Brittany Graft

Human Dignity
Title: We’re Different, We’re the Same

Author: Bobbi Jane Kates

Publisher: Random House

Date of Publication: October 13, 1992

Grade Level: Pre-K through 1st Grade

Genre: Non-fiction picture book

Summary: Sesame Street characters go along teaching us that we may look

different, but we are all the same. Our differences make us unique and we should

celebrate these differences, however on the inside every human is the same. Our

diversity is what make the world such an interesting and special place.

Style/Voice of author: The voice of the author is energetic and upbeat just like

the show Sesame Street. It is written in a way to engage young readers and also

parents as well.

Fits into this CST principle: God made each person differently on the outside but

the same on the inside. Every life is important and so are our differences.

Activity: Have students draw a portrait of themselves and ask them to pick out

one thing that makes them different from their classmates. Hang the drawings up

to show the class that it is okay that we are all different because uniqueness is

important.
Title: The Colors of Us

Author: Karen Katz

Publisher: Square Fish

Date of Publication: October 1, 2002

Grade Level: Pre-K through 2nd Grade

Genre: Realistic fiction picture book

Summary: Lena is a seven-year-old who wants to paint a portrait of herself and

wants to use brown paint. However, her mother wants her to go around the

neighborhood and realize that people and other things come in different shades

of brown because all humans are just a shade of brown or white. Opens children’s

eyes to diversity in ethnicities.

Style/Voice of author: Author’s tone is excited to show the diversity in skin color

and that all humans connect in a way that their skin is just a different shade of

brown and that we are all the same on the inside.

Fits into this CST principle: God made each person differently on the outside but

the same on the inside. Every life is important and so are our differences.

Activity: Buy white and brown eggs for the class to open. Have students crack

open their eggs to show that even though the eggs come in different colors, on

the inside, each are the same.

 Community
and the
Common God
Title: Look Where We Live: A First Book of Community Building

Author: Scot Ritchie

Publisher: Kids Can Press

Date of Publication: April 1, 2015

Grade Level: Pre-K through 2nd Grade

Genre: Non-fiction picture book

Summary: Five friends travel around their neighborhood to collect money for

their library and while doing so, they learn about the places and people who

reside in their community. They learn about people who are community helpers

and why their jobs are important for the community.

Style/Voice of author: The author, who is also the illustrator, created a cheerful

and engaging way to teach readers about common community staples and their

importance. All residencies are labeled throughout the book as well.

Fits into this CST principle: Since God made us to be a part of communities, it is

important to know what your community consists of and how we can all help one

another.

Activity: This is a super easy activity to do! Invite your local community helpers

such as policemen, firemen, doctors, etc. to come into your class and tell them

about how their jobs are important to the community.

Title: When I Grow Up

Author: Al Yankovic

Publisher: HarperCollins

Date of Publication: February 1, 2011

Grade Level: Pre-K through 3rd Grade

Genre: Realistic fictional picture book

Summary: Mrs. Krupp’s class is having Show-and-Tell time and Billy is excited

because this time they are sharing what they want to be when they grow up. Billy

tells his class a variety of careers he wants to pursue with a wild imagination.

Style/Voice of author: The author uses humor and charm to capture children’s

attention and to get them thinking of all the options they have when they grow

up.

Fits into this CST principle: God wants us to be active community members and to

help those in our community so it is important to get children thinking of jobs in

how they can do so.

Activity: Have a career day for your students! Either invite parents in to come and

talk about their careers or have children present what they want to do when they

grow up and how they can help their community someday!

 Rights and
Responsibilities
Title: I am a Living Thing

Author: Bobbie Kalman

Publisher: Crabtree Publishing

Date of Publication: October 28, 2007

Grade Level: 1st through 3rd Grade

Genre: Non-fictional picture book

Summary: This informative book helps children realize that as humans, we all

share the same basic needs. It also describes the characteristics that make

humans ‘living.’

Style/Voice of author: The author’s voice is informative while also engaging

readers in sharing with them what makes us living and what we need to survive.

Fits into this CST principle: Human dignity can only be protected when our rights

and needs are met. Every person has the same basic needs and rights.

