RUNNING HEAD: DIVERSITY 1

Lesson Plan on Diversity for Texas Kindergarteners

Nichole Dellamarco

ECE 405: Children and Families in a Diverse Society

Instructor Christine Tranetzki

October 16, 2017

Developed by Kristina Bodamer and Jennifer Zaur, Full-Time Faculty, College of Education, ECE/CD Department
 RUNNING HEAD: DIVERSITY 2

Lesson Plan 1: Comprehending Purpose/Relating to a Character

Content Area or Developmental Focus: Reading/Comprehension Skills (TEC, p. (19)(A-B),

2016).
Age/Grade of Children: Kindergarten
Length of Lesson: One Hour

Goal The goal of this lesson is to increase comprehension and awareness of

diversity.

Objective By the end of this lesson, students should be able to (A) discuss the purposes
for reading and listening to various texts; (B) ask and respond to questions
about text (TEC, p. (19)(A-B), 2016).

Standards Included Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).

Chapter 110. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English Language
Arts and Reading Subchapter A. Elementary, 110.10. Reading
Comprehension Skills, Kindergarten, Knowledge and Skills, Students use
a flexible range of metacognitive reading skills in both assigned and
independent reading to understand an authors message. The student is
expected to:
(A) discuss the purposes for reading and listening to various texts (e.g., to
become involved in real and imagined events, settings, actions, and to
enjoy language);
(B) ask and respond to questions about text

Materials Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold

Towel for each student
Crayons (One box per student)
Paper (one or two sheets per student)

Introduction Okay kiddos, today we are going to read a book about a little girl who
dreamed of being free. This is a special kind of free. A long time ago, some
people were not very nice to each other because they were different. This
special kind of free is when she dreamed everyone was treated the same.

Lesson Development: Direct Instruction (15 minutes)

1. Have children help to clear the desks and sit together on the cleared
area of the carpet.
2. Read Tar Beach making sure to show each picture to the class.
3. Ask students to grab their towels from their cubbies and return to the
floor to sit on them.
Guided Practice (20 minutes)
1. Ask students what some of the things the character in the book wanted
to be free from and hold an open discussion.
Developed by Kristina Bodamer and Jennifer Zaur, Full-Time Faculty, College of Education, ECE/CD Department
 RUNNING HEAD: DIVERSITY 3

2. Have children lay back and imagine they are on their very own tar
beach.
3. Ask children to imagine things they want to be free from such as
arguing parents, poverty, or academic struggles.

Differentiation ELL: For students that do not know English well, give them a copy of the
book in their first language to follow along and help them if they become lost.
Gifted Learners: These students will be challenged to write a sentence
describing their picture to accompany their work.

Assessment Independent Work (25 Minutes)

(Practice/ Checking for 1. After open discussion and time to think about what they may want
Understanding) freedom from, pass out crayons and paper to each student.
2. Have the student draw an image of what they thought about while they
were pretending to be on Tar Beach.
3. Walk around with a clipboard and make note if children understood the
concept of the book
4. When children are finished, allow them the opportunity to share with
their peers at the front of the room if they so desire.

Closing Have children return to the area of the classroom where their towels are;
bringing their pictures as well. Explain to them that each person has different
things that they want to be free from. That is called diversity. Explain to
children how different life circumstances can lead their friends to want
different things than them and that is okay. Give examples such as one student
may have divorced parents and miss their father while one may live with their
grandparents. At the end of the discussion, explain to children that, in the end,
even though they are all different, they are also very similar in that we all have
something we wish to be free of.

Lesson Plan 2: Sounding out and recognizing description words

Content Area or Developmental Focus: Beginning Reading Skills

Age/Grade of Children: Kindergarten
Length of Lesson: 45 minutes

Goal To be able to read specific description words with little help.

Objective By the end of this lesson, students should be able to use knowledge of letter-
sound relationships to decode regular words in text (TEC, p. (3)(B), 2016).

Standards Included (3) Reading/Beginning Reading Skills/Phonics. Students use the relationships
between letters and sounds, spelling patterns, and morphological analysis to
decode written English. Students are expected to:
Developed by Kristina Bodamer and Jennifer Zaur, Full-Time Faculty, College of Education, ECE/CD Department
 RUNNING HEAD: DIVERSITY 4

(B) use knowledge of letter-sound relationships to decode regular words in

text and independent of content (e.g., VC, CVC, CCVC, and CVCC words)
(TEC, p. (3)(B), 2016).

Materials The Best-Loved Bear written by Dina Noonan (one copy per student)
Bingo dauber for each student
A few spare stuffed animals for students that forgot
Whiteboard and Marker
Blank Bingo cards

Introduction Good morning, class! Did everyone remember to bring a special stuffed
animal from home today? Wait for student response. I want each of you to
go get your special animal from your cubie and return with it to your desk. If
you forgot your own, you may come to my desk to borrow one of mine. Wait
for students to retrieve stuffed animals and return to their seats. Today, we
will be reading about a little boy who was very sad because of how his bear
looked. But really, looking different is just what makes his bear special! As we
read this story together, I want you to be thinking about what makes your
animal special too.

Lesson Development Direct Instruction (25 minutes)

1. Give each student a copy of the story The Best Loved-Bear
2. Read the book aloud to the class and have them follow along.
3. Ask students what made the bear in the story special.
4. Call on students one at a time to share in one or two words what makes
their own bear special (fuzzy, smart, color, eyes etc.)
5. Make note of these words on the whiteboard.

Differentiation Dyslexic Learners: These students will be provided bingo cards that have an
image of the description under the word. These context clues will help them to
be better able to find the correct word.
Gifted Learners: Challenge these students to try and write/spell; the word on
a separate sheet of paper before marking it off on their bingo card.

Assessment Guided Practice/ Assessment (20 minutes)

(Practice/ Checking for 1. Pass out a bingo card to each student.
Understanding) 2. Have students copy words from the board onto their bingo cards.
3. Randomly call out words and point to them on the whiteboard for
the students to match.
4. As you walk around the classroom, carry a clipboard and make
note of the students struggling to read and match the sight words.

Closing Have an open discussion with the students about things that make them
different. Also discuss the sight words with the students to see how
comfortable they felt reading them off of their bingo cards. Discuss with
students the idea that their diversities are what make them special.

Developed by Kristina Bodamer and Jennifer Zaur, Full-Time Faculty, College of Education, ECE/CD Department
RUNNING HEAD: DIVERSITY 5

References

Texas Education Code. Chapter 110. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for English

Language Arts and Reading

Subchapter A. Elementary. (106). Texas Education Code. Retrieved October 15, 2017,

from http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter110/ch110a.html

Developed by Kristina Bodamer and Jennifer Zaur, Full-Time Faculty, College of Education, ECE/CD Department