Diversity - Wonder Bread and Beyond

You will need:

• Bread, Bread, Bread by Anne Morris

What to do:

• Read the book, then talk about all the different kinds of bread there are in the world. Ask the children what kind of bread they have at home.
• Encourage the children to bring in their families' own bread and/or bread recipes from home. Have a sampling to see how each kind of bread tastes.
• If you have time, make Navajo fry bread or tortillas with the children. (See bread recipe).

Open-ended Questions:

• Do you know the names of any other kinds of bread? What color/size/shape are the breads you know?
• Why do you think there are so many different kinds of bread?
• Can you say "bread" in another language?

Variations/Extensions:

• Invite parent volunteers to com to class and bake different kinds of bread with the children.
• Include different types of pretend bread in the housekeeping area.
• Have a bilingual staff member or parent teach the children how to say "bread" in another language.
• Teachers should be prepared to deal sensitively with children's comments about other cultures and ethnicities.

Related Resources:

• Everybody Bakes Bread by Norah Dooley
• Jalapeno Bagels by Natasha Wing
• Pan Dulce by Kathleen Contrera
• Pan, Pan, Pan, Gran Pan by Ina Cumpiano

Suggested Benchmarks:

• Foreign Languages - Developing awareness, sensitivity, and respect for culturally and linguistically diverse children and families through meaningful and authentic activities and interactions.