Slide Deck to Share with Students HERE 

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​​​​​​​Lesson Objectives:

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Students will be able to:

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1. Evaluate the diversity of stories they encounter in their life

2. Consider the impact of this diversity (or lack thereof) on their worldview

3. Identify opportunities to broaden the diversity of stories in their life

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​​​Learning Standards:

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LfJ 6. Students will express comfort with people who are both similar to and different from them and engage respectfully with all people

LfJ 8. Students will respectfully express curiosity about the history and lived experiences of others and will exchange ideas and beliefs in an open-minded way

LfJ 10. Students will examine diversity in social, cultural, political, and historical contexts rather than in ways that are superficial or oversimplified

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​​​​Learning Activities (If you have 15 minutes…)

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Greeting (Slides 2-3):

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Can you think of someone whose posts, thoughts, ideas, or stories get you thinking about the world in new or different ways?

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Reading (Slides 4-5):

 

“Kids need books that are mirrors to see themselves, windows to see the world, & sliding glass doors to enter other worlds.” –Rudine Sims Bishop

 

Question for students: What does this quotation get you thinking about?

 

Initiative 

 

Slides 7 & 8

 

Share some statistics with your students about the lack of diversity in Hollywood stories (Slide 7) and in the book publishing industry (i.e. the people deciding which books get published) (Slide 8)

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Ask your students: What do you think is the impact on them (and other viewers and readers) of this lack of diversity in the movie industry and book industry?

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Learning Activities (if you have 45 minutes….)

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Initiative (continued):

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Slide 9:

 

Ask your students: Think about your favorite books, movies, news sources, friend groups, social media, etc. What perspectives do you receive? What perspectives do you have less exposure to? Why?

 

Slide 10:

 

Choose one of the areas above (e.g. books, movies, news sources, friend groups, social media) that you feel like you do receive a pretty diverse set of perspectives and stories, and one where you mostly don’t.

 

In those two areas:

 

1. What perspectives/voices are present?

2. What perspectives/voices are not present?

3. Why do you think that is?

4. How do you think you’re impacted?

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​​Learning Activities (if you have 2 hours…)

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Initiative (continued):

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Slide 11

 

Ask students to choose one area of their life that could benefit from additional diversity (e.g. books, movies, news sources, friend groups, social media, etc.)

 

Start a list of new stories or perspectives they would like to seek out (be as specific as possible)

 

Share your area and goal with classmates. What recommendations do they have?

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Slide 12

 

Additional questions for whole-class discussion

 

1. What perspectives did you discuss adding?

2. What areas of your life were easier or harder to think about adjusting? Why?

3. How cold we think about more difficult areas to diversify like family, food, clothes?

 

Debrief (Slide 13)

 

Ask students: 

1. What did you like about today’s lesson?

2. Did you learn anything new about yourself or anyone else?

3. What could make it better?

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