Susan Anne Rash
Syringa Elementary School
Pocatello, ID
89085

OBJECTIVE: The main objective is to promote certain social values in the classroom. The students will become more aware of their relationship to human rights in regards to equality, justice,fairness, civil rights, and social justice.

MATERIALS: The book The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson is needed. The story may be presented by reading the book, using a feltboard story, film, or pictures on an overhead projector.

INTRODUCTION: The ugly duckling is actually a swan egg which becomes mixed up with some duck eggs. When the cygnet hatches, his appearance is quite different. The cygnet is much bigger and is a different color.

As the cygnet is introduced to the other barnyard animals, they judge him and discriminate against him. Their judgements are based on appearance alone. Even his brothers and sisters tease him and his mother wishes he were miles away. The wild ducks said he could join them as long as he did not marry into their family.

And, of course, there is true justice in the end when he becomes a beautiful swan.

PROCEDURES: Discuss the story, The Ugly Duckling, with your class as a group. Have students describe the way the cygnet felt.

Ask:

1. Have you ever felt this way?

2. Have you felt alone because other children would not play with you?

3. Have other children ever laughed at you?

4. How should the other animals treat him?

Next, introduce vocabulary words. These words could include fairness, citizenship, and equality. Introduce these words as they would pertain to the story.

Ask:

1. Were the barnyard animals good citizens?

2. Were the animals fair?

3. Should they have treated the cygnet the same or equal, even though he was different?

FOLLOW-UP PROCEDURES: Have the students make their own book of the story. Illustrate the story on four pages. Help children with words, or they can write the beginning letters of the words.

Identify the differences between a duck and a swan by showing the children pictures or by taking a field trip to the local zoo.

On a piece of paper have the students draw a picture of the Ugly Duckling when he was treated unjustly. On the other side draw him when he becomes a swan and becomes "equal."