Making Friends

Ask students: Have you ever moved, or changed schools? If so, how did you feel? Were you scared or nervous? How did you make friends? How did others make it easy to be friends? Suggest that students make a commitment to approach three new people that might become new...

Different But the Same Too:

Ask students: How would you describe how unique you are? What do you like to eat? What language do you speak? Is there anything unique about your family or your culture? Now, think of someone who is different from you. How are you alike, and how are you different? Do...

Imagine How It Feels

Zeke is worried that that someone will call him names at his new school. Ask students to choose a partner. Each partner will think of a time when someone teased them or bullied them. Partners will share their experiences with each other and put themselves in the...

Confirm Predictions

Go back to the predictions made during the Picture Walk. Ask students if their predictions of what would happen in the story were right or not? Were they surprised?

Discuss the Story

Have you ever had a problem like Zeke’s? What is a bully? Are the kids who called Zeke the N-word at his old school bullies? What can Zeke do if he gets called names again? Do you think Zeke talked to his family about being called names? How do you know? As a class,...