E is for Everybody | Small Moments, Big Conversations: Lesson 1
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
Oscar Wilde
I’m so excited to share this first “lesson” with you and hear about the conversations it sparks .
- Big Idea: Everybody, everywhere matters. Everybody, everywhere belongs.
- Bible Verse: “What can separate us from His perfect love?”
- Bible Story: God made the world (and God made me)
- Fun Fact: Did you know there are more than 7 BILLION people in the world who speak at least 6,500 languages?!
*We did all of the following in one day and followed up with extension activities over the next couple days, but you could easily split it up to fit your kids.
ONE.
We started with this video [God Made People] from God’s Story – I love that it shows the whole creation story, but highlights for kids that God’s favorite thing that He created was people. That He did it in His image. That we don’t know exactly what that means, but we do know that everything about us is made by God so that we can be like Him.
TWO.
After we watched the video (at least three times), I grabbed a globe off a shelf, and we talked about the world. The girls would spin the globe and stop it with one finger, and wherever their finger landed, we would look up the people from that country on Google Images.
We had just read “Same, Same, but Different” the night before, and I used those words to get the girls talking. “What do you notice that is same, same but different about the people in _______ and us? Do you think God made and loved them?”
This was spur of the moment, but I’m glad we did it. Globe spinning was a hit, and my girls loved looking at pictures of other people.
THREE.
I snuck in some learning and introduced the Letter E next. We colored the E coloring page, drew a picture of what “everybody” looked like, and practiced writing the letter on the lines.
*The “E is for Everybody” card comes from an Adoptee ABC Flashcard set, made by Quiver Full Adoptions. LOVE THEM. Worth the $10 + shipping if you are an adoptive family.
FOUR.
When we I had enough with our letter practicing (you can only say, “Start at the top and go down…” so many times), we got our hands dirty with some finger paint.
*This is a side note, but we love our little peg people. They make their way into almost everything we do. Today they “danced around the world” while I made lunch.
FIVE.
We borrowed this next resource from Wander + Wonder’s Raising Little Allies-To-Be – it’s top notch and you should definitely check it out! I plan to use most of their resources for “Color” and “Skin” later on.
SIX.
When we were done with everything, I pulled out our Family Builder blocks, reminded the girls that God made each so differently yet still so perfectly so that we might be able to reflect Him.
*We love our family builder blocks! But they are a little spendy. If you’re crafty and/or are looking for another fun thing to do together, I found something online called Mix Mate OllieBlocks. The electronic file is $12, and you can find wooden blocks on Amazon for about $15. Print the file, cut them apart, make your own!
BOOKS TO CHECK OUT
- Same, Same, but Different, Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw
- Elliot lives in America, and Kailash lives in India. They are pen pals. By exchanging letters and pictures, they learn that they both love to climb trees, have pets, and go to school. Their worlds might look different, but they are actually similar. Same, same. But different!
- *Used for an extension activity
- Today, Julie Mostad
- Every day is full of endless possibilities – especially TODAY. The simplest moment has the potential to become extraordinary in this beautiful book by Julie Morstad. From getting dressed, to having breakfast, to choosing ways to go, Today has a little something to delight everyone.
- *Used for an extension activity
- This Is How We Do It, Matt LaMothe
- Follow the real lives of seven kids from Italy, Japan, Iran, India, Peru, Uganda, and Russia for a single day! In Japan Kei plays Freeze Tag, while in Uganda Daphine likes to jump rope. But while the way they play may differ, the shared rhythm of their days—and this one world we all share—unites them.
- Accompanying Activity Book
- All the Ways to Be Smart, Davina Bell
- A tender, funny, and exquisitely illustrated picture book celebrating all the unique and wonderful qualities that make children who they are. With heartwarming rhyming text all about knowing what makes you special, All the Ways to Be Smart is a wonderful introduction to conversations about self-esteem.
- Throw Your Tooth on the Roof, Selby Bealer
- Travel around the world and discover the surprising things children do when they lose a tooth. Selby B. Beeler spent years collecting traditions from every corner of the globe for this whimsical book, and G. Brian Karas adds to the fun, filling every page with humorous detail. He perfectly captures the excitement and pride that children experience when a tooth falls out.
- Around the World We Go, Margaret Wise Brown
- Go around the world with this beautifully illustrated picture book from Margaret Wise Brown, celebrated author of Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny! This classic tale is newly illustrated with bright, vibrant pictures that children will love.
- Around the World in a Bathtub, Wade Bradford
- Explore bathing practices in different countries and cultures in this lively, colorful picture book. From a hammam in Turkey to a maqii on the Alaskan tundra, this book shares the bath-time battle that happens every night around the world. “Yes, yes!” say the grown-ups, “No, no!” say the children, and the chase is on! Bath time may take many forms, but it’s a ritual we all share.
- Another, Christian Robinson
- What if you…encountered another perspective? Discovered another world Met another you? What might you do?
- We’re All Wonders, R.J. Palacio
- We’re All Wonders may be Auggie’s story, but it taps into every child’s longing to belong, and to be seen for who they truly are. It’s the perfect way for families and educators to talk about empathy and kindness with young children.
For This Child 