THINKING ABOUT ABILITY AND IDENTITY

This thematic book set covers the topic of ability and identity, with a focus on how we are all different in many ways but also alike. The set opens the conversation of awareness of differences in mental and physical abilities-- recognizing that these differences do exist and that they can cause hardships and challenges. At the same time, this book set brings attention to the similarities among people, celebrating identity. In the end, it encourages the development of advocacy for self, allyship for others, and empathy for all.  
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Along with focusing on social-emotional standards (The CASEL 5), this thematic book set embeds English language arts standards where students complete timelines, compare and contrast characters, and practice identifying themes. Activities and discussion questions are suited for a 3rd through 6th-grade classroom audience and should be adjusted as appropriate for your grade level and students’ understanding. ​

To receive more information about the Ability and Identity book set and the activity guide, please click here.

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UTAH CORE STANDARDS FOR the ability and identity book SET

Each of the book sets and its activities are aligned to specific standards within the Reading and Speaking & Listening strands of the Utah Core Language Arts Standards for grades 3-6 and specific CASEL's SEL Core Competencies for grades 3-6. ​

see full list of standards by grade for this book set

english LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS
​FOR GRADE 4

ELA  ​Standard	Description
Speaking and Listening ​(4.SL.1)	Participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations Respectfully acknowledge and respond to comments and claims​
Reading ​(4.R.5)	Refer to details and evidence in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text
Reading (4.R.7)	​​Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text
Reading ​(4.R.9)	​​Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies
Reading ​(4.R.14)	​​Compare the treatment of similar themes and topics and patterns of events in stories, myths, and traditional literature from different cultures

casel 5 social-emotional
​core competencies for grade 4

Social-Emotional ​Competency	Description
Self-Awareness	Integrating personal and social identities Identifying personal, cultural, and linguistic assets​ Experiencing self-efficacy
Social Awareness	Taking others’ perspectives​ Demonstrating empathy and compassion Identifying diverse social norms, including unjust ones
Relationship Skills	Communicating effectively ​Practicing teamwork and collaborative problem-solving Standing up for the rights of others
Responsible Decision-Making	​Demonstrating curiosity and open-mindedness Identifying solutions for personal and social problems Reflecting on one’s role to promote personal, family, and community well-being