Anti- Bias Activities

CRACK THE EGG

"Crack the Egg" is an activity where we can learn about differences between each and every person out there. During this activity you will give the children either food coloring, or crayons to color the eggs with (depending on the age in which you are working with. For this particular blog, I will be talking about children between the ages of 3-5, so crayons or markers would work great for them.  After the children color the eggs and make their little egg people we then take a paper plate and crack the egg revealing what we have on the inside. The insides will of course, all be the same since an egg is an egg. Although they may look different on the outside, that doesn't mean that they are not the same on the inside. Teaching all of the children that although people may look different, that on the inside we are all the same. 

Children will respond to this activity in such  positive light that it will make you want to do it year after year. The children love being able to make their egg something of their own. Making it unique from every other egg that is in the room, just like themselves. Students usually (in this age range) make the egg to look like somebody that they know, (mother or father) or themselves. Which adds a personal aspect to the activity making it even better in the end. 

Two great books that I found that would really help reiterate the same but different concept that this activity has is a book called just that: Same, Same  but Different  by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw. Which is a book about two little boys who live on different sides of the world, but are pen pals. While writing to one another, they learn that they are not only similar in age and gender, but also in the activities that each other like to do. Then learning that although they may be on different sides of the world, and they may not speak the same language, or look the same, they are really the same. 

This book alone is a great opportunity to get children talking of all age groups about what they think the world is like in different countries. Do they ride busses like we do? Do they have pets? What is their favorite food? Do their parents stay home on weekend? Do they like to watch TV? Do they play sports? All questions which can be asked while reading this book and doing the activity. Leading directly into the idea that although we are different on the outside, we are really all the same. 

The second book that I would use in line with this activity would have to be, We're Different, We're the Same.  and We're all Wonderful by Bobbi Kates. Which is a books published by Sesame Street, with all of the fun loving characters that we all know. They use the characters and people from Sesame Street to talk about all of the difference that we may have in comparison to one another, but as the book goes on we realize that we are all the same. Just like with the Crack the Egg activity that I am using. The children love this book, mores than the other one, purely because they know the characters. Cartoon licensing at its finest. 

Because most of the children know the characters in this book, it makes them more open to learning about what they have to say, as opposed to the other ones. As strange as it sounds. They trust these characters and are willing to learn from them again and again. 

I am sure that by this point some of you may be wondering why I chose such a simple activity to represent bias. Well let me tell you, although the activity is simple there are so many different ways to do it. We can have different colored eggs, eggs from different species, eggs that we can eat, and eggs that we cannot eat, hard boiled eggs, and uncooked eggs. There are so many different types of ways that this "simple" project and activity can be put to work for hundred of children stretching across all age gaps. My project specifically has children drawing on their egg. Making it something of their own. Making it whatever color they want to. The children make their egg person so that no matter what egg they do have, all of the eggs will be different by the end, no two eggs will be the same, just like snowflakes, just like people. It is important that we understand differences in people and yet at the same time understand that although we may be different we are more similar than people realize. This activity will give the children a change to see us how similar by cracking open the egg to see what is on the inside, seeing that even though they are all different and unique on the outside, doesn't mean the they are on the inside. We will still want love and affection, we all still have basic human needs and human rights. We are all still human. 

According to the Roots and Wings textbook for this course, the best time to have an activity like this one would have to be during the age range of 3-4, as stated on page 17, as well as above. The reasoning for this is because "children are very aware of their skin color" and that "minority children are better at classifying faces by color." (York, pg 17) Showing that children, even this young are able to point out differences between one another, whether it be in the classroom or at home. With this, this give us our these of different but similar and an opportunity to change the way that children this young see people in the future, instead of just seeing a white face, or a yellow face, they will see a person, a human being with feelings and emotions. 

The theme of different but similar give leeway to three major goals from our Goals for Anti-Bias Curriculum, which are as follows:

1. Introduce children to other cultures 
1. This activity introduces children to other cultures by what we as teachers are able to bring to the table. Did we bring a variety of eggs? Or are we just letting the children color the eggs and make them their own? If we are doing this my way and having the children color their eggs and making them their own, then we have a variety of different looking eggs, where children will be able to share stories about what their egg lives are all about and what their eggs do when they are home, for work and if their egg people go to school. They will be able to tell us everything about their egg, which will either be a lot like them, or a completely different culture. Giving teachers the chance to talk about different cultures, as well as a students own cultural background. 
   
2. Promote Respect towards others. 

1. This activity is a great way to promote respect towards one another simply through cracking the egg. Once children see that the eggs are all the same on the inside, so begins the disunion of why it is important to be respectful to one another and why it is ever so important to be nice. There are no reasons to be mean, because whatever differences we may see in a person that we do not like don't matter since we are all the same on the inside
3. Help children live happily and cooperatively in a diverse world.
      1. "Crack The Egg" gives children  change to walk around and see which yolks came from which eggs and therefore see that, theirs isn't the only one that is similar to the rest of the class but that they are all the same. Giving the children a chance to talk amongst themselves about how they made their egg and how different their egg was from somebody else before it cracked gives them a chance to work tougher and talk about ways as to why it may be that we are all really similar on the inside. 
   
   

As far as the goals that are in our Roots and Wings book in chapter seven. This activity would fall within three of the four goals that are put on pages 138-142, and those goals are:

• Goal 2: Demonstrate comfortable, Empathetic integration with diversity among people.
• By:
• Accepting others who are different from oneself
• Appreciate characteristics of others. 
• Explore differences and similarities in a positive way.
• Recognize human similarities and differences and develop positive attitudes toward them
• Recognize that people have the same basic needs
• Recognize that people do things in different ways and have different lifestyles
•  Recognize that human differences make people unique and special
• Understand that all people deserve respect
• Show respect for all people
• Increase ones willingness to interact with diverse groups of people
• Experience human diversity in various ways. 
• Show increasing comfort with human diversity
• Goal 3: Think critically about bias.
• By:
• Recognize that some people have misconceptions about others. 
• Accept that unfair treatment because of differences is wrong
• Explore why people are discriminated against. 
• Put oneself in another persons situation
• Practice thinking before acting. 
• Recognize the concept of human rights
• Clarify ones misconceptions about human diversity
• Recognize the importance of not making judgements based on appearance. Recognize that people within a group are not all alike
• Think for oneself
• Distinguish right from wrong
• Goal 4: Stand up for oneself and others in the face of bias. 
• By:
• Recognize that people can work together to help each other
• Cooperate with others. 
• Generate solutions to problems
• Work cooperatively with others. 

All in all this is a great activity for children to learn about the differences and similarities that one may share with another through not only the "Crack the Egg" activity but also through the books. If you are wondering about the supplied that you may need for this activity here they are:

1. Eggs
2. Paper plates/Paper bowls
3. Markers/Crayons

The activity is really simple and really fun. I hope that you get a chance to create something like this and have a blast with it. If you do get a chance to do this I would love to see some pictures of those kiddos having tons of fun learning about one another and the world. 

 

York, Stacey. Roots & Wings: Affirming Culture in Early Childhood Programs. St. Paul, Minn.: Redleaf ;, 1991. Print.