DIVERSITY: Discovering our Differences
Guided Reading Lesson
Note: The books are listed in level of difficulty (most difficult being last). Children will be placed in guided reading groups based on their instructional needs with the book that is closest to their level.
Students will be able to:
• develop positive attitudes toward reading and develop an appreciation
of our diverse population
• build upon appropriate strategies to gain meaning from texts ex.
inferring, asking questions and seeking clarification, identifying and
summarizing , visualizing, identifying the author's purpose and point
of view, forming and testing hypotheses
• respond to the language and ideas in the text
• use their skills to think critically
• access information and use it effectively
Resources:
Doudna, Kelly. (2004). Cultures Around the World. Edina, MN: ABDO Publishing
Co.
Doudna, Kelly. (2004). Boys and Girls Around the World. Edina, MN: ABDO
Publishing Co.
Doudna, Kelly. (2004). People Around the World. Edina, MN: ABDO Publishing
Co.
Scheunemann, Pam. (2004). Learning About Differences. Edina, MN: ABDO
Publishing Co.
Vocabulary
Cultures Around the World: celebration, custom, peaceful, rugby
Boys and Girls Around the World: peaceful, country, differently,
attend, public
People Around the World: accepting, peaceful, Inuit, understand
Learning About Differences: celebrate, religious, Hanukkah, disability,
understand
Process:
1. Introducing the Text
The discussion should be based on:
• how this book could relate to their lives
• discuss what the title means
• title, pictures
• the author
• the opening sentence
Script: Today we are going to read a book about
children who are from all over the world. It’s called Cultures Around
the World by Kelly Doudna. This is a non-fiction book. Can anyone tell
me what that means? Non-fiction is a story that explains about real people
and places; things that really have happened or are true. This book is
real or non-fiction because this book talks about real cultures around
the world. When we talk about culture we are talking about a person
or a group of people's way of life; their day-to-day routines and other
traditions they may have. In the past, people that lived near each other
shared the same culture. They did not move far away because there were
no cars or planes to travel long distances. Many people then, moved around
the world. They began families and now we have a whole world of different
looking people with many cultures. As we read, I would like you to think
of the person in this book that shares a similar culture to yours.
Students should be encouraged to:
• plan and ask questions
• make predictions about the text to be read
• discuss their expectations of the text
Investigate for knowledge of word meaning: In this story, they are
going to ask you what customs you have. (Write the word custom on
a white board). This word is custom. Say custom. Do you know what
this word means? It means what traditions do you follow. For example,
I celebrate Christmas as the birth of Christ because that is how I grew
up.
2. Picture Walk
• Slowly go through each page looking at the pictures, asking questions,
and pointing out difficult words on the page. Point out how to say the
different countries and point them out on the map.
• Ask questions like: What do you think these people like to
do? (by using clues from the pictures) or Would this be considered
a custom or tradition in their culture?
Elaborate on the meaning of the text- Let me tell you something else
about culture. Usually cultures are very similar or the same in that neighborhood.
Look at the picture on page 10. This boy lives in France. In his culture,
the children ride their bikes to the neighborhood bakery to get bread
for their families. It may seem different to you, but that is how they
grew up and that is just how it is. It is their culture.
3. Read the Book: Students read the text silently. Confer briefly with
each reader. When you touch a readers hand, that reader begins to read
out loud until you move onto the next student. Guide students as they
read, provide wait time, give prompts or clues as needed by individual
students, such as "Try that again. Does that make sense? Look at
how the word begins." Take notes on how the student is processing
the text and occasionally help a student solve or exchange a quick comment
about the story.
4. Discussing and Revisiting the Text
The purpose of discussion after reading is to strengthen comprehension
skills and provide praise for strategies used by students during the reading.
The students and the teacher:
• reflect on previous predictions.
• clarify any difficulties with vocabulary
• ask questions - allow time for students to think and answer questions
• examine text features and language structures
• validate points by returning to the text
• Ask each student to tell you about one character that shares a similar culture and have them explain why.
• Encourage students to think beyond the text: Why do you think the authors wrote this book? Students usually think that the authors wrote this book to show that everyone is different and do things differently and they should accept them regardless.