Big Red Lollipop
Khan, R., & Blackall, S. (2010). Big red lollipop. New York: Viking.
Reading Level: Ages 6-8 Audience: 1st Grade Delivery: Choice read SSR
Diversity Focus: Pakistani/Canadian/siblings
To Teach: This book shows that regardless of culture, siblings can often be difficult. Students will reflect on their own experiences, either with their siblings or with friends' siblings. Where the experiences similar to those in this book? Students will see that while their cultures might be different, some of the social norms are not so.
*In the story, Rubina is invited to her very first birthday part. When she asks her mom if she can go, her mom is unsure of how to answer as she has never heard of such a thing-celebrating one's birthday. In another activity, students will share unique traditions that their families celebrate that others might not and talk about how that makes them feel.
Diversity Focus: Pakistani/Canadian/siblings
To Teach: This book shows that regardless of culture, siblings can often be difficult. Students will reflect on their own experiences, either with their siblings or with friends' siblings. Where the experiences similar to those in this book? Students will see that while their cultures might be different, some of the social norms are not so.
*In the story, Rubina is invited to her very first birthday part. When she asks her mom if she can go, her mom is unsure of how to answer as she has never heard of such a thing-celebrating one's birthday. In another activity, students will share unique traditions that their families celebrate that others might not and talk about how that makes them feel.
Book Fiesta!
Mora, P., & López, R. (2009). Book fiesta!: celebrate Children's Day/book day = Celebremos el día de los niños/el día de los libros. New York, NY: Rayo.
Reading Level: Ages 5-7 Audience: 1st Grade Delivery: Group read
Diversity Focus: Spanish/Multicultural
To Teach: This book can be used as an excellent resource to encourage and motivate children to read books. Though the book is multicultural in its story line, it is written in both Spanish and English, making it a bilingual read. Author Pat Mora helps students celebrate El dia de los ninos/El dia de los libros and encourages communities and schools to get involved in the celebration. Students could read a variety of books from different cultures as well as explore culturally different music, food and entertainment. This book could be at the center of a week's worth of activities.
Diversity Focus: Spanish/Multicultural
To Teach: This book can be used as an excellent resource to encourage and motivate children to read books. Though the book is multicultural in its story line, it is written in both Spanish and English, making it a bilingual read. Author Pat Mora helps students celebrate El dia de los ninos/El dia de los libros and encourages communities and schools to get involved in the celebration. Students could read a variety of books from different cultures as well as explore culturally different music, food and entertainment. This book could be at the center of a week's worth of activities.
Celebrating Families
Hausherr, R. (1997). Celebrating families. New York: Scholastic Press.
Reading Level: Ages 5-7 Audience: 1st Grade Delivery: Choice read for SSR/Group read
Diversity Focus: Contemporary multicultural representation
To Teach: Children's books with actual photographs are excellent to weave into the curriculum. They can present an accurate, realistic, and contemporary portrayal of a culture and it's people. This book in particular is excellent because it represents many different cultures rather than just one, or three. Children can create a "my family" collage in conjunction with this book. Bringing in photos from home, or simply drawing their family members, students can visually show their family, who makes it up, their traditions and favorite things to do. Once complete, students can share with the class and posters will be displayed in the classroom.
Diversity Focus: Contemporary multicultural representation
To Teach: Children's books with actual photographs are excellent to weave into the curriculum. They can present an accurate, realistic, and contemporary portrayal of a culture and it's people. This book in particular is excellent because it represents many different cultures rather than just one, or three. Children can create a "my family" collage in conjunction with this book. Bringing in photos from home, or simply drawing their family members, students can visually show their family, who makes it up, their traditions and favorite things to do. Once complete, students can share with the class and posters will be displayed in the classroom.
Duck for Turkey Day
Jules, J., & Mitter, K. (2009). Duck for Turkey Day. Morton Grove, Ill.: Albert Whitman.
Reading Level: Ages 6-8 Audience: 1st Grade Delivery: Read aloud
Diversity Focus: Vietnamese
To Teach: This book follows a young Vietnamese girl who is trouble by the fact that her family has duck for Thanksgiving instead of turkey like the rest of her friends. Students will have the opportunity to hear the book read aloud to them, and then to read it on their own. Students will be prompted to write, in their journals, their Thanksgiving traditions and what it means to them. How do they compare to those in this book? Are they similar? Different?
Diversity Focus: Vietnamese
To Teach: This book follows a young Vietnamese girl who is trouble by the fact that her family has duck for Thanksgiving instead of turkey like the rest of her friends. Students will have the opportunity to hear the book read aloud to them, and then to read it on their own. Students will be prompted to write, in their journals, their Thanksgiving traditions and what it means to them. How do they compare to those in this book? Are they similar? Different?
