Thinking about Martin Luther King

Isn't it wonderful that our students look at us so funny when we talk about racial inequality.  They cannot understand why someone would have to drink from a separate drinking fountain or not be allowed in a restaurant.

But they do need help remembering that being different on the outside is a good thing.  That is what makes us unique and special.  One activity I use is Find Your Potato.

I have ready access to potatoes of all shapes and sizes and colors too.  Give each student a potato, Make a big deal of naming their potato, examining it closely, generally getting to know their spuds.  After a few minutes (or stretch into half a day and let their potato sit on their desks), place all the potatoes into one big pile.  Then make the students find "their"potato.  Good discussions can occur about how they know which one was theirs, cut several open and talk about being the same on the inside even if we are different on the outside.  You can also talk about how important we are to our families and those who love us.

Next if you have access to the multicultural construction paper, have each student trace their hand.  You could them have them cut it out, and create a banner like the one I pinned from the Activity Village.  I typed up some quotes that I thought would be a little easier for my Kinders to understand.  You can grab them here.

Finally I also plan on having my students work on empathy. I made this little interactive book to help my kiddos be kind to others.  I wanted them to reach out and help each other.  You can click on the pictures or here to grab it.

When you make this little book you fold each page in half with the fold on the right and the open ends on the left.  Staple the open ends together and add a strip of paper for good looks.  I have even made a cover using blank page and cradled the book inside the fold of the cover.  When you do it this way....You are sad is on the left and I can ______. is on the right.  It can look strange when you see it printed out, but when you make the book it all makes sense.

Because I think that my students can never have enough books to take home I am also planning on making this little book from Simply Kinder.  You can grab it here...it's free!  And isn't it cute!