Activity: This book can easily be tied to science! Discuss with your class what

makes things living and non-living, giving examples of both. Also, teach students

what humans need to survive and how those are similar and different to the

needs of other living things such as animals and plants.

Title: We are all Born Free

Author: Amnesty International

Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children’s Books

Date of Publication: May 3, 2016

Grade Level: 1st through 4th grade

Genre: Non-fiction

Summary: This book discusses Human Rights and the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights which protects all people from all countries. It is filled with

pictures, documents, and contributions from many people.

Style/Voice of author: There is no one specific author, however this collection is

very informative and explains human rights in kid’s terms.

Fits into CST principle: Every person has a fundamental right to life and to those

things that are required for human decency. This book discusses every human

right from food to shelter to clothing, etc.

Activity: Create this book into a writing prompt for later elementary level

students. Ask students what would happen if we took away some of the rights

discussed in this book, are there any rights we could live without, and maybe

come up with another right they think should be added for everyone across all

countries that may not already be in place.

Option for the
Poor and
Vulnerable
Title: Giraffes Can’t Dance

Author: Giles Andreae

Publisher: Cartwheel Books

Date of Publication: March 1, 2012

Grade Level: Pre-K through 3rd Grade

Genre: Fictional picture book

Summary: Gerald the giraffe wants nothing more than to dance, however he was

born with crooked knees and thin legs so he cannot dance like his friends. He then

gets some encouraging words from an unlikely friend and is finally able to dance.

Style/Voice of author: The author uses rhyming, music through the text and

energetic illustrations to inspire every child with dreams of doing something they

cannot.

Fits into this CST principle: The moral test of a society is how it treats its most

vulnerable members, including those with special needs. This book is about a

giraffe who may be different but is included by those around him.

Activity: It’s important to get children up and moving! Play music for children to

dance to, however continue to pause it and give them an example of something

they have to do such as only standing on one leg, putting their arms behind their

backs, or closing their eyes.

Title: We’ll Paint the Octopus Red

Author: Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen

Publisher: Woodbine House

Date of Publication: 1998

Grade Level: Kindergarten through 3rd Grade

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Summary: Emma awaits the birth of her new sibling and all the things she’ll do

with them. However, when the baby is born they tell Emma that her new baby

brother has down syndrome and that she can do all of the same things she had

planned but he might need some patience and help along the way.

Style/Voice of author: The author touches on a subject very carefully and this

book contains information while also telling the story. There are commonly asked

questions and answers about Down Syndrome at the end of the book as well.

Fits into CST principle: This book teaches children that just because someone may

have a disability or be a bit different, they can do a lot of the same things that any

other child could do.

Activity: If possible, get your students involved in a special education class or

event. This will broaden your students’ eyes to see that children with disabilities

can play and do some of the same things they can.

Participation
Title: Grace for President

Author: Kelly DiPucchio

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Date of Publication: March 6, 2012

Grade Level: 1st through 3rd Grade

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Summary: When Grace’s class learns that there has never been a female

president, she decides to be the first and immediately starts off her campaign and

is in her school’s mock election.

Style/Voice of author: The author introduces the American electoral system in a

fun way and also shows values such as hard work and courage.

Fits into CST principle: This book shows how people can participate in their

political society by voting or even running for an office of their community.

Activity: By tying in social studies, hold a class presidential election. Have

students who wish, create a campaign, have a debate, and have the other

students vote on who they think will be the best class president. This extends the

idea of voting by giving your students the opportunity to actually do it. If you have

a lot of volunteers, created a few different positions in which the students can run

for.
Title: M is for Money

Author: Michael Shoulders

Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press

Date of Publication: August 1, 2015

Grade Level: 3rd through 6th grade

Genre: Non-fiction

Summary: Using an alphabet format, this book goes through economic terms,

examples, and scenarios in kid’s terms. This book also discusses how we play a

part in the economy.

Style/Voice of author: The author uses rhymes and expository text to introduce

these new subjects to the readers in terms they will understand.

Fits into CST principle: This book goes along with participation because as

members in our community, we do play a part in our economic development and

it is important to know how the economy functions.