I Love My Hair
Tarpley, N., & Lewis, E. B. (1997). I love my hair!. Boston: Little, Brown.
Reading Level: Ages 5-7 Audience: 1st Grade Delivery: Choice read for SSR
Diversity Focus: African American/identity
To Teach: Students will have the opportunity to read this book during their SSR time. It is a book about affirming one's identity and feeling proud about their features and unique attributes. An activity to be correlated with the book can be for the students to choose one thing about themselves that they love. This doesn't have to be physical; it can be an activity that they love to do, and they can talk about how it makes them feel to do that activity, and why they love it. Students will write about what they love about themselves and then draw a picture to accompany the write up.
Diversity Focus: African American/identity
To Teach: Students will have the opportunity to read this book during their SSR time. It is a book about affirming one's identity and feeling proud about their features and unique attributes. An activity to be correlated with the book can be for the students to choose one thing about themselves that they love. This doesn't have to be physical; it can be an activity that they love to do, and they can talk about how it makes them feel to do that activity, and why they love it. Students will write about what they love about themselves and then draw a picture to accompany the write up.
Mommy, Mama and Me/Daddy, Papa and Me
Newman, L., & Thompson, C. (2009).Mommy, mama, and me. Berkeley: Tricycle Press./
Newman, L., & Thompson, C. (2009). Daddy, papa, and me. Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press.
Reading Level: Ages 5-7 Audience: 1st Grade Delivery: Choice read for SSR
Diversity Focus: LGBTQ/families
To Teach: Both of these books give students the opportunity to view other types of families that they might have never seen before. Everyone's family is made up differently and these books are an excellent way to show that. Students could create their own "about my family" picture or write up to share with the class so that everyone can see just how special their own family is, as well as how special others' are. What are the differences among the families? Similarities?
Diversity Focus: LGBTQ/families
To Teach: Both of these books give students the opportunity to view other types of families that they might have never seen before. Everyone's family is made up differently and these books are an excellent way to show that. Students could create their own "about my family" picture or write up to share with the class so that everyone can see just how special their own family is, as well as how special others' are. What are the differences among the families? Similarities?
The Crayon Box That Talked
DeRolf, S., & Letzig, M. (1997). The crayon box that talked. New York: Random House.
Reading Level: Ages 5-7 Audience: 1st Grade Delivery: Choice read for SSR
Diversity Focus: Multicultural/differences/friendships
To Teach: This book allows children to make a number of connections: text-to-self-, text-to-world, and text-to-text. Students can discuss how they might see themselves in the characters (the crayons) of the book and how the other crayons might reflect the other children. For text-to-world, students can recall times when people didn't get along and they had to overcome their differences. Text-to-text allows students to recall previous books that have been read in class and compare the characters and their thoughts and feelings.
*In another activity, students will have to stand in order by height, however they will not be able to talk. This short game will show them how important each person is in order to make the line accurate and in order; to make up the bigger picture. This could be done with age, birthday or name (alphabetically).
Diversity Focus: Multicultural/differences/friendships
To Teach: This book allows children to make a number of connections: text-to-self-, text-to-world, and text-to-text. Students can discuss how they might see themselves in the characters (the crayons) of the book and how the other crayons might reflect the other children. For text-to-world, students can recall times when people didn't get along and they had to overcome their differences. Text-to-text allows students to recall previous books that have been read in class and compare the characters and their thoughts and feelings.
*In another activity, students will have to stand in order by height, however they will not be able to talk. This short game will show them how important each person is in order to make the line accurate and in order; to make up the bigger picture. This could be done with age, birthday or name (alphabetically).
The Name Jar
Choi, Y. (2001). The name jar. New York: Knopf.
Reading Level: Ages 5-8 Audience: 1st Grade Delivery: Read aloud/Choice read for SSR
Diversity Focus: Korean/identity
To Teach: In the story, Unhei is embarrassed by her name and so she and her friends create a name jar to help her think of a new name. Students will create a different kind of name jar, where they will place names of characters from some of their favorite books. Each week, the teacher will pull out a new name and the child who wrote it will say what book that character is from, and what is unique about that character.
*In another activity, students can create their own name stamps like the one in the book.
Diversity Focus: Korean/identity
To Teach: In the story, Unhei is embarrassed by her name and so she and her friends create a name jar to help her think of a new name. Students will create a different kind of name jar, where they will place names of characters from some of their favorite books. Each week, the teacher will pull out a new name and the child who wrote it will say what book that character is from, and what is unique about that character.
*In another activity, students can create their own name stamps like the one in the book.