall. It is about a crayon who is labeled red, but he actually colors blue. Instead of accepting that he is blue, everyone is stuck on the label and tries to provide many interventions to try and get him to be red. It isn’t until a new crayon friend sees him for who he truly is and asks him to draw a blue ocean. Others realize they have been judging him all wrong and finally recognize that he is blue.
This book could truly be read to students of all ages. I have had a few different people read this story, and each person has made different connections and felt it to not only be powerful for themselves, but also for a wide range of audiences. This book is the perfect story to open up a dialogue about judging others solely on their outward appearance. It shows us the importance of seeing and accepting a person for who they truly are, seeing their inner beauty. Once we feel accepted, we feel like we belong, we have a place, we fit in.
I knew I wanted to share Red with my students, but I also wanted them to make a more personal connection with the book; to share a part of themselves with the class, that others may not know. I came up with a simple idea of having them share a quality that they believe people see about them from the outside, and then share a more personal quality that their peers would not know until they really got to know them. Students can also color their crayon to represent their outside and inside qualities. My hope is for students to embrace each other's hidden qualities, likes, and differences. Teachers of older students could also ask their class to keep their crayon anonymous to ensure privacy. Students may be more willing to share personal thoughts if they know there is more of an "unknown factor."
|
This activity is a forever FREEBIE in our Teachers Pay Teachers store. You can find it HERE! The book Red is currently being sold by Scholastic Reading Club, and can also be found on Amazon. This is a book you really do need in your life! If you would like to see more of my favorite read alouds, be sure to follow my Instagram account, @theclasscouple, where I share all of my favorite read alouds.
|
|
|
Additionally, if you are looking for more ideas to promote classroom community with kindness, empathy, and acceptance be sure to search the hashtags #kindnessnation and #weholdthesetruths on Teachers Pay Teachers. Many fabulous sellers have linked together to share thoughtful resources with the hope of a future filled with kind and understanding young learners, citizens, and individuals.
|
I hope you find these resources to be of great value for your classroom! After all, acceptance, empathy, and caring are qualities all teachers and parents wish for their children to bestow upon others and have others bestow onto them.
