The Jellybeans and the Big Dance by Laura Numeroff and Nate Evans, illustrated by Lynn Munsinger (2007) is a great story to help children appreciate the differences in others and build a sense of community. The main character, Emily, is disappointed to find that the other girls in her new dance class are very different from what she expected. In the end though, it is the differences which makes for a happy ending. After reading and discussing this book, plan a project in which the children can share their talents. You might plan a special day, a show or make a class garden. No matter what you do, make sure the children each contribute their special abilities. If you want a simpler project ask children to bring ingredients for a recipe such as bread or cookies. Discuss how all the ingredients work together to make a delicious treat. Another simple activity would be to talk about how each child contributes to the classroom or how family members contribute to the family. Thank you to Bernice for recommending the book. If you have a good story to build social emotional skills, please share it with us.
Elmer by David McKee. Elmer is a brightly colored elephant who wishes to plain gray, just like the others elephants. The story shows Elmer’s effort to fit in, but in the end, he realizes the elephants like him just the way he is. After reading this story, I usually give the children a large elephant ( sometimes finger paint paper, other times construction paper) to decorate or paint. Each child is encouraged to use his own ideas to create an elephant, but children could also work together on one elephant. We then admire all the elephants and appreciate them and their creators. This is a great way to teach about differences and also build a sense of community.
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