The Story of Us
A Project about Identity and Diversity
Julia Jacobsen, Lisa Saldias and Paul North, 3rd Grade
Essential Questions
Who am I?
What is my story?
What is the story of my family and community?
Who am I?
What is my story?
What is the story of my family and community?
Project Summary by Jeremy Manger
Our daily news is soaked with images, stories, speeches, and rhetoric about race and gender in America. This is a monumental opportunity to utilize current events and issues in the classroom to explore social justice and create a community based on love, understanding, and empathy. Our entire school year will be devoted toward this endeavor in the hope that students will develop a strong sense of themselves, an appreciation for others, an understanding of injustice in our world and those that have advocated for those wrongly treated, and a call to action. The year has been broken down into 3 larger projects, each with various components. This first project will begin our 2016-17 school year and culminate with an exhibition on November 17th. Students will explore their own identity while learning to appreciate the diversity of others.
We want to create a community of caring students that can empathize with each other. They know who they are as learners, friends, peers, citizens, etc. Students will gain a deeper understanding and respect for their peers and share their experiences. Students will express pride, confidence and healthy self-esteem without denying the value and dignity of other people. Students will express comfort with people who are both similar to and different from them and engage respectfully with all people. Students will respond to diversity by building empathy, respect, understanding and connection.
Our daily news is soaked with images, stories, speeches, and rhetoric about race and gender in America. This is a monumental opportunity to utilize current events and issues in the classroom to explore social justice and create a community based on love, understanding, and empathy. Our entire school year will be devoted toward this endeavor in the hope that students will develop a strong sense of themselves, an appreciation for others, an understanding of injustice in our world and those that have advocated for those wrongly treated, and a call to action. The year has been broken down into 3 larger projects, each with various components. This first project will begin our 2016-17 school year and culminate with an exhibition on November 17th. Students will explore their own identity while learning to appreciate the diversity of others.
We want to create a community of caring students that can empathize with each other. They know who they are as learners, friends, peers, citizens, etc. Students will gain a deeper understanding and respect for their peers and share their experiences. Students will express pride, confidence and healthy self-esteem without denying the value and dignity of other people. Students will express comfort with people who are both similar to and different from them and engage respectfully with all people. Students will respond to diversity by building empathy, respect, understanding and connection.
Project LaunchTo launch our project, families were invited to a 3rd Grade Food and Culture Festival. Students and families shared food that was important to them, also sharing its significance.
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Learning GoalsIn addition to literacy goals, students work toward the Identity and Divsersity goals from Teaching Tolerance.
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ProductThe Story of Me book that includes personal narratives, family tree, family stories and other explorations of personal identity.
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Spotlight: Discussing Family DiversityTake a closer look at the activities and conversations in our class around understanding diversity of families and family structures.
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Field ExperiencesStudents learned from different people and organizations around San Diego who are dedicated to sharing about their culture.
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ExhibitionsStudents shared their learning process with families at our all-school exhibition night before exhibiting their Story of Me books at the San Diego History Center.
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