Our World Down Syndrome Day Classroom Kit program has reached more than 150,000 students in more than 4,500 classrooms across the Minnesota and neighboring communities in Wisconsin, Iowa, and the Dakotas.
This FREE resource for teachers brings awareness about Down syndrome, celebrates human diversity and promotes inclusion and understanding. The kits teach students about Down syndrome, but more importantly, they include lessons on diversity, inclusion, kindness and acceptance. Each kit contains two books donated in a student's name to permanently keep in the classroom, as well as a packet of grade specific activities, lessons, and additional materials about Ds - as well as stickers, bracelets, and other fun ways to help kids celebrate World Down Syndrome Day.
Details on this year's books will be coming soon.
The last day to order is March 1st. Kits are FREE to teachers in Minnesota and communities within 25 miles of Minnesota's border. The kits are designed for students Pre-k through 5th grade. Parents can order the kit for their children's classrooms or teachers can order the kit directly.
Included
Included: A Book for ALL Children about Inclusion, Diversity, Disability, Equality and Empathy":
"Meet six wonderful kids. They love playing games, reading books, making stuff, and being silly. And like kids everywhere, they want to feel safe, loved, and included."
Author Jayneen Sanders is an experienced early years educator, author and publisher who is passionate about the empowerment of children. Her book, "Included', sets out to explore diversity and inclusion, and to ensure all kids understand that children with disabilities are just like kids everywhere - they have things they are good at and things they need to work on. And just like kids everywhere, they want to feel that they belong and that they matter.
This book provides readers with ways they can be more inclusive in their play and encourages the celebration of diversity in all its unique and wonderful forms. Children will come away with a growing understanding that people everywhere have differing abilities, and this only makes the world a more colorful, exciting, diverse and amazing place.