Pink, Blue, & You

Celebrating LGBTQ Pride Month for 3-5

Encourage empathy and facilitate meaningful conversations with this interactive blend of classroom resources. These activities, readings, and videos, have been hand-picked for students in grades 3-5, introducing concepts that may have crossed their minds as they interact with the world–or even while they pick out an outfit for school. The first half of this playlist introduces varied perspectives that help to break down learned intolerance and insensitivity. Then, the second half focuses on the gender norms and roles that your students may already be familiar with. How do gendered stereotypes play out in your classroom?

Kids Meet... | HiHo Kids

What we love about the “Kids Meet” series is how honest it is. There is often discomfort in the unknown and these conversations show how that discomfort, confusion and even aversion can be transformed into empathetic understanding just by having a simple conversation. In each video, kids of a variety of ages and from a wide range of backgrounds sit down to have a casual talk with people from all walks of life, from a roboticist to a death row exoneree to a mime. We have highlighted 4 videos from this series in which kids meet with people who represent the LGBTQ community.

Kids Meet Kids Meet a Non-conforming Person

Kids Meet A Survivor of Gay Conversion Therapy

Kids Meet a Transgender Soldier

Beyond Bullied | Soul Pancake

Kheris Rogers took bullying and turned it into a brand at the age of 11 and now she travels around meeting other pre-teens who’ve been bullied to discuss their experiences. In this episode, she meets CJ, a gender-fluid 11 year old who became the youngest LGBT Pride Parade Grand Marshal in history last year. Now that CJ has become a nationally recognized LGBTQ activist, who has trained adult professionals in how to work with non-binary kids, he and Kheris engage in a heartfelt conversation that shows the intersectional nature of being seen as different. To learn more about CJ, check out this HuffPost article.

Gender, Sex, and Sexuality Explained | Newsela*

Since the language we use around gender and sexuality is always evolving, it’s important that students receive up to date definitions of important terms. This guide explains key terms related to gender identity, gender expression, pronoun usage, and sexuality. As with all Newsela articles, this one has differentiated versions of the text.

What’s So Bad About That’s So Gay? | Tolerance.org

Somewhere along the line, the phrase “That’s so gay” came to be the standard way to insult someone or describe something in a negative way and often people fail to see the harm in using the phrase. It’s time to break that habit and this activity can help students understand the implications of inappropriate language such as this. At the conclusion of the activity, students will develop
their own handbook of guidelines with the goal of establishing a more nurturing school environment for all.

The Color Purple

Stories that Define & Defy Gender Norms

Baby X | Jigsaw Ensemble

Meet Baby X, a baby born without gender. This fascinating animated video imagines the experience of growing up in a gendered world when one doesn’t fit perfectly into the boxes that society has built for us.

Gend-o-meter | Sex, Etc

Hear stories of gender stereotyping and identity from the mouths of young people. This video features interviews with several kids who are questioning and in some cases, defying gender norms. Includes a transcript of the video.

10,000 Dresses | Teaching Tolerance*

A young girl dreams of 10,000 beautiful dresses that she’d love to wear. The problem is, everyone around her regards her as a boy and tells her she can’t wear a dress. Read or listen to this short story as a way to introduce topics of gender identity and gender expression. This resource also includes analysis questions.

What Are Gender Stereotypes? | Teaching Tolerance*

In this lesson, students will discuss characteristics and behaviors that are stereotypically attributed to boys or girls think about characteristics they ascribe to either boys or girls to consider ways in which socially defined gender norms can be unfair.

Examining Gender Roles in Advertising | Welcoming Schools

Through this lesson plan, students will have an opportunity to identify and discuss traditional gender roles and what is considered to be stereotypical male and female behavior. Looking through magazines, students take notice of how the media influences our ideas of what is “normal.”

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Eboni Hogan

Content Specialist

Eboni has extensive experience in curriculum development, with a focus on culturally-responsive and arts-based approaches. Having spent years creating academic content and providing professional development to teachers, she now curates themed playlists meant to provide educators with valuable, time-saving resources.

Teacher Resources

What Does Gay Mean? | Welcoming Schools
Tips on how to navigate these kinds of discussions with younger students through direct and clear communication.

6-12 Year Olds Talk About Gays and Lesbians | Teaching Tolerance
There’s no such thing as too young to discuss identity and sexual orientation. This video proves they’re already formulating ideas and sharing information amongst themselves.

Mimi’s Mom | Teaching Tolerance
Engaging with LGBT parents

Rainbow Book List: Books for Children & Teens | glbtrt.ala.org

Common Core Standards

3.SL.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others? ideas and expressing their own clearly.

3.SL.4 Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience with appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace.

4.SL.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others? ideas and expressing their own clearly.

4.SL.4 Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

5.SL.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and texts, building on others? ideas and expressing their own clearly.

5.SL.4 Report on a topic or text or present an opinion, sequencing ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

Black History Month Teaching Playlists

Through interactive content, primary sources, lesson plans & articles, inspire students to think critically about how their actions contribute to a more equitable future.

For Grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Voting-Themed Teaching Playlists

Use these voting-themed blended learning teaching resources to help children of all ages understand the importance of voting and why their voice matters.

For Grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

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