Section Three

Welcome Page

Section One: Reframing the Narrative on Disability

Section Two: How to Include Students with Disabilities Year-Round

Section Three: Activities and Resources for Any Disability Celebration

Section Four: Four District-Recognized Disability/Inclusion Events and Ways to Celebrate

• Disability Awareness (Any Time)
• National Bullying Prevention Month and Unity Day (October)
• Inclusive Schools Week (First Week of December)
• Disability History Month (March)

In Section Four of this toolkit, you will find activities and resources that are tailored to specific disability and inclusion celebrations. This section (Section Three) focuses on activities and resources that can work for any event or celebration throughout the year, including the disability and inclusion celebrations described in Section Four or the awareness months and days listed on the Welcome Page.

Kindness Is My Superpower

This video is a read aloud of the book Kindness Is My Superpower. It is the story of a boy who learns that bullying and teasing makes others feel bad and that spreading kindness makes you and others feel good. Use these Simple Acts of Kindness Ideas from the book to inspire students to take action.

Chance the Therapy Dog Goes to Work

Based on a true story, this picture book tells the tale of Chance, who heads to work at his mom’s physical therapy office for the first time. He is excited to meet new friends, but he hesitates when he sees that the kids are using wheelchairs or acting differently than other kids he’s been around before. He finds himself afraid to even go near them so he doesn’t hurt or scare them. Eventually, Chance learns that their wheelchairs are just how they get around, and their loud noises or facial expressions are just how they communicate. In the end, they are just like everyone else!

Writing Prompts

Give students writing prompts related to accessibility, kindness, acceptance, inclusion and equity. These prompts can also be on printable cards or worksheets.

Teachers Pay Teachers Kindness Writing Prompts

Some sample prompts include:

• I can be a good friend by...
• I need a friend when...
• What does inclusion mean?
• I feel included when...
• I feel excluded when...
• I will be inclusive by...

Decorate Classroom Doors

Add messages of kindness, acceptance, accessibility, equity and inclusion to your classroom doors! Parent volunteers can decorate the doors, and the decoration can include contributions from students in the class.

Cover the door in butcher paper. Be sure to measure carefully and do not cover any windows in the door, door handles, doorknobs or doorstops. Add paper or 3D pieces that contribute to the theme. A fun idea is to utilize the space around the door as part of the design.

Schoolwide Art Project

Give all students the opportunity to create a piece for a schoolwide art project. Choose a theme for the project that promotes equity, accessibility, acceptance or inclusion. Get creative!

Sample themes:

• Rainbow or Kaleidoscope of Friends
• Inclusion means...
• I matter because...
• Where Everyone Belongs
• I will be inclusive by...
• Better Together

Every student can have a section to decorate in a large mural. The mural can be comprised of tiles/paper squares that create a larger picture or collaborative poster, or the mural can be made up of identical or similar shapes that fit the theme. Both types are pictured below.

Collect all student art and arrange the individual contributions into one large art piece. Display the art project on campus for everyone to see!

Note: If using shapes to create a mural, you can use a template, cut out the paper shapes and add them to a background made of butcher paper.

Here are some examples that have been used in Conejo Valley USD.

• Hot Air Balloons -- We Rise By Lifting Others
• Circles -- In the Circle, we are all Equal. No one is in Front • No one is Behind • No one is Above • No one is Below
• Fish -- We may all be different fish...but in this school, we swim together!

Classroom Art Project

Follow the same process for the schoolwide art project (see above), but on a scale for the classroom. Pick a theme that emphasizes friendship, kindness, acceptance and inclusion.

The example pictured has the theme All Hands on Deck for the Friend Ship!

Art & Creative Writing Prompts

Students can create a collage, video, art project, poem or essay to express what accessibility, acceptance, equity or inclusion mean to them. Display all the projects in a gallery.

Some examples of prompts are:

• What does inclusion mean?
• I feel included when...
• I can be a good ally by...
• How might it feel NOT to be included?
• What does it look like, feel like or sound like when someone really includes you?

