Rooting Ourselves in Respect and Belonging

On Slide 10, students will create their Identity Roots to add to the Tree of Care using the Identity Roots handout. Print enough copies for each student. Students will also need brown crayons or colored pencils to shade in their roots. If available, use Crayola Colors of the World crayons as an additional way for students to display their identities through skin color.

On Slide 13, students will brainstorm ways to create a sense of belonging in their classroom community. Write students’ ideas on the brown construction paper. Be sure to use a thick and dark enough marker so that the writing is visible. These pieces of paper will represent the soil of the Tree of Care. If time allows, have students place the soil above and around their Identity Roots on the Tree of Care. If not, you can add the soil to the bulletin at a later time, before the final lesson.

On Slide 14, students will participate in an activity called Common Ground. Yarn or string is used to show the interconnectedness of everyone in the classroom community. This game can be played without the yarn/string, but it works well to show students the metaphor of interconnectedness. There will need to be enough space for students to stand in a circle.

Please ensure to pre-check videos before class, as internet policies may vary among schools, to ensure accessibility.