"End Sameness"

In a random act of kindness, Cody bought me this: 

Side note: When I first opened the gift I thought the t-shirt said, "END SESAME" and I almost clocked Codes in the face. Close call.

RAK's are flattering for so many reasons, but coming from my oldest friend, this one really meant a lot. 

END SAMENESS.

Not so shockingly, this got me thinking. So I based my lesson plan for the The Creative Minds on the subject matter. More specifically, why it's important to celebrate our differences.

I asked the kids to read a number of famous speeches aloud. Aaand, I "might" have included a chapter of Charlotte's Web in the mix. Whatever. Wherever the passages came from, they all touted one common theme: RESPECT.

Each student had to write a paragraph in response to a different question. Isabel wrote this in reply to, "Why is it important to cultivate friendships with people who are different from you?"

When she shared hers with the class she read it first in English and then again in Spanish.

Gives me hope that if a 4th grader can feel like this, 
something right is happening in the Universe :)