Unpacking Uniqueness: Diversity in our Community

State Standards:
Arizona ELA 3rd Grade Standard:
Reading Standards for Literature
Key Ideas and Details- Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
3.RL.7 Explain how specific aspects of a text’s illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words
in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting).
Writing Standards
Text Types and Purposes
3.W.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, using reasons to support one's point of view.
a. Introduce the topic or text, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure that lists
reasons.
b. Provide reasons that support the opinion.
c. Use linking words and phrases (e.g., because, therefore, since, for example) to connect opinion
and reasons.
d. Provide a concluding statement or section.
Speaking and Listening Standards
Comprehension and Collaboration
3.SL.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-
led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing
their own clearly.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that
preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to
others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
c. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their
comments to the remarks of others.
d. Explain their own ideas and understanding based on the discussion.
3.SL.2 Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or information presented in
diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
Social Studies Standards
Disciplinary Skills and Processes

Thinking within the discipline involves the ability to identify, compare, and evaluate multiple perspectives
about a given event to draw conclusions about that event since there are multiple points of view about events
and issues.

● 3.SP2.1 Explain why individuals and groups have different points of view on the same event.

Thinking within the discipline involves the ability to analyze relationships among causes and effects and to
create and support arguments using relevant evidence.
 ● 3.SP4.1 Explain probable causes and effects of events.

● 3.SP4.2 Summarize the central claim in a secondary source.

Civics

An understanding of civic and political institutions in society and the principles these institutions are
intended to reflect including knowledge about law, politics, and government are essential to effective
citizenship.

● 3.C3.2 Describe ways in which people benefit from and are challenged by working together, including
through families, school, workplaces, voluntary organizations, and government.

HISTORY

Cycles of conflict and cooperation have shaped relations among people, places, and environments.

● 5.H2.1 Use primary and secondary sources to summarize the causes and effects of conflicts, resolutions,
and social movements throughout the historical timeframe.

▪ Key conflicts can include but are not limited to cultural conflicts, political conflicts, economic conflicts,
military conflicts, and conflicts related to resource use and availability

Patterns of social and political interactions have shaped people, places, and events throughout history and
continue to shape the modern world.

● 5.H4.1 Use primary and secondary sources to describe how diverse groups (racial, ethnic, class, gender,
regional, immigrant/migrant) shaped the United States’ multicultural society within the historical timeframe.

Goals:
Students will employ reflective and analytical thinking to differentiate physical attributes and defining
characteristics in order to complete a character analysis of a fictional character and apply their
understanding to identify and explain their own unique character.

Learning Objective:
Students will employ descriptive language to analyze a character and their own defining qualities.
Students will use analytical thinking to categorize individual qualities and apply their understanding of
uniqueness and characteristics to evaluate themselves. Students will identify aspects of others’
characteristics to foster a greater sense of community and appreciation for diversity.

Grade Level and Grouping:

This will be geared towards 2nd to 6th grade. Students will develop a plan for a fictional story based
on a picture. This could be done in a large group setting or a small group setting.

Length:
55 minutes

Materials Needed:
Meet Clarabelle Blue book
8-10 poster papers
2 different color highlighters

Anticipatory Set:
I will pose the question to the class, “How would you describe yourself. Who are you?” I will instruct the
students to complete a 3-5-minute quick write to answer the above question. I will encourage the students
to include as many describing details as possible. I will ask the students to take out two different color
highlighters and highlight all the descriptive terms that describe the way they look in one color and the
way they think and or behave in another color. I will provide students an example of physical
attributes versus characteristics. I will inform the class that for the purpose of this lesson we are going
to examine characteristics more so than physical attributes.

Lesson Procedures:
1. Instruct students to practice as a class distinguishing between physical attributes and characteristics
by reading the book Meet Clarabelle Blue. Inform the class that I am going to read aloud, and the
students will complete the Physical Attribute versus Characteristics Chart (see attached) based on
their understanding of the book. I will ask students to use the text and illustrations to aid them. I will
inform students to list examples clearly evidenced and possible inferences hinted at in the book to
complete the Physical Attribute versus Characteristics Chart.
2. I will ask students to share their finding and create a master class chart. I will discuss with students
the difference between physical attributes and characteristics to check for understanding. I will
stress that a personal characteristic describes ones mental and moral qualities. Mental
qualities are your thoughts, interests, opinions and dreams. And Moral qualities describe the
way that you behave and the way you treat others and yourself. As students share their findings,
categorize qualities as being physical attributes or characteristics, I will ask students to explain their
reasons for their categorization.
3. I will ask students to revisit their earlier “How would you describe yourself. Who are you?” quick
write and determine if they need to make any revisions to their initial categorization of physical
attributes and characteristics.
4. I will write the word Unique on the board. I will ask students to turn to a partner and write a
definition to the word Unique.
5. I will ask students to share their definitions. Possibly create a list of synonyms to the term Unique.
6. We will compare the students’ definition of “Unique” with the dictionary definition “Being the only
one of its kind, unlike anything else.” Facilitate a class discussion to develop a class definition of
the term pulling from the students’ definition and the dictionary definition.
7. In small groups students I will ask them to determine what characteristics (mental or moral
qualities) make Clara Belle Blue unique according to the class definition. I will inform students to
avoid any physical attributes in their responses as I rover around the room.
8. I will pass out one poster paper to each group. I will ask students to draw a picture of a unique
characteristic their grouped identified for Clara Belle Blue.
9. I will ask students to report out to the class by sharing their group’s picture and explain why this
depicts Clara Belle Blue’s unique characteristic.
10. I will instruct students to use their understanding of the class activity examining uniqueness in
Clarabelle Blue’s character to examine their own unique characteristics. I will stress that they
need to focus only on characteristics (mental and moral qualities distinctive to their individual)
not physical attributes. I will instruct students to develop a drawing that captures the uniqueness of
their character.
11. I will instruct students to write a one paragraph defense of their image. Why does this image
describe characteristics that make them unique? Have students restrict their image to small size.
Possibly a 4X6” paper.
 12. I will ask students to share their image and paragraph in a small presentation 2-3 sentence
presentation to the class.
13. Upon completing their presentation, I will instruct students to hang their picture in a manner that
would create a sort of patchwork quilt mural entitled “The Unique Characteristics of Us”
Assessment:
Students will demonstrate their understanding of the lesson by completing the Debrief Worksheet that
asks students to identify 3 things they learned about their classmates’ unique character and to accurately
distinguish between characteristics and physical attributes.

Name:_____________________________________ Date:_________________________
Quick Write
Directions: How would you describe yourself. Who are you?

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Name:_____________________________________ Date:_________________________
Physical Attribute versus Characteristics
Directions: Complete the chart with words and phrases that describe Clara Belle Blue’s Physical
Attributes and Characteristics. Use the text and illustrations to draw evidence and make
inferences (educated guesses rooted in evidence) to complete the chart.
Physical Attribute Characteristics
Describe her appearance. What does she Describe her mental qualities such as her
look like? thoughts, interests, opinions and dreams and
moral qualities like the way that you behave
and the way you treat others and yourself.

Name:_____________________________________ Date:_________________________
 Debrief Worksheet
Directions: Identify 3 things you learned about 3 different classmates throughout
the class presentations.
1. Name of Classmate _____________________________________________
I learned that he/she ___________________________________________
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2. Name of Classmate _____________________________________________
I learned that he/she ___________________________________________
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3. Name of Classmate _____________________________________________
I learned that he/she ___________________________________________
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Explain in 1-2 sentences how characteristics differ from their physical attributes.

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