The Color of Us
Title: The Colors of us
Author/Illustrator
By Karen Katz
Genre: Diversity: Concepts of Similar and Different ----Social issue race
Skills/Strategies
illustrations
writing
research
adjectives
Standards
1.RL.4.1: Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.
3.SL.2.5 Explain personal ideas and understanding in reference to the discussion.
2.W.3.2:Write a paragraph or paragraphs on a topic that introduce a topic, provide facts and details
about the topic, and provide a concluding statement
4.W.2.1:Write legibly in print or cursive, forming letters and words that can be read by other
3.RV.3.1: Determine how the author uses words and phrases to
provide meaning
2.W.6.1c: Adjectives/ Adverbs –Writing sentences that use adjectives and adverbs
Content Connections
Journal questions: What are some things that make you similar / different to other children? Or Does it matter to Lena that she and all her friends have different color skin? or What food would describe your skin color? Or how diversity is a positive influence in our world.
Art and math- Each child places one hand on a piece of paper. Children trace their hand, match a paint tone closest to their skin color, and paint the traced outline of their hand. The children cut out the hand and then arrange the hands from darkest to lightest.
Art-children draw themselves-really particular to their color of skin-ask them to think of words to describe their skin—then take a diftial picture and compare
Social studies-talk about family trees-orgins where they come from such as irish or so on
Research- Have students identify some of the nations where characters in the book are from on a globe.
Other Connections
Or Resources
Children could go on a tour of the library or school and locate various items that reflect different skin colors.
Other books I Love My Hair or All the Colors of the Earth or Whoever You Are
.
