Definition: A friendship occurs when two or more people are able to experience respect, trust, and kindness in their relationship.
In short: Build bonds that last forever.
Summary: This is a heartwarming story about two girls who cross the racial divide by sitting together on the fence that separates white families from black families. The message of this book is that children aren’t racists like their parents. They don’t see color, only another kid to play with. If adults could see through children’s eyes we wouldn’t have racial conflict. The reading of the book is followed by a video montage that celebrates the progress of overcoming the racial divide in the U.S.A.
Lesson Objectives:
- Students will be motivated to examine their own views about racism. They will be more inclined to participate in interracial activities.
- Teachers can guide students in a discussion about racism, why it exists, how it shows up in their community, and what they can do to contribute to interracial harmony.
Guiding Questions:
- What is the purpose of the fence in the story?
- Why do you think Annie sat on the fence everyday?
- Does Clover’s mom approve of her daughter making friends with Annie? Explain your answer.
- “A fence was made for sitting on.” Who says that and what does it mean in this story?
- Do you think Annie and Clover care about a person’s skin color?
- How did the girls become friends?
- Do you have a friend whose skin color is different from yours? How did you become friends?
- What really matters is not a person’s skin color, but what they’re like inside. What does this mean to you?
- If you watched the video montage after the story ended, describe what you observed. Are the kids in the video from different races?
- A racist thinks that they can’t associate or be friends with someone whose skin color is different. What do you think?
