Give Our Class a Hand—Celebrate Diversity Banner

Connect with your classmates while displaying pride in your diversity!

• 1.

  Discuss these questions: What is a community? How is a classroom of students and teachers a small community? What makes each of us unique? What do we have in common that joins us together?

• 2.

  Work with partners to trace your handprints on paper with Crayola Multicultural Crayons. Select a matching skin color for each of your hands. Use Crayola Crayons to write your name on the palm of the hand in a favorite color.

• 3.

  Write something special about you on each paper finger and thumb in a different color. You might list your best-loved activity, preferred animal, yummiest food, something you’re good at, or a word that describes your best quality.

• 4.

  Shade around the words with a Crayola Multicultural Crayon that matches your skin color. Cut out your paper hand.

• 5.

  Spread newspaper on your art area. Choose a Crayola Tempera Mixing Medium to brush over your hand to give it a pearl, glitter, or textured effect. Air-dry.

• 6.

  Explain to your classmates why you chose the words on your hand. Look for unique choices and common characteristics. Glue everyone’s hands on a long ribbon. Air-dry.

• 7.

  Display in the classroom or hallway as a reminder of your uniquely diverse class!

Benefits

• Students build their sense of self as they recognize the ways they are uniquely different from and yet the same as their peers.
• Students explore the value of diversity.
• Students identify themselves as part of a community.

Adaptations

• Read the book The Crayon Box That Talked by Shane Derolf and Michael Letzig. Children create mini posters about themselves, including a portrait and words describing what makes them unique using just one crayon color. Talk about the challenge of using ju
• Create community quilts. Children cut paper squares in about eight different sizes. Children write their names on small squares. Glue the small square of paper on a slightly larger square. Label this square "family". Discuss how a family is a small commun
• Assessment: Ask children to write statements about the Give Our Class a Hand garland. Assess writing skills and observe insights about community and diversity.