Activity: Create a store in your class! As rewards, hand out fake money to

students throughout the day. With this money, they can purchase little trinkets,

pencils, etc. from a class store. This shows students how money works, the basics

of the economy, and is a fun reward system overall.

Dignity of
Work and
Rights of
Workers
Title: Amelia’s Road

Author: Linda Jacobs Altman

Publisher: Lee & Low Books

Date of Publication: September 1, 1995

Grade Level: Kindergarten through 2nd Grade

Genre: Fictional picture book

Summary: Amelia is forced to move around because her father is a migrant farm

worker. She wants a stable home and has to help on the farms along her way.

Style/Voice of author: The author makes readers feel an appreciation for what

they have and that they do not have to work as hard as Amelia to help their

families.

Fits into CST principle: This books helps students realize all the efforts that some

workers have to put into their jobs and the appreciation that we should have for

these workers.

Activity: Create a class garden. In the spring, have your class plant seeds into cups

and take care of them. Then transfer the plants into the ground to collect

vegetables. This will show all the hard work that farmers put into the foods we

eat and create an appreciation for all the hard work done.
Title: Growing Up in Coal Country

Author: Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers

Date of Publication: September 27, 1999

Grade Level: 4th through 7th grade

Genre: Non-fiction

Summary: The author has gathered voices of those who migrated and worked in

northeastern PA. The story is about the long hours, little pay and hazardous work

conditions that the coal miners faced as well as the American story of immigrant

families working together to make a new life.

Style/Voice of author: This book is very honest and very real in order to show

how there were no rights of workers during this time but how things have

changed.

Fits into CST principle: This book shows how rights have changed since the time

of coal miners and how important it is to have these rights for workers in all

conditions.

Activity: Since this book is for an older audience, have a writing prompt in which

students must write a journal entry as if they were a child of a coal miner and how

their parent’s job affected them.

Stewardship of
Creation
Title: Let’s Take Care of the Earth

Author: Rozanne Lanczak Williams

Publisher: Creative Teaching Press

Date of Publication: 1994

Grade Level: Pre-K through Grade 1

Genre: Non-fictional picture book

Summary: This book is designed to explain to young readers why we have to take

care of our Earth and what we can do to help Earth.

Style/Voice of author: The author uses an engaging way to get readers to care

about the Earth and how they can do their part.

Fits into CST principle: The goods of the Earth are gifts from God and it is our

responsibility to take care of these goods and to protect Earth as best as we can,

especially since we are all users and consumers.

Activity: Recycle, recycle, recycle! It’s important for student to not only know how

to recycle, but the benefits of doing so. Teach the students how recycling works,

what they can recycle, and the benefits of recycling compared to throwing their

trash away normally.

Title: Care for Our World

Author: Karen S. Robbins

Publisher: Compendium Inc

Date of Publication: July 15, 2012

Grade Level: Pre-K through Grade 3

Genre: Non-fictional picture book

Summary: As students flip through the pages, they’ll encounter animals across

the globe. Along the way, they’ll learn about the importance of taking care of

plants, animals and even people and how they can do so.

Style/Voice of author: The author and illustrator so gently cover such an

important topic to create a respect for the nature around us.

Fits into CST principle: The goods and life of the Earth are gifts from God and it is

our responsibility to take care of these goods and to protect Earth as best as we

can, especially since we are all users and consumers.

Activity: Students will pick an endangered animal to research and find out why it

has become endangered and if there is anything, we as active protectors, can do

to help or spread awareness for others to help.

Solidarity
Title: Name Jar

Author: Yangsook Choi

Publisher: Dragonfly Books

Date of Publication: October 14, 2003

Grade Level: Pre-K through 2nd Grade

Genre: Realistic Fictional Picture Book

Summary: Unhei’s family moves to the United States and is the new kid in school.

On the first day, she is asked what her name is and she tells the class that she has

not decided on one yet. Her classmates help her by filling a glass with names for

her to pick from.

Style/Voice of author: The author uses a gentle way of introducing the fact that

readers will encounter people whose names are different or hard to pronounce

but it is most important to welcome them and show them respect regardless.

