Lesson Title: Diversity and pen pals

Standards: SS.35.BS.2
Essential Concept and/or Skill: Understand the influences on individual and group behavior
and group decision making.

Understand that family, groups and community influence the individual's daily life and
personal choices.
Understand stereotyping.
Understand the role of cultural unity and diversity within and across groups.

Objectives:

Students will be able to record similarities and differences between themselves and other
students who may have a different race or ethnicity.
Students will be able to write a paragraph explaining how they are alike their pen pal.
Students will be able to share out loud one thing that they can do to break the cycle of
racism and prejudice.

Materials: Paper, pencils, read aloud books regarding diversity/different

cultures/racism/prejudice
*pen pals from another school
Procedure:
1. I will be doing several read alouds and class discussions about racism, ethnicity and prejudice
leading up to this class activity. Prior to the activity students will have written down what they
learned about people from different cultures or subgroup including their values, lifestyles and
background history from the read alouds and class discussions we have completed.
2. Upon completing what students learned about different cultures or subgroups students will be
assigned a pen pal from a different school. The purpose of pairing up the students is so that
students may learn about other cultures, rituals, values and lifestyles of students who may be
different from them.
*Goal would be so students see that despite their differences they are all human beings
and deserve to be treated with respect.
3. Based off of the letters they would receive from their pen pals students would create a Venn
diagram to show the similarities and differences between them and their pen pals. Students
would learn about different customs, traditions, values, and lifestyle factors that their pen pal has.
4. Once students have finished their Venn diagram students will write a paragraph explaining in
what ways that they are alike their pen pal and how they are different.

5. Students would then get to meet their pen pal at the end of the unit. (School gym or
playground)
6. After meeting and hanging out with their pen pals there would be a class discussion where
students would share their experience. Did they learn anything new about their pen pal? Did
they find out they had more things in common?
7. After the class discussion students will talk in groups and collaboratively come up with ways
that they can break the cycle of racism and prejudice from this day forward. Students will
individual share the idea that they think is the most meaningful or possible.
Assessment: Students will be assessed in two ways. Students will be graded on the questions
they ask in the letter. Students will be asked to find out information regarding pen pals customs,
traditions, values, hobbies and lifestyle factors. Students will also be assessed if they
thoughtfully thought about one thing that they can do to break the cycle of racism and prejudice.
Assessment for me would consist of a checklist. Five points possible regarding if students asked
about the following: customs, traditions, vales, hobbies and their pen pals lifestyle. One point
possible if they thoughtfully thought of something they could do to break the cycle of racism and
prejudice. Assignment would be worth 6 points possible and checklist would be simple Yes/No
for each question.