Exploring Social Justice in 3rd Grade

Essential Question

What has happened throughout history to people like me?
What are group identities and how do they describe me? Others?

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

July 3, 2014

Literature

The Skin I'm In (Chapter 3)

Maleeka gets made fun of at school about her clothes, her grades, even the color of her skin. In this chapter, she talks about getting teased on a school trip and how even her friend Char was ashamed to be seen with her because of her clothes.

Sharon Flake

Grade Level

3-5 6-8

July 3, 2014

Literature

A Place Where Sunflowers Grow

Mari and her family have been sent to an internment camp in Utah. She does not understand what they have done to deserve their internment and longs for her backyard in California where she used to grow sunflowers.

Amy Lee-Tai and Felicia Hoshino (illustrator)

Grade Level

3-5

Subject

History

April 7, 2016

Teaching Strategies

Community Inquiry

Affirmation Interview

During Affirmation Interview, students practice verbal and non-verbal communication in the roles of “interviewer” and “interviewee.”

Grade Level

3-5

CCSS

RL.3-5.1, RI.3-5.1, SL.3-5.1

July 13, 2014

Community Inquiry

Lifting the Text

Students choose an important sentence or phrase from the central text and participate in a structured class discussion about the “lifted” text.

Grade Level

3-5

CCSS

RL.3-5.1, RI.3-5.1, SL.3-5.1, SL.3-5.4, SL.3-5.6

July 13, 2014

Student Tasks

Do Something

Artistic Expression Showcase

Students produce original art (visual art, music, drama or poetry) that conveys an anti-bias or social justice message. Students then plan a public showcase of their work.

Grade Level

3-5

July 13, 2014

Do Something

Community Mural / Poster Campaign

Students create a large-scale artistic depiction in a community space. As an alternative to the community mural, students can create a set of informational posters that reflect a diversity topic or social justice theme.

Grade Level

3-5

July 13, 2014

Do Something

My Voice, My Voter’s Guide

Estimated time Two to three weeks Why? One of the ways young students become invested in the democratic process is by become empowered advocates for civic participation in their local communities. When younger students

Grade Level

3-5 6-8 9-12

Subject

Civics

August 30, 2018

Plan Built By

aleppink

Exploring Social Justice in 3rd Grade

Print this Learning Plan

Sign in to save these resources.

Get the Learning for Justice Newsletter