Celebrating Inclusion of Children with Disabilities by Sharing Their Stories
School Visits
School Visits
Author, Jo Meserve Mach, loves to do virtual school visits. She has been traveling around the world since 2015 visiting students, educators and librarians.
The following lessons are available by requesting a school visit through Jo's email: jo.mach@findingmywaybooks.com
1. Let's Include Everyone
This lesson is about inclusion. It starts with a class discussion on what is inclusion and exclusion. It focuses on how others may have different interests and strengths but you can learn to appreciate each other’s’ differences.
Lesson outline: Introduction to Ethan, a young boy born with congenital heart disease that caused him to have some developmental delays.
Book reading: I Don’t Know If I Want a Puppy
Facilitated discussion asking students to share their interests and how their interests differ from their siblings.
Facilitated discussion to help students identify what Ethan unexpectedly learned about himself. Did this help him feel included?
2. Interviewing as a Technique for Writing Non-Fiction
This lesson provides students with a demonstration on how an interview can lead to writing a book. Finding My Way Books are all true stories and based on interviews with the children and parents involved in the books.
Lesson outline: The teacher will select a student to be interviewed by the author OR the class can be ‘interviewed’ by the author to find out about someone the students all know.
The author will ask questions and write down the information.
The author will show students the information that is written down and explain how a story for a book could be developed with the information that has been gathered. It will be emphasized that every child/individual has a fun story to tell. Facilitated discussion on what type of questions are most helpful during an interview.
If teacher is interested author will read aloud a Finding My Way book of his/her choice and share how it was written based on the interview process.
3. Making a Book
This lesson shares the process of how Finding My Way books are created.
Lesson Outline: Author will read aloud Kaitlyn Wants to See Ducks.
Kaitlyn was born with Down syndrome and she has twin sisters.
Author will show actual examples of the different steps taken in the creation of Kaitlyn Wants to See Ducks. This examples include notes, rough drafts, printed power point, design examples and the finished book. Students will be asked to guess the number of photographs taken to get the pictures needed for the book and how long it took to complete the book. Author will happily answer any student questions about making a book or being an author.
4. Finding a Job in your Community
This lesson introduces student to two concepts about finding a job they would like to do. First they will learn how their strengths and interests can lead to discovering what kind of job they would be good at doing. Second they will learn that every job is made up of tasks.
Lesson outline: Introduction to Poppin’ Joe, an adult born with Down syndrome and autism, who has his own business making/selling Kettle Korn.
Book reading: I Want to Be Like Poppin’ Joe.
Facilitated discussion on what Joe and his friend Dylan (a young boy born with Down syndrome) shared about their interests and strengths.
Facilitated discussion on the tasks included in making popcorn and growing plants (as described in the book.)
Follow up- Teacher to have students complete the following: identify their interests and strengths; based on interests and strengths identify a job they might like to do; identify three tasks within that job which they know they can do. A second Skype contact can be scheduled for students to present to author their assignment results.
5. Being A Bully or Teasing
This lesson shares a true story of cousins who like to tease each other. It provides a clear understanding of how teasing is different from bullying.
Lesson Outline: Author will read Marco and I Want to Play Ball
and facilitate a discussion to encourage students to identify
Students encouraged to identify what Marco and Isiah might have said or done if they were bullies. This will demonstrate the contrast between bullying and teasing.
Students are encouraged to share their personal experience with teasing and bullying.