How About a Hand?
What is an individual's responsibility to the common good?
Good literature can do a powerful job of helping young children learn be good citizens and caring people in the community, school, and home. Through eight stories, children will learn different ways to give.
The students participate in a shared-reading experience of the literature book, The Little Red Hen. This story illustrates how a variety of social behaviors affect the well-being of others in a group. After reading, students discuss the behaviors and the impact of the behaviors on others. Students also describe the resources necessary to produce bread.
Students participate in a shared-reading experience of a literature book that illustrates the importance of feeling like an important member of the community within a family. In this story, the middle child feels left out. The child tries to get attention by being extremely noisy. When that doesn't work, she leaves. Her family notices how quiet it is and realizes how much she means to them.
Students will hear a story that illustrates how a big sister feels about her baby brother. Lilly doesn't like her baby brother because he smells bad and isn't the playmate she thought he would be. She does everything in her creative power to ruin him. In the end, when a cousin agrees with Lilly, Lilly suddenly realizes that she loves Julius. Children will discuss how to treat younger children.
Students will be exposed to literature that illustrates how responsible citizens participate constructively in their communities.
Students will be exposed to literature that illustrates the concept that natural and human characteristics can be expressions of cultural uniqueness. This book also illustrates that although we have differences, we are also very similar. Dwelling on differences can cause unnecessary conflict.