I Feel Just Right

Lesson Plan
 
Adapted From Counselor Name:  Karen Ward
Title of Lesson:  I Feel Just Right  
Quarter:  Anytime
Audience:   Classroom   Small Group
Level:    Primary (K-2)   Intermediate (3-5)
Target Grade: 3rd
 
COUNSELING  STANDARDS
 
PERSONAL/SOCIAL
 Acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others.   

COUNSELING COMPETENCY(IES)
Recognize, accept, respect and appreciate individual differences.  Describe how behavior influences the feelings and actions of others. Identify
and select appropriate behaviors to deal with specific emotional situations.
  
MATERIALS/RESOURCES:  Two “presents:” one nicely wrapped, containing dirt or litter, the other shabbily wrapped containing a nice present
for the classroom.   
 
ACTIVITY:
This activity will develop an understanding of the nature of generalizing, stereotyping, and prejudice.  Display the two gifts.   Explain that these boxes contain gifts for the class. Point to one box and then the other, asking students to vote by a show of hands which box they would like to have.  Open the box for which the majority voted, -probably the pretty box.  Set it aside, and then open the other box and discuss its contents.  
Review the meaning of prejudice and the various kinds of prejudice, relating; prejudice to stereotyping and generalizing. (Only boys play football,
girls play with dolls, taking care of children is women’s work....)  Discuss the following questions: Why did you choose the box you did?  Did the
appearance of the box have anything to do with what was inside; does what someone looks like have anything to do with what he/she is like
inside;.  Recall the gifts to emphasize that appearance does not indicate what a person is like inside.  Emphasize how bad it
feels when others judge us.  Ask if anyone in class has had this experience or know of someone who has had this experience.  Prejudice feels
bad to everyone in the world.  Close with the following poem, I Feel Just Right.” I feel just right in the skin I wear. There’s no one like me
anywhere. I feel just right in the skin I wear.  There’s no one like me anywhere.  No one sees the things I see.  Behind my eyes is only me.  And
no one knows where my feelings begin.  There’s only me inside my skin.  No one does what I can do.  I’ll be me, and you’ll be you!      
 
 EVALUATION:   
Pretest/Postest:  Define Prejudice
 
How did the student change as a result of this lesson?  Students will remember how bad prejudice feels.
 
Information/Comments/Follow-up:  Have students or groups of students or the whole class write a poem about how they are alike and how
they are different making no judgments.  Focus on feelings.