An alternative idea for a quick classroom activity is to use a program like Google Jamboard that allows students to submit quick responses anonymously to a writing prompt or question.

Create Banners and Posters

Have students and student clubs create banners or posters about Kindness, Acceptance, Inclusion, Accessibility and Equity to display around campus. Banners can include space for students to add handwritten messages, and posters can be posted on campus or online.

Host a Speaker with a Disability at an Assembly

One of the best ways to center the voices and perspectives of people with disabilities in any disability or inclusion celebration is to have a disabled speaker or presenter at a school assembly. Presenters can be well known advocates, community leaders or students.

Exit Ticket

An exit ticket is a great way to assess and reinforce learning. The exit ticket is a question or prompt that is posed to all students prior to the ending of a class or learning activity. Students can write their answers on a slip of paper, index card or a printed exit ticket.

A great exit ticket strategy is 3-2-1: ask students to list three things they have learned, two things they liked and one question they still have. For additional ideas, check out this List of 10 Quick and Easy Exit Tickets for Any Lesson.

Here are some examples of exit ticket prompts for high school students.

• I wonder why...
• I didn't know that...
• I was surprised by...
• My key takeaway is...
• Today's topic was important because...
• I wish I could have said this in class today...

Hold a Poster Contest

Accept entries of student artwork for annual posters that recognize disability and inclusion celebrations. This can be done at the district or school level. Have administrators or community leaders judge the contest. Announce the winners and share the posters, either printed or virtual, around the district or at your school during celebrations or awareness events.

Host a Mix It Up Lunch

Ask students to move outside their comfort zones and connect with someone new at lunch. Check out this Mix It Up Lunch Guide for ideas on how to plan a successful event.

Inclusive Lunchtime Activities

Host inclusive lunchtime activities and games where all are welcome. Make sure that the activities are accessible or modified so that everyone can participate. ASB or student clubs can arrange the activities. Consult with students to find out what they would enjoy doing!

Inclusive Books Library Display

Your school librarian can set up a display of inclusive books in the library for any disability or inclusion celebration. Remember to center the voices of people with disabilities and include books written by disabled authors to ensure authentic representation. This list of children's books about disabilities is a good place to start.

Post About Events and Activities on Social Media

Sharing photos and information about disability and inclusive celebrations on social media are a great way to amplify the messages of acceptance, accessibility and inclusion, to educate the community and to promote school spirit and pride around disability issues.

Some disability awareness and inclusion events have social media kits created by sponsoring organizations with images, potential tweets and suggested hashtags. Feel free to create your own posts and tweets with photos, quotes and messages!

Be sure to make your hashtags inclusive by using #CamelCase, which is capitalizing the first letter of each word. This makes your hashtags accessible by anyone using a screen reader and easier to read for everyone. #AccessibleHashtags

Chalk Art

Create a Chalk Art Gallery where students and staff can work collaboratively on chalk art pictures that celebrate acceptance, accessibility, equity and inclusion.

This can be done before school, after school, during lunch or during class time. Choose a location with a lot of blacktop or concrete for the gallery of mini-murals.

Another idea is to hold a Chalk Your Walk Event. For this activity, students and staff can draw messages of kindness, acceptance,

inclusion and belonging on walkways around campus.

• Erin Bell, SEDAC Chair
  
• Jenny Crosby, Committee Chair, Newbury Park High School SEDAC Representative

• Lee Ann Holland, Committee Chair, SEDAC Member At Large, Colina Middle School SEDAC Representative
• Carole Shelton, SEDAC Member At Large
  

• Erin Bell, SEDAC Chair
  
• Jenny Crosby, Committee Chair, SEDAC Member At Large, Newbury Park High School SEDAC Representative

• Lee Ann Holland, Colina Middle School SEDAC Representative
• Nicole Johnson, Westlake Hills Elementary SEDAC Representative
• Shadi Khodavandloo, Newbury Park High School SEDAC Representative
• Trina Rodriguez, SEDAC Member At Large, Colina Middle School SEDAC Representative
• Carole Shelton, Rainbow Connection FEC & FRC