This document outlines a lesson plan to teach 2nd grade students about diversity and celebrating differences. The plan uses principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to engage students through choice, collaboration, and multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement. Students will read a book on diversity, discuss in groups, and have options to demonstrate understanding through writing, illustrating their own books, or using digital tools. The UDL approach aims to address all learners' needs and abilities.

1. By: Kylee Golden

2.  Lesson Goal: To teach students the
importance of celebrating diversity. Student’s
will learn to appreciate and respect each
other’s differences. They will understand that
everyone is unique in their own way.
 Intended Age Group: 2nd grade

3. 
Standard: 2.SL.1.b. – Build on others' talk in conversations by linking
their comments to the remarks of others.

Standard: 2.SL.1.c. – Ask for clarification and further explanation as
needed about the topics and texts under discussion.

Standard: 2.SL.1.d. – Seek to understand and communicate with
individuals from different cultural backgrounds.

Standard: 2.SL.2. – Recount or describe key ideas or details from a text
read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.

Standard: 2.L.1.f. – Produce, expand, and rearrange complete simple
and compound sentences

Standard: 2.L.6. – Use words and phrases acquired through
conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts,
including using adjectives and adverbs to describe (e.g., When other kids
are happy that makes me happy).

4.  Students will be able to gain knowledge of
what diversity means.
 Students will be able to apply and further
their knowledge in whole group and small
group discussions about diversity.
 Students will demonstrate an understanding
of diversity through independent writing.

5.  Students will be able to gain knowledge of
what diversity means.
 Students will be able to apply and further
their knowledge in whole group and small
group discussions about diversity.
 Students will demonstrate an understanding
of diversity using various tools and resources.
 Students will use technology to collaborate in
small groups to create books and generate
new ideas.

6.  Provides students with choices to get the
most out of their education and optimize
their learning experiences.
 Offers various tools and resources for diverse
student’s to work up to their highest
potential.
 Creates higher expectations for all students
because there are more opportunities for
them to succeed using technology.

7.  Intro: Read the book “It’s Okay to be
Different” to class as a whole group.
 Process: Have a class discussion on the main
ideas. Explore what it means to be diverse.
 Conclusion: Students write in journals to
explain what they learned summarizing “why
it is okay to be different.”

8.  Intro: Read the book “It’s Okay to be Different” to
class as a whole group.
 Process: Have a class discussion on the main ideas.
Explore what it means to be diverse.
 Collaboration: Students work in groups to create their
own books on diversity. They will have the option to
write and illustrate books, act it out as a play or
create books using digital media resources. Each
group will present their books to the class.
 Conclusion: Students have the choice to write in
journals to explain what they learned summarizing
“why it is okay to be different,” or create slides on an
iPad showing what they learned.

9.  Students are given visual aids, kinesthetic
activities and opportunities to use technology
as opposed to just reading a book and
writing a written response as presented in the
traditional approach.
 UDL lesson applies to Howard Gardner’s
multiple intelligences theory.
 Instead of looking at students’ weaknesses
(WHO is smart,) UDL is looking at individual
strengths (HOW is each student smart?)

10.  Students will write in journals to explain what
they learned summarizing “why it is okay to
be different.”
 Students should write at least 5 sentences (1
paragraph) written response showing what
they have learned about diversity.

11.  Students work in groups to create their own
books on diversity. They will have the option
to write and illustrate books, act it out as a
play or create books using digital media
resources. Each group will present their
books to the class.
 Students will have the choice to write in
journals to explain what they learned
summarizing “why it is okay to be different,”
or create slide presentation on an iPad
showing what they learned.

12.  UDL gives students CHOICES.
 They are given alternative assessment options
to show what they know.
 In the traditional lesson approach, students
who are not strong writers are being set up
for failure.
 The UDL approach provides ALL diverse
learners with a higher chance to reach
academic success because it provides
multiple paths to reach the learning goal.

13.  Use technology to individualize instruction to
reach a wider range of students.
 Keep student’s individual strengths in mind
when lesson planning to ensure academic
success for all students.
 Look at students ABILITIES rather than their
DISABILITIES.

14.  Makes text larger (easier to read for students)
 Reads Book Aloud to student (better for blind,
ELL students or struggling readers)
 Option to provide background music (works
for students with Asperger’s)
 Adjust the speed of text read aloud (can be
fast or slow)
 Student can click on a word for a definition or
a translation(helps ELL learners)

15.  CAST will prompt students to stop and think
at certain parts in the book.
 They will be asked to summarize the events
thus far to prove understanding.
 If students are struggling to summarize, they
can ask for the “HELP” button which offers a
teacher’s aid or the “JUSTIN” button which
shows a boy who provides a model of an
appropriate summary.
 Students respond better to the “JUSTIN”
button because they like to see a visual
model of what is expected of them.

16.  Provides immediate and detailed feedback for
student.
 Individualizes instruction to students at
varying ability levels so that every child is
challenged to work up to their highest
potential.
 It is difficult for the teacher to work one on
one with each student, CAST gives teachers
progress monitoring reports to decide when
students can work independently with less
support.

17.  Standards and Objectives
 Materials, Tools & Resources
 Collaborative Experiences
 Teaching Methods
 Assessment Options
 DO NOT dumb down the standards/goals.
 Instead, provide more paths to reaching the
learning goal.

18.  http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-
resources/lesson-plans/okay-different-
teaching-diversity-890.html?tab=4#tabs
 Karla Price Lesson Author from Read, Write,
Think
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yETe92m
woUE
 Dr. David Rose on Universal Design for
Learning