I have been doing this lesson with kindergarten for a few years and thought I would share. Because…who can’t use some new ideas? I like this lesson because it gives me the chance to use a great SEL book about how we are all different and discuss how it is okay to be different. For this lesson you need to use the books Same Same But Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw and Different? Same? by Heather Tekavec. If you don’t have the books in your library yet you can always borrow from the public library for the lesson. I have also had great success with using EPIC at times and projecting the book to read to them. Sometimes we have to be creative in finding books when budgets are small for school libraries.
Different? Same?
I read this one to the students first to get them thinking about how animals are different. As I read each page I give them time to guess what they think the animals will have in common before I read the last sentence. Kinders love to be involved in the story so this is a perfect chance to let them share their ideas. I also use this as a time to encourage hand raising and not yelling out. They will come up with lots of different ideas and some they get the same answer as the story right away and others it takes a bit of prodding. I love it because they are learning to think outside the box and realizing that there can be more than one right answer.
Same Same But Different
After we finish the first book we move on to read the book Same Same But Different. I like to start by asking how people could be the same, how people could be different, and is it okay to be different? It is also a good time to let them make predictions. Show the cover and ask them what they think the book will be about. Anything to get them thinking about the book before you start.
As you read you can stop and ask how the boys are the same and different in the story. After the story you can discuss how we might all be the same and different. You could start a discussion about where they live, what they eat, etc. then compare to one another. EXAMPLE: “My favorite ice cream is chocolate ice cream.” you could let each one tell their favorites. After they share you can reinforce the idea that it is okay that we all like different kinds…there is no wrong or right kind of ice cream. There are lots of things you can do to get them thinking about how it is okay to be different.
Activity After the Story
I like to always have some type of lesson for them to do that ties to the book. My admin wants library to be “like a class” so I try to combine fun and learning whenever possible. I know they like to draw and color so some days we do that but I feel that adding some type of learning worksheet gives it just a bit more “class” feel. For these books I chose to have them do a couple worksheets finding things that were the same and different. They can use crayons and then color the pages after they circle their answer. I have created 4 different worksheets that my students use and you can get a copy of them for FREE by clicking the link below.
Get your FREE Same or Different? worksheets here.
I have had great success with this lesson. It keeps students engaged, it gives the chance to share 2 fun books, and there are learning activities at the end. If you are looking for lesson ideas for your kindergarten class give it a try and let me know what you think. See you next time!
Tech Fun In The Library 