Open

Play the poem, Inaugural Poet Amanda Gorman reads "Talking Gets Us There" (YouTube), and then light the chalice. Once the chalice is lit, go around the room and check-in. If the group has an established check-in method, use that, or you can learn how to facilitate a "rose-bud-thorn check-in".

Read

Invite the children to share one thing they noticed about the story, Our Skin (YouTube). Ask follow-up questions and allow them time to process. 

Watch

Optional Supplemental Prop - Jar of multi-color/multi-flavor candy like the one in the video,Teaching Kids: Race, Ethnicity & Nationality (YouTube), ask students to sort the candy during or immediately after the video.

Do

Encourage students to share their projects and notice the different colors present in the room. If the class is homogeneous (all or mostly one race) point this out. beginning the conversation on who is in your congregation and who is missing.

Encourage the kids to think about who makes up their family and community.This is an ongoing conversation - your goal is to sow the seeds. 

• All About Me Self-Portrait Collage
• Multicultural Cut Outs
• Multicultural Construction Paper

Close

Explain to the children that your closing song will be, Color of Me Song (YouTube), a celebration of Black and Brown skin. By seeing color and celebrating the beauty of melanated skin we begin our anti-racism journey that will allow us to build a beloved community where our friends of the global majority feel safe and welcomed.

After the song, extinguish your chalice and ask child what’s one word that reflects how they feel about today’s lesson.

Take Home

After your session, provide parents with the PKTA Racism Discussion Guide (PDF), along with the explanation of what was discussed and share any heavy questions that may have been asked and how you approached them. Reinforce that the conversations may be uncomfortable but anti-racism work is a team effort and you’re there to help parents facilitate and navigate those tough conversations.