Exploring the Power of Inclusion: Using "The World Needs More Purple Schools" for Social Emotional Learning

By: Breanna Miller

July 31, 2024

When a child facing difficulties in wanting to attend school is asked about the reason, their answer will probably indicate that they don't feel acknowledged, respected, or valued by their classmates and sometimes even by their teacher(s). As educators, we recognize the prevalence of teasing and bullying that our students experience or report. These issues all stem from the challenges of practicing inclusion - some students are not even aware of what that word means and how they can be inclusive. While this is not a problem we wish to have, it is one that has been around for years, and we are fortunate that most elementary schools have allotted time for teachers to talk to students about issues like this. One of the most challenging, yet amazing, things about being an elementary school teacher is that we get to play a part in shaping our little humans into kind, empathetic, and respectful adults.

The lesson "Unlocking Our Inner Purple" was developed on the belief that all individuals possess the capacity to be compassionate, kind, and supportive, leading to the potential for forming new friendships, reaching shared objectives, and gaining insights from others. As educators, we understand the value of working together and respecting other professionals, even if we do not share the same interests, hobbies, or beliefs. It is important that we teach our students to do the same.

This lesson starts off with a discussion about what they already know about inclusion based on their prior life experiences. We recognize the significance of unlocking students background knowledge to stimulate engagement and promote participation and involvement. Students will collaborate in groups to illustrate or write down their existing knowledge about inclusion. This activity promotes students to share their ideas in their own conversation prepping them to participate in a class discussion. Next, the teacher will complete a read aloud of the book The World Needs More Purple Schools, by Kristen Bell and Benjamin Hall (also available on YouTube if you are unable to get the book.) As the teacher reads, the students will be given sticky-notes to write down examples of inclusion from the book encouraging active engagement.The teacher will also take breaks while reading the book to ask students questions in order to enhance their comprehension. Following the read-aloud session, students will collaborate with the teacher to review the contents of their sticky notes and collectively formulate a definition for the word. After this task, the teacher will group students based on their varying skills (artistic, athletic, scientific (engineering), mathematical, leadership, and writing) to work together on a set of activities related to these roles. The aim is for students to uncover the mystery word in the quote located on the final page of the packet. This exercise showcases how students with varying abilities can collaborate towards a shared objective, offering hands-on experience to enhance their comprehension of practicing inclusivity. Finally, the teacher will facilitate a class discussion about how inclusion was demonstrated in the activity they participated in and the outcome of being inclusive. At the conclusion of the lesson, the students will engage in an activity to illustrate the characteristics of an inclusive classroom/school in terms of appearance, atmosphere, and auditory environment and can serve as a reminder when/if necessary.

The lesson plan is divided into 15-minute segments because we understand that schools often have limited time for teaching SEL. Nevertheless, it can be adjusted to suit a class period and includes various activities, which makes it suitable for a reading or writing lesson. Click the link to purchase the entire lesson OR click the images below for smaller purchases.

We appreciate you incorporating SEL into your students' learning journey!