I'm Unique, You're Unique and We Are All Beautiful

Open

Light the chalice and introduce the poem written by Nathalie Handal who is French-American of Palestinian descent. Read the poem and emphasize the final two lines:We are all different so doesn’t that mean we are the same? I mean it’s like heartbeats, we all share the same beats per minute but not exactly.

Discuss:
Are there any parts of the poem that sound like something you’ve heard or that make you curious?

Others Are Us by Nathalie Handal

Read

Discuss: There’s Only One You (YouTube) by Katherine Heling and Deborah Hembrook, illustrated by Rosie Butcher

  • What do you notice about the story?

  • Do you see yourself on certain pages?

  • How did the story make you feel?

  • What did the story make you wonder about?

Watch

Discuss: Sesame Street - What Makes People Specia? (YouTube)?

What is something that makes you special?

Do

What I Like About Me

Give the children paper and crayons and ask them to draw themselves or what they like about themselves.

Students will draw themselves and then circle things they like about themselves (3-5 minutes) and then share with the group, if they want to. Facilitator should model including qualities that cannot be “seen” such as “my warm loving heart” or “that I love doing puzzles”.

Close

Our closing poem, The Delight Song of Tsoai-talee is by Native American poet and author N. Scott Momady and it invites us to think about who we all are beyond just what we see in a mirror!

Encourage students to make “pictures in their minds” as you read the poem. At the end of the poem, repeat the last line“You see, I am alive, I am alive” as you extinguish the chalice.

Take Home

Activity

Create a list or collage or drawings of all the things that make each member of your family special and beautiful. Find a special place to display your collage.

Books Recommendations

  • All Because You Matter by Tami Charles, illustrated by Bryan Collier

  • I Am Enough by Grace Byers, illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo

  • The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael Lopez

  • I’m Gonna Like Me by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell

  • Drawn Together by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat

  • Only One you (YouTube) by Linda Kranz

  • Be You (YouTube) by Peter Reynolds