Love is in the Hair, by Syrus Marcus Ware

Before reading ideas:

1. You can show the DVD, “That’s a Family” or read, “The Great Big Books of Families” by Mary Hoffman prior to the lesson to introduce family diversity.
2. There are all kinds of families.Some people have one parent, two dads, a mom and a dad, two moms, grandparents or aunties and uncles that look after them, foster parents, adoptive parents, step parents (you can explain these terms). How many of you have a small family with 2 or 3 people? a big family? siblings? pets? cousins close by or cousins far away that you visit?
3. This book is about a family with a new baby coming. Read the title and ask students what they think the book will be about.

Questions during reading:

1. Put up your hand if you have a baby in your family or if a new baby is on its way?
2. How many people like stories to help them sleep?
3. How did Uncle Jeff and Uncle Marcus show that they are a family? (They wove some of the threads of the pink bracelet into Uncle’s Marcus’ hair.)

Questions after reading

1. Carter’s two uncles are a family. What word describes two men who love each other? Did you know that two men and two women can get married in Canada?
2. What is your favourite memory? (Extension: students can make a drawing.)
3. What do you use to remember it? Do you have a photo, a picture you drew of it, a shell from a trip to the beach, a toy that reminds you of your birthday, a postcard from a trip, a bracelet that reminds you of a visit with a grandparent? (Extension: students can bring in their special things to share).

Follow-up:

1. Continue to read family diversity books throughout the year and try lessons from SOGI 123 and Welcoming Schools.