Social Justice for Little Learners

Grade Level: Grade Two

Topic: Personal Identity

Book Title: “Be You!”

Author: Peter H. Reynolds

Link to Purchase: https://a.co/d/49IHot9

Link for Online Read-Aloud : https://youtu.be/bH3CnGYkvSQ?si=j6scgN6a1DcOdZg1

• Before Reading
  • Discuss what the title of the book might mean.
  • Take a picture walk through the book, with the words covered (“be ready”, “be connected”, “be different”, etc). Ask students to share words that could describe the child and/or activity illustrated on the page.
• During/After Reading
  • “What did you notice about the kids in the book? Did they look confident? Shy? Worried? Brave?”
  • Have students turn and talk to share the page or idea that they connected with the most.
  • “Each of the children in the book had something about them that made them unique. Each of you does, too! What is something about you that you think is important?”

Follow-Up Activity:

• Play charades! Have students take turns acting out an activity that they enjoy participating in, whether or not they are “good” at it.
  • Have students create encouragement notes, writing phrases from the book or other similar statements that they have created onto sticky notes, and place them on mirrors or windows around the school to be an encouragement to others. Depending on your group, you may want to double check their statements before sending them out to share. J

BC Core Competency Connections:

Personal and Social

• Personal Awareness & Responsibility
  • I can show a sense of accomplishment and joy, and express some wants, needs, and preferences. I can sometimes recognize my emotions.
• Positive Personal and Cultural Identity
  • I am aware of different aspects of myself. I can describe my family, home, and/or community (people and/or place).
• Social Awareness and Responsibility
  • I am aware that other people can be different from me.
  • In familiar settings, I can interact with others and my surroundings respectfully.

Thinking

• Creative Thinking
  • I get ideas when I use my senses to explore.
• Critical Thinking
  • I can explore with a purpose in mind and use what I learn.

Communication

• Communicating
  • I can understand and share basic information about topics that are important to me.
• Collaborating
  • I contribute during group activities, cooperate with others, and listen respectfully to their ideas.

BC Curricular Connections:

• Understand (Big Ideas):
  • Stories and other texts help us learn about ourselves and our families. (ELA 2)
  • Everyone has a unique story to share. (ELA 2)
  • Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us. (ELA 2)
  • Confidence develops through the process of self-discovery. (Career Education 2)

• Know (Content):
  • Cultural and social awareness, achieved by exploring self-identity, acknowledging cultural differences, honouring indigenous traditions. (Career Education 2)
  • Factors that influence self-identity (could include self-esteem, self-efficacy, cultural heritage, body image) (Personal and Health Education 2)

• Do (Curricular Competency):
  • Comprehend and connect (reading, listening, viewing)
    • Engage actively as listeners, viewers, and readers, as appropriate, to develop understanding of self, identity, and community. (ELA 2)
    • Demonstrate awareness of the role that story plays in personal, family, and community identity. (ELA 2)
  • Create and communicate (writing, speaking, representing)
    • Exchange ideas and perspectives to build shared understanding. (ELA 2)
    • Create stories and other texts to deepen awareness of self, family, and community. (ELA 2)
  • Identify and appreciate their personal attributes, skills, interests, and accomplishments. (Career Education 2)
  • Share ideas, information, personal feelings, and knowledge with others. (Career Education 2)
  • Identify personal skills, interests, and preferences, and describe how they influence self-identity  (Physical and Health Education 2)

FPPL Link:

• Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors.
• Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place).
• Learning involves patience and time.
• Learning requires exploration of one’s identity.
• Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story.

BC ELF Link:

• Children are strong, capable in their uniqueness, and full of potential.
• Early years spaces are inclusive.
• Play is integral to well-being and learning.
• Relationships are the context for well-being and learning.

TFT Through-line Link:

• Community Building