Anti-Bias Curriculum
I had the privilege
of going to an Anti-Bias Curriculum workshop this week at Lesley University,
and I wanted to share just a sampling of the ideas I gathered for
inspiration! Even though we may be doing our "All Around The
World" unit this month, it is a good time to reflect to ensure that you
are talking about these things all year round.
Please use this checklist to reflect
on your own classroom environment. http://www.adl.org/education/anti-bias.pdf
LITERACY
Take a look at your
classroom library? Do you have books that represent all cultures,
family dynamics, abilities and races? If not, check out the
library or AMAZON.com! Here are a few to get you started!
Whoever You Are The Colors Of Us The
Crayon Box That Talked I Love My Hair
By Mem
Fox By Karen
Katz By
Shane Derolf By Natasha
Anastasia Tarpley
Mommy, Mama and Me A Tale of Two Mommies Daddy
Papa and Me
By Lesléa Newman By
Vanita
Oelschlager
By Leslea Newman
No Fair To Tigers/No Es Justo Play Lady/La Senora Juguetona Best Best Colors/Los Mejores Colores ALL By
Eric Hoffman
Egg Activity
Materials: one raw brown egg, one raw white egg, bowl, white construction paper, colored chart paper (your choice), glue, scissors
In advance copy egg shapes (ovals) on the white construction paper, one for each child. Prepare a class graph on the colored chart paper with two columns, one titled “Same” and the other “Different”.
Gather the students in a circle and examine the eggs; compare and contrast them. Next, ask the students if they think the eggs are the same or different inside. Ask them why they answered the way they did (i.e. “why do you think the brown egg has brown ‘stuff’ inside?”).
Next, have the students each cut out one paper egg and place it on the graph in the column of their choice.
Finally, gather the students in the circle again and crack the eggs into the bowl. Pass the bowl around so the students can see the yolks are exactly the same. Ask the students the significance of the outcome and how it relates to skin color (i.e. “we are all the same on the inside”)
Materials: one raw brown egg, one raw white egg, bowl, white construction paper, colored chart paper (your choice), glue, scissors
In advance copy egg shapes (ovals) on the white construction paper, one for each child. Prepare a class graph on the colored chart paper with two columns, one titled “Same” and the other “Different”.
Gather the students in a circle and examine the eggs; compare and contrast them. Next, ask the students if they think the eggs are the same or different inside. Ask them why they answered the way they did (i.e. “why do you think the brown egg has brown ‘stuff’ inside?”).
Next, have the students each cut out one paper egg and place it on the graph in the column of their choice.
Finally, gather the students in the circle again and crack the eggs into the bowl. Pass the bowl around so the students can see the yolks are exactly the same. Ask the students the significance of the outcome and how it relates to skin color (i.e. “we are all the same on the inside”)
Gift Bag Activity
Materials: one plain brown lunch bag, one plain solid colored gift bag- not shiny or fancy, and one really fancy gift bag with a pretty design and lots of “glitz” and tissue paper sticking out the top- the works. You will also need 3 of the same type of item, like 3 blocks or 3 boxes of crayons- your choice.
Place one of the 3 items of your choice into each bag and display in front of the class. Have a class discussion about which bag the students would like to receive and why. Next, open each bag one at a time in front of the class. The students will see that all 3 bags, although very different on the outside all contained the very same thing inside. This can lead to a great discussion about how people are all different on the outside, but same on the inside.
Materials: one plain brown lunch bag, one plain solid colored gift bag- not shiny or fancy, and one really fancy gift bag with a pretty design and lots of “glitz” and tissue paper sticking out the top- the works. You will also need 3 of the same type of item, like 3 blocks or 3 boxes of crayons- your choice.
Place one of the 3 items of your choice into each bag and display in front of the class. Have a class discussion about which bag the students would like to receive and why. Next, open each bag one at a time in front of the class. The students will see that all 3 bags, although very different on the outside all contained the very same thing inside. This can lead to a great discussion about how people are all different on the outside, but same on the inside.
Yo Soy Unico - Matching Game
Take photographs of each child's eyes, hair and face in your
classroom. Laminate so you have a new Matching Game to do during Small
Group time.
Block Area -
Tape photographs of your children onto your wooden blocks.
Children can then re-enact family structures or whatever else inspires them!
Differing abilities:
- Have the children try
drawing a picture with a blindfold on, or with their non-dominant
hand.
- Place large gloves in the
sensory area and have them try to put together blocks or play with toys
wearing the gloves.
- Make a sensory bag and have
them feel and guess what items are in the bag without seeing it.
- Be sure to include
"people" toys representing various cultures and abilities mixed
in with your other "people" toys.
Pre-K History Lesson on Rosa Parks-
(with Martin Luther King Jr. Day around the corner...)
