Uniquely the Best

I love teaching kids to accept their differences and to respect each others' uniqueness. One great way to teach this important concept is with a couple of awesome books. The first is one I used with Kindergarten through second grades called Not Your Typical Dragon by Dan Bar-el. In this story the main character is a dragon who cannot make flames, much to the chagrin of his father. However, he can produce things that are needed, like Band-aids. His unique gift helps others.

With third through fourth graders I used the book The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi, which is about a girl who eventually embraces her unique name after moving to a new school. Her name was part of what made her special and unique.

To make the lesson more active, I had the kindergarten through second grade students create a drawing to highlight their best quality. After creating The Best Thing About Me, each student was able to share their drawing with the class.

Third and fourth grades didn't complete the worksheet project. Instead, I had them sit in a circle. I started with one student and handed him a Koosh ball. The person holding the Koosh ball had the floor to speak. Each student was instructed to share one of their best qualities -- something that makes them unique and special. When finished sharing, they would then take the Koosh ball and toss it to another student in the circle. Sharing would continue until everyone had a chance to say something that makes them special or unique. I love that this lesson allows kids to share (which they always want to raise their hand and do anyway) and allows them to hear from their peers.