From the classroom of Cindy Duran (SDAWP 2021)
The animated version of Amanda Gorman’s poem “Talking Gets Us There” is part of PBS KIDS’ series Talking to Young Children About Race and Racism. The series includes resources to help navigate conversations about race and can serve as a springboard for classroom discussions and reflective writing.
Cindy Duran inspired her 4th graders to lift a line from the poem and write their own reflections after watching the video. The powerful piece below, written by one of her students, exemplifies what young people are capable of when given the opportunity.
“People have been treated unfairly; Just because of their race”
It starts way back
When our ancestors were as young as us
Treated like dirt just because of what color we saw
Their lives were sold away like bread from the market
To owners who have no care or thoughts for them
We signed a law and said, “Hurray!”
Yet the unfairness in treatment still happens today
People are still not given the same opportunity
All of their opinions still pushed away
Now as we get older our moment is here
To stop all this and say “Enough is Enough”
So our family and friends don’t have to keep suffering
It is now our turn to end this
View the lesson reel HERE.
Resources:
- Fall Into Writing Conference slide deck by SDAWP’s #USvsHate campaign team
- Kids Talk About Racism full episode from PBS KIDS with Amanda Gorman
- Talking to Young Children about Race and Racism series from PBS KIDS
More by Amanda Gorman:
- Change Sings: A Children’s Anthemresources from Teaching Books
- Something, Someday resources from Teaching Books
- Amanda Gorman reads Something, Someday
- Girls on the Rise — a new picture book available for preorder
- “The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country” resources from Teaching Books
- Amanda Gorman reads “The Hill We Climb”
- Call Us What We Carry: Poemsresources from Teaching Books
Related video:
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