Using a toy bus or a cardboard one that you make, re-enact the
story of Rosa Parks refusing to move to the back of the bus. When
Martin Luther King Jr. heard about this, he then initiated a Boycott on
the Montgomery, Alabama buses. After the boycott, then the Supreme
Court passed a law stating that segregation on the buses was
unconstitutional. This initiated the Civil Rights movement of the
1960's. Encourage the children to act it out with chairs as well and talk
about how it would make them feel.
I Have a Dream Cloud
Materials: crayons, white construction paper, scissors, glue
Discuss with your class that Dr. King had a dream; his dream was to make the world a better place. The song of the same title above is very helpful for this activity. Discuss with your class what this phrase means and brainstorm ways that they could help make the world a better place. Next, have your students draw on the white construction paper with crayons and illustrate a way that they could make the world a better place. Cut these masterpieces out with scissors in a cloud shape and make a wall display or you can hang them from the ceiling so the clouds will appear to be floating above you.
Materials: crayons, white construction paper, scissors, glue
Discuss with your class that Dr. King had a dream; his dream was to make the world a better place. The song of the same title above is very helpful for this activity. Discuss with your class what this phrase means and brainstorm ways that they could help make the world a better place. Next, have your students draw on the white construction paper with crayons and illustrate a way that they could make the world a better place. Cut these masterpieces out with scissors in a cloud shape and make a wall display or you can hang them from the ceiling so the clouds will appear to be floating above you.
What is Discrimination?
Materials: Signs with rules that will be enforced in each
classroom area.
Description: Teach young children about
discrimination by hanging signs or post signs in each center with a
picture of, for example, sneakers with a circle around it and a slash through
it. This means that for the next hour, no one with sneakers on may play in that
center. Use your imagination, you can do girls, boys, long hair, short hair
etc. Discuss feelings during circle time.
Skin-Color Match-Ups
Set out a number of nylon knee-high stockings in various shades, tan, black, white, pink, yellow, and red. Encourage children to try them on their hands and arms or their legs and feet. Ask questions to help the children increase their awareness of skin color. For example, "Can you find a stocking that is the same color as your skin?" Or "What color is that stocking you have on your arm?" Ask the children to "Try the _________ stocking. Is it lighter or darker than your own skin?" Tell the children no one's skin color is really white, pink, yellow, or red. Emphasize that skin-color differences are interesting and desirable.
Set out a number of nylon knee-high stockings in various shades, tan, black, white, pink, yellow, and red. Encourage children to try them on their hands and arms or their legs and feet. Ask questions to help the children increase their awareness of skin color. For example, "Can you find a stocking that is the same color as your skin?" Or "What color is that stocking you have on your arm?" Ask the children to "Try the _________ stocking. Is it lighter or darker than your own skin?" Tell the children no one's skin color is really white, pink, yellow, or red. Emphasize that skin-color differences are interesting and desirable.
Hair
Ask parents to give you a tiny bit of hair from each child. If parents cannot do this, use photographs of different hairstyles and hair-care products for the children to use, explore, and talk about. If parents do give you the hair, paste the hair from each child on a 3" x 5" index card, put them in a box, and ask the children to identify each bit of hair. Talk about how hair has texture and curl. For instance, some people have fine hair while others have coarse hair. Some people have straight hair, and others have curly hair. Talk about how people have different hair colors and lengths. Take a photo of each child's face and make a collage of different hairstyles.
Ask parents to give you a tiny bit of hair from each child. If parents cannot do this, use photographs of different hairstyles and hair-care products for the children to use, explore, and talk about. If parents do give you the hair, paste the hair from each child on a 3" x 5" index card, put them in a box, and ask the children to identify each bit of hair. Talk about how hair has texture and curl. For instance, some people have fine hair while others have coarse hair. Some people have straight hair, and others have curly hair. Talk about how people have different hair colors and lengths. Take a photo of each child's face and make a collage of different hairstyles.
Family Finger Puppets
Using Plaster of Paris and casting tape, (or use papier mache
= paper and glue/water mixture, or just paper) wrap each child's finger with
the tape and let it dry. Once it has hardened, have the children decorate
their family...maybe they have two mommies, maybe an intergenerational family,
or perhaps two sets of families where they live with mommy sometimes and daddy
sometimes. Use the puppets in your puppet theater for acting out
important stories that you write together as a class! It's important to
recognize that everyone has their own special family and it's okay!
If you are looking for more information about Anti-Bias Curriculum, here is a good, short article to get started!http://www.ericdigests.org/1992-1/early.htm
If you are looking for more information about Anti-Bias Curriculum, here is a good, short article to get started!http://www.ericdigests.org/1992-1/early.htm
Happy Long Weekend!
-Jacie
Jacie Feinberg,
Education Director
Pine Village Preschool
214 Lincoln Street Suite 112
Allston, MA 02135
www.MyBilingualPreschool.com
781-710-2348 (cell)
Pine Village Preschool
214 Lincoln Street Suite 112
Allston, MA 02135
www.MyBilingualPreschool.com
781-710-2348 (cell)
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