Embracing Our Uniqueness

Overview

This 30-minute read-aloud session focuses on helping 2nd-grade students recognize their own unique strengths and identities, inspired by Who You Were Made To Be by Joanna Gaines. Through interactive storytelling, modeling, and a differentiated writing activity, students will engage both literacy and social-emotional learning (SEL) skills aligned to Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and CASEL competencies.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Literacy:
- RL.2.2: Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.
- SL.2.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with peers about grade 2 topics and texts with appropriate turn-taking and listening.
- L.2.2: Demonstrate command of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL):
- Self-awareness: Recognize and identify individual strengths and characteristics.
- Self-expression: Use verbal and written language to communicate personal identity and feelings.
- Social awareness: Appreciate diverse qualities in classmates.

Materials

Who You Were Made To Be by Joanna Gaines (one copy for read-aloud)
Whiteboard and markers
Student worksheets with sentence starter: "I am made to be..."
Pencil and crayons/colored pencils
Differentiated tracing worksheet version (for targeted support)

Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction & Engagement (5 minutes)

Greet students and gather them in a comfortable reading area.
Briefly introduce the book: "Today, we’re going to hear a story about the amazing things that make each of us special — about who we were MADE to be."
Activate prior knowledge: Ask, "What does it mean to be yourself? What makes you, YOU?"
Set purpose: "As we listen, think about what the story says about being special and unique."

2. Read-Aloud Interactive Session (12 minutes)

Read Who You Were Made To Be aloud with expressive voice and visuals.
Pause strategically to ask reflective questions such as:
- "What do you think the author wants us to learn about ourselves?"
- "Have you ever felt like you weren’t sure who you were supposed to be? What did you do?"
- Encourage turn-taking responses, modeling respectful listening. (SL.2.1)
Emphasize vocabulary (e.g., identity, unique, strengths) and write these words on the board.
After reading, ask: "What is the big idea — what special message did the story share with us about being ‘made to be’?"

3. Modeling & Guided Writing (5 minutes)

On the board, model writing the sentence starter: "I am made to be..."
Think aloud while completing your sentence: "I am made to be kind because I care about my friends."
Emphasize capitalization and punctuation as you write. (L.2.2)
Invite students to share aloud one thing they think they might write using this sentence starter.

4. Independent/Differentiated Writing Activity (6 minutes)

Distribute the worksheet with the traced sentence starter for some students and blank lined worksheet for others.
Students complete the sentence: "I am made to be..." and illustrate their response.
Teachers circulate to provide support, encouragement, and positive feedback focused on student strengths and expression.

5. Sharing & SEL Reflection (2 minutes)

Invite 3-4 volunteers to share their sentences and drawings.
Affirm the uniqueness of each student’s response, fostering a celebratory classroom culture.
Conclude with: "Remember, just like the story said, YOU were made to be exactly who you are — and that is wonderful!"

Assessment

Formative: Observe active participation during read-aloud discussions and writing completions.
Writing: Evaluate worksheets for completion, sentence structure, and use of capitalization/punctuation.
SEL: Note students’ ability to articulate personal strengths and positive self-identification during sharing.

Standards Alignment Summary

Standard Type	Code	Description
Reading	CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.2	Recount stories and determine central message
Speaking & Listening	CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.1	Engage in collaborative conversations in grade 2 context
Language	CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.2	Capitalization, punctuation, and spelling in writing
SEL	CASEL Self-Awareness	Identify and express individual strengths
SEL	CASEL Social Awareness	Listen and respect diverse peers’ perspectives

Teacher’s Tips to Wow!

Before reading, invite students to bring a small personal item that makes them feel special or unique — connect this to identity during the story.
Use expressive body language and tone to breathe life into Joanna Gaines’s words.
Take a short video clip of students sharing their sentences to show growth in self-awareness and confidence over time.
Use affirming language when highlighting student responses, reinforcing positive self-esteem and inclusion.

This succinct, engaging read-aloud lesson weaves literacy and SEL seamlessly, nurturing confident, self-aware 2nd graders ready to celebrate who they were truly made to be.