1-Pager
6th Grade  Project 8 weeks

Kindness Chronicles: Stripes & Social Justice

Sheyla M
9-12.CS.3
P6.3
MS-LS1-8
7.4.2
9-12S.AP.20
+ 11 more
1-pager

Purpose

The purpose of this learning experience is to engage 6th-grade students in exploring the transformative power of kindness, empathy, and inclusion through historical and contemporary examples. By examining moments of courage and community in challenging times, students will develop critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills. They will create meaningful art and narratives that express their understanding and commitment to fostering a more inclusive school environment. This project encourages students to reflect on their role in creating positive change and to actively contribute to a more welcoming community.

Learning goals

Students will explore historical and contemporary examples of kindness and inclusion, analyzing their impact on communities and individuals. They will develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills by designing and creating symbolic art pieces that express themes of empathy and belonging. Through collaboration with community partners and peers, students will enhance their communication skills and build a sense of identity and belonging. Reflective practices will guide students in self-directed learning, allowing them to articulate their growth and commit to actions that foster a welcoming school environment.
Standards
  • [California] 9-12.CS.3 - Develop guidelines that convey systematic troubleshooting strategies that others can use to identify and fix errors.
  • [California] P6.3 - By the end of grade twelve, students should be able to evaluate and refine a computational artifact multiple times to enhance its performance, reliability, usability, and accessibility.
  • [California] MS-LS1-8 - Gather and synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli by sending messages to the brain for immediate behavior or storage as memories.
  • [California] 7.4.2 - Analyze the importance of family, labor specialization, and regional commerce in the development of states and cities in West Africa.
  • [California] 9-12S.AP.20 - Develop programs for multiple computing platforms.
  • [California] 9-12.NI.4 - Describe issues that impact network functionality.
  • [California] 9-12.DA.11 - Refine computational models to better represent the relationships among different elements of data collected from a phenomenon or process.
  • [California] 6.G.A.3 - Draw polygons in the coordinate plane given coordinates for the vertices; use coordinates to find the length of a side joining points with the same first coordinate or the same second coordinate. Apply these techniques in the context of solving real-world and mathematical problems.
  • [California] MS-ESS1-3 - Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system.
  • [California] P3.2 - By the end of grade twelve, students should be able to decompose complex real-world problems into manageable subproblems that could integrate existing solutions or procedures.
Competencies
  • Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.
  • Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.
  • Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.

Products

Students will create a symbolic art piece that represents their chosen changemaker's impact on inclusion and belonging, using mediums like dance, visual art, music, or textiles. They will compile a research portfolio documenting their exploration of historical and contemporary acts of kindness and inclusion. Additionally, students will write a narrative connecting their changemaker's story to their personal experiences and craft a Spark Statement outlining a specific action to foster a more welcoming school environment. These products will be showcased during the Social Justice Storytelling Night and “We Create...” Gallery, highlighting their learning journey and commitment to positive change.

Launch

Begin the project with the "Passing the Flame" circle, where students share personal stories of feeling welcomed or included, fostering emotional connections and storytelling skills. Introduce historical "sparks of humanity" through an engaging multimedia presentation that highlights moments of kindness and inclusion during challenging times. This launch sets the stage for the project by establishing a compassionate lens and encouraging students to notice and create small acts of change in their own communities.

Exhibition

The Social Justice Storytelling Night and “We Create...” Gallery will serve as a vibrant platform for students to exhibit their work. Students will present their symbolic art pieces, research portfolios, and narrative stories to families, peers, teachers, and community members. The exhibition will invite visitors to engage with the students' reflections on kindness and inclusion, encouraging a dialogue on how these values can foster a more welcoming school community. Through this public sharing, students will demonstrate their growth in communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.