Mary Birdsell

Finding My World SEL Curriculum: 2-3 Research has determined that expanded social, emotional learning (SEL) enhances academic achievement. As a literature-based study with the Finding My World strong>> series, this inclusive 2-3 curriculum promotes SEL skill development by deepening students' understanding and acceptance of others through exposure to life experiences of individuals with disabilities living in their communities. Discussions and activities build student capacity in social-awareness as defined by CASEL. This Finding My World SEL program challenges second and third graders to think about their own feelings and actions as they follow a literature-based study with the Finding My World series. The Finding My World b> series presents six multi-culturally and geographically diverse nonfiction stories that give voice to children with disabilities and promote their equity within our communities. Inclusive stories offer students the opportunity to meet children and adults with disabilities. This includes children with autism, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, facial difference, arthrogryposis, and TAR syndrome. In addition, stories introduce adults who are nonverbal because of cerebral palsy and differently sight abled. The SEL Finding My World curriculum provides educators with background information, basic disability facts, guided reading questions, vocabulary, and three printable activity pages for each story. Also included are pre-and post-surveys to assess student self-awareness related to their perception of their peers with disabilities.

Finding My World DEI Curriculum: Grades 2-3 With the social acclaim that Everyone Matters, it is important for students today to learn about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). As a literature-based study with the Finding My World series, this inclusive 2-3 curriculum promotes DEI skill development by fostering student exposure to individuals living with disabilities and expanding their capacity to build relationships with all their peers. This Finding My World DEI program challenges second and third graders to think about their own feelings and actions as they follow a literature-based study with the Finding My World series. Offering diversity in culture and geography, the Finding My World series presents six unique nonfiction stories that give voice to children with disabilities and promote their equity within their communities. Inclusive stories offer students the opportunity to meet children and adults with disabilities. This includes children with autism, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, cerebral palsy, facial difference, arthrogryposis and TAR syndrome. In addition, stories introduce adults who are nonverbal because of cerebral palsy and differently sight abled. The DEI Finding My World curriculum compares and contrasts six pairs of books within the Finding My World series to provide educators with detailed context to facilitate students' understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion in relation to an identified DEI competency. In addition, a Reader's Theater script, discussion questions, and four printable activity pages (per pair) provide opportunities for fun interaction around these topics. Pre-and post-surveys to assess student self-awareness related to their perception of their peers with disabilities help the student integrate their learning into their own lives.

Research has determined that expanded social, emotional learning (SEL) enhances academic achievement. As a literature-based study, this curriculum compliments SEL skill development by deepening students' understanding and acceptance of themselves through exposure to life experiences of individuals with disabilities living in their communities. Discussions and activities build student capacity in self-awareness as defined by CASEL.For each SEL lesson, a book is linked to the self-awareness competency. Students gain context to develop competency capacities by reading the stories, learning background information, understanding different disability diagnoses, answering three styles of discussion questions, and completing activities.

With the social acclaim that Everyone Matters, it is important for students today to learn about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). As a literature-based study for kindergarten - grade 3, this curriculum compliments DEI skill development by fostering student exposure to individuals living with disabilities and expanding their capacity to build relationships with all their peers.The six Finding My Way books are organized in pairs for this DEI curriculum. Lessons link two books to explore a competency These include understanding implicit bias, cultural competency, promotion of civility, social justice development, and youth development. Students will gain context for each competency by reading the stories, learning background information, answering discussion questions, and completing activities

The Finding My Story Inclusive Afterschool: Grades 2-3 program includes each book's introduction, background information about the child in the story, and basic information about their disability. After reading the book and completing the activities, students write one sentence about themselves that connects them to that story. When students finish six sentences, they will have found their own story.

The Finding My Story Inclusive Afterschool Program: K-1 includes each book's introduction, background information about the child in the story, and basic information about their disability. After reading the book and completing the activities, students write one sentence about themselves that connects them to that story. When students finish six sentences, they will have found their own story.