Finding My Way DEI Curriculum

Finding My Way DEI Curriculum: K-3With the social acclaim that Everyone Matters, it is important for students today to learn about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). As a literature-based study with the Finding My Way series, this inclusive K-3 curriculum promotes DEI skill development by fostering student exposure to individuals living with disabilities and expanding their capacity to build relationships with all their peers. This Finding My Way DEI program challenges kindergarteners to third graders to think about their own feelings and actions as they follow a literature-based study with the Finding My Way series. The Finding My Way series presents six diverse nonfiction stories that give voice to children with disabilities and promote their equity within our communities. Inclusive stories offer students the opportunity to meet children and adults with disabilities. This includes children with autism, cerebral palsy, Spina bifida, Down syndrome, and congenital heart defect. In addition, stories introduce adults with Down syndrome, autism, and cerebral palsy along with family and community members. The DEI Finding My Way curriculum compares and contrasts six pairs of books within the Finding My Way series to provide educators with detailed context to facilitate students’ understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion in relationship to an identified DEI competency. In addition, discussion questions and three printable activity pages (per pair) provide opportunities for fun interaction around these topics. Pre-and post- surveys to assess student self-awareness related to their perception of their peers with disabilities help student integrate their learning into their own lives.  3