Red Book Companion, Using Crayons to Teach Acceptance

This activity provides your students with a better understanding and acceptance of their peers and strengthens your classroom community. #kindnessnation #weholdthesetruths

The children’s book Red, by Michael Hall, is about a crayon labeled red, but is actually blue. Instead of accepting that he is blue, everyone is stuck on the label and tries to provide many interventions to try and get him to be red. It isn’t until a new crayon friend sees him for who he truly is and asks him to draw a blue ocean. Others realize they have been judging him all wrong and finally recognize that he is blue.

While this lesson pairs very well with this powerful book, it can also be done without the book when combined with a class discussion about making judgements and assumptions of others based on outward appearances.

To complete the activity, students write about what they believe people think about them based on what can be seen on the outside, and then share something they would like others to know about them on the inside. They can then color their crayon two different colors to represent their true colors. Different writing pages are provided to accommodate all grade levels. Blank writing pages are also included for students to write original responses. Teachers of older students may also consider omitting the student name on the crayon and making it more of an unknown author activity; so students may feel less self-conscious and possibly provide a more uninhibited answer.

I hope this lesson helps to promote dialogue and acceptance of students based on their inner qualities.

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