Fits into CST principle: It is important for us to respect global traditions and

differences, even if it is as simple as a name.

Activity: Explore names from around the world! Look up names to share with the

class and show them that even though they may not be able to pronounce them,

every name has a meaning and names make us all unique.

Title: Everybody Cooks Rice

Author: Norah Dooley

Publisher: Carolrhoda Books

Date of Publication: November 1, 1992

Grade Level: 1st through 3rd Grade

Genre: Fictional Picture Book/Cookbook

Summary: A child travels around his diverse neighborhood during dinner time

where he realizes that everyone cooks rice, but it’s different for every family in

how it is made.

Style/Voice of author: The author catches the readers’ attention with rich

vocabulary, rhyming, and overall well-written content.

Fits into CST principle: It is important for us to respect global traditions and

differences and for us to realize that we do share similar traits as others.

Activity: Capture your students’ attention with food. Prepare rice from different

cultures such as Mexican, Chinese, Spanish, etc. and have your students try the

various types of rice. Some of the recipes can even be found in the book! It’s a

great way to show your students how one similar food can be changed depending

on tradition and culture.

 Role of
Government
Title: Branches of Government

Author: John Hamilton

Publisher: Checkerboard Library

Date of Publication: September 1, 2004

Grade Level: 3rd and 4th Grade

Genre: Non-fictional/Informational

Summary: This books goes through the kid-friendly version of what the

government is, the branches, and the major parts of the American democracy.

Style/Voice of author: The author uses kid-friendly terms to describe the

government and its importance.

Fits into CST principle: This book offers detailed information on what the role of

the government is and how we fit into it as well.

Activity: Go further into detail of what each branch of the government can do and

why it is important. Also give examples of who is in that branch of government

today such as our president.

Title: One Vote, Two Votes, I Vote, You

Vote

Author: Bonnie Worth

Publisher: Random House

Date of Publication: July 26, 2016

Grade Level: Kindergarten through 3rd

Grade

Genre: Realistic fiction

Summary: The Cat in the Hat is back at it again to not only talk about voting but

also focuses on the American president and their roles. It discusses Election Day,

political parties, and much more.

Style/Voice of author: Though it is not by Dr. Seuss, this book uses his same way

with words and rhyming to teach students in a fun way about elections.

Fits into CST principle: It is important for students to not only know how their

government works but also how they can be proactive in their political

community by voting.

Activity: Visit Dr. Seuss’s website called Seussville where students can learn more

about this book and its content, play games based on it, and learn about other

books in this series.

Promotion of
Peace
Title: Peas on Earth

Author: Todd H. Doodler

Publisher: Robin Corey Books

Date of Publication: February 14, 2012

Grade Level: Pre-K

Genre: Fiction

Summary: Using a play on words, young readers can understand the basic

concepts of peace, respecting all people, and even being green.

Style/Voice of author: The charming voice of the author overall adds to the

quality of this book and adults will chuckle over some of the references along the

way as the children relate to the messages.

Fits into CST principle: It is important for us to explain peace and respect at a

young age so that the children grow up to be respectful and know how to get

along with all kinds of people.

Activity: Using bags of frozen peas, distribute them to the class. Have them share,

take, give peas to their classmates until all of the class has an even amount. This

will tie in math as they will be counting along the way.

Title: What Does Peace Feel Like?

Author: Vladimir Radunsky

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Date of Publication: November 1, 2003

Grade Level: Pre-K through 3rd Grade

Genre: Cultural picture book

Summary: This book takes readers around the world as children are asked what

peace means to them and what it feels like or looks like. Each opinion shows that

we all see peace as a similar subject but that the details vary upon personal

reasons such as gender, ethnicity, etc.

Style/Voice of author: The author chose to ask children from around the world

shows various viewpoints however ties them all together.

Fits into CST principle: For students to be able to promote peace, they must know

what peace is. This book gives great examples for students to be able to have a

better understanding on peace.

Activity: Give students a writing prompt in which they must describe what peace

means to them in their own words and what it feels like, looks like, etc.