I must admit, I hated Show and Tell. Time crawled as we listened to each student show off their new toy. It felt like such a time waster, but the kids loved it. So……Pivot! I made a Diversity Show-n-Tell where each week, the family could help the student make a project showing off their family traditions & customs! It is a win-win!
Monthly Family Projects
The first kind is a monthly family project. It’s a good idea to give the parents a year-long heads up on this one, as it takes planning. The intent is to get the whole family involved in creating a beautiful project. This not only makes a special family memory, but if you teach a brother or sister, the kids look forward to these. We always made a “Turkey Parade” in November of all the first grade turkeys. It was a blast! If you visit the pumpkin patch,
Family Traditions Diversity
The second category is to show off family traditions. Your students need to realize that basic needs can be met in many ways. Comparing and contrasting daily lives is a great platform for fostering diversity appreciation. This life skill is so important, especially with all that is going on in the world today. Different is Good!
Family Celebrations Diversity
Sharing how each family has their own way of celebrating fosters compare and contrast. Class discussion serves your students well on their way to becoming good citizens. It doesn’t need to be only about the big celebration. Tiny customs during the holiday are what makes them rich. Highlighting them helps the kids be proud to identify with their culture. This is the crux of diversity show-n-tell.
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