Who's unique?

Encourages students to examine their ideas about how they are different and similar to each other by participating in an activity and then discussing their thoughts.

A lesson plan for grades K–5 Guidance

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Learning outcomes

Students will:

• become more self-aware
• identify characteristics that show differences and similarities.
• participate in discussion and infer:
  • differences can be good
  • differences do not make one person better or worse
  • it is important to look beyond outside appearances and see inner strengths
  • it is important not to expect perfection (we grow and learn from mistakes)

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

40 minutes

Materials/resources

• pencils of various sizes and designs (can be used, new, or both)
• Short poem or song celebrating uniqueness
• Set of questions (can devise own or use mine in the Assessment section)

Pre-activities

Ideally, the children would have already been exposed to other discussions about self-awareness and be familiar with the concept of uniqueness.

Activities

1. Read poem to or sing song with students. Briefly discuss.
2. Ask students to choose a pencil and examine it very carefully. Explain that they are to look for characteristics such as color, size, shape, or special designs about their pencil that will help them identify it from others.
3. Have students put their pencils into a box or basket as you pass by them.
4. Mix up the pencils and then place them on a desk or the floor where the students can easily see them.
5. Choose students one by one to come find their pencil. Deliberately put several extra pencils in the pile.
6. After all students have found their pencil, lead discussion using a set of guding and assessment questions (mine or yours). Modify questions to the particular group.

Assessment

Informal assessment questions:

• What helped you to find your own pencil? Are you sure you chose the right one?
• Suppose these pencils were people. Are there characteristics that help you distinguish one from another?
• Do these differences or similarities make one person better or worse than another person?
• What problems might occur if everyone were identical?
• In what ways are you special or unique?
• How do you feel about your uniqueness?
• What have you learned from this activity?

Supplemental information

Comments

The students enjoy this activity. It can also be done with other items. It should be used as part of a unit on self-awareness or acceptance.