Minn and Jake Craft Lesson

Discussion:

Minn is having a hard time. She "feels pigtailed and lizardy and alone." She has just lost her true best friend, she's the tallest student in her class, one of her classmates made fun of her new red high-top sneakers, and she's the only one in class who is an only child. Have you ever felt like you were the only different person in class? Everybody has differences, and it is important to embrace the differences of others instead of trying to hide them. What are some things that make us different? Maybe our haircut isn't in "style" or maybe we can't afford the same style of shoes that everyone has to have. But this doesn't mean we need to feel ashamed. Have the kids talk about the things that they like about themselves, and what they like about their friends as well.

Activity:

Ok, so maybe this might seem a little cheesy, but I always thought that a good motto for kids is the "one put-down equals two put-ups". So, for the class activity we could have the kids make little "mailboxes" and then have the class write one another letters about reasons why they like each class member. I think this would also really tie in with the Valentines Day theme, especially since the characters in Minn and Jake are encouraged to make each other their own Valentine for the whole class, or to not bring any at all. I think this would be a really good activity to get kids to realize that differences make us unique and interesting, rather than a reason to feel embarrassed or maybe have someone else make fun of.