#LoveInclusion2021
Classroom Activities
Infants and Toddlers:
Happy Me: Sing and use facial expressions with the students. Use the tune of “If You Are Happy and You Know It.” The teacher, facing the students, sings “If you’re happy and you know it, give a smile!” He or she then gives a big smile to the students and points to his or her smile making it very noticeable and prompts the students to smile back. If adapting for COVID, you can ask the children to give thumbs up.
After doing this a few times the teacher can add in other emotions such as sad, excited, or surprised. GELDS: SED2.1a
Preschool and Pre-K:
Marvelous Me: I am “Marvelous” because…
Read the book Marvelous Me by Lisa Bullard (you can view the book on many online sites, such as YouTube for free). While discussing the book, teach the vocabulary word marvelous to the students by using examples and synonyms they can relate to. Make a chart story to display in the classroom by allowing each child to give an example of what makes him or her marvelous. GELDS SED1.4b, CLL2.4b
Uniquely Me: My fingerprints are “Unique” just like me!
Discuss how only you have your “unique” fingerprints. Teach the vocabulary word unique and talk with the children about how unique their fingerprints are. No one else on this whole Earth has our fingerprints! Then use a hand template or trace the student’s hand and use paint or a stamp pad to add each student’s fingerprints onto their own paper hand. Display the handprints in the room at eye level. Give the students magnifying glasses during center/free choice time and allow them to examine each other’s fingerprints. Ask if they can see the similarities and differences between everyone’s fingerprints. GELDS CD-SS1.4b, SED1.4a
Program and Staff Activity
Strings of Affirmation: Divide into groups of six to 10 and have teams sit in a circle. Give each team a ball of yarn. Have everyone in the group take turns tossing the ball of yarn to someone while sharing a positive thought or compliment about that person. The person with the yarn then pinches a piece of yarn in his hand and throws the ball to someone else. Continue until there is a large web. When everyone has been affirmed, go around with scissors, and snip the connections, having the teacher keep their piece as a symbol of staff unity and connectedness. You can even have them write the affirmation they heard about themselves on a piece of masking tape and wrap it around their piece of yarn. If someone is new, teachers can say something encouraging or offer a helpful piece of information, like the best piece of teaching advice they ever received.
Candy Confessions: Have each teacher choose three pieces of candy from a variety of candies that are available. Once they have chosen their favorites, put up the following chart:
Candy Confession Chart
Hershey’s Kisses = What is your favorite thing about working with children and families?
M&M’s = What is your favorite way to spend a day off?
Gum = What is your favorite meal to eat/make?
Skittles = What’s one thing that can instantly make your day better?
Kit Kat = Who do you admire most in the world?
Ask each person to take turns using the chart to share their responses with the rest of their colleagues. This activity is a fun way to team build while enjoying a sweet treat!
Family Engagement Activity
What Makes Me Special: Send each child home with a Ziploc bag. Ask families to help their child choose an item that is special or important to their family and talk about why it is special. Ask families to send the bag back to school with their child. Be sure to check the bags returning to school to ensure all items are school appropriate. During large group, hold up each bag and ask the other children to guess which classmate’s object is inside. Take turns making guesses and predictions. This can also be used as a center activity. Place the bags on a table with the objects face up and the child’s name on the back of bag. Have the students guess whose item it is before turning it over to see if they are correct. GELDS: SC-SS5.4b