BeYOUtiful

Essential Question

How does where we live make a difference on LGBTQ groups?
Does our location make a difference on how we understand diversity?
How does society impact what we should teach our students on being themselves?
How do we best teach students how to accept one another?
What makes someone “different” and how can we stress that being different is okay?
What does it feel like to be belittled or criticized because of your identity?

Texts

Literature

What If There Were No Black People?

In this poem, the speaker explores how our culture would be lacking—in people, in music, in movements, in contributions—without contributions of African Americans.

Sean Mauricette (aka SUBLIMINAL)

Grade Level

3-5 6-8

Subject

History

Topic

Race & Ethnicity

July 3, 2014

Literature

The Misfits

In this excerpt, the reader meets two characters from The Misfits: Addie, a girl who is exceptionally tall and smart for a middle schooler and Joe, who is creative and feminine in a way that makes his peers nervous.

James Howe

Grade Level

3-5 6-8 9-12

Topic

Gender & Sexual Identity

July 3, 2014

Informational

Being A Girl: A Brief Personal History of Violence

In this blog post, the author moves through a timeline of sexual aggression and violence imposed on her, or women around her, beginning in her childhood and going through having her own child.

The Belle Jar

Grade Level

9-12

Topic

Gender & Sexual Identity

September 13, 2016

Teaching Strategies

Word Work

Illustrated Vocabulary

In this visual strategy, students divide vocabulary words into parts and draw illustrations to represent the separate meaning of each part.

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

CCSS

L.6-12.4, L.6-12.6

July 19, 2014

Word Work

Prior Knowledge and Personal Association Surveys

These surveys ask students what they know or how they feel about specific words in the text they are reading.

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

July 19, 2014

Word Work

Word Wall

A word wall is an organized display of vocabulary words drawn from the texts students are reading.

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

CCSS

L.6-12.4, L.6-12.5, L.6-12.6

July 19, 2014

Student Tasks

Do Something

Community Arts Showcase

Students produce original art that conveys an anti-bias or social justice message then work with school staff to plan a public showcase of their work.

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

July 13, 2014

Do Something

Inventing a Better World

Students invent a product or process that solves a social problem discussed in the central text.

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

July 13, 2014

Do Something

Truth to Power: Writing Letters for Change

Students write informed letters to corporate or elected officials, outlining their views on a social issue and calling for specific action.

Grade Level

6-8 9-12

July 13, 2014

Plan Built By

payholden

BeYOUtiful

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