<div><p>Bullying prevention starts with <b>helping young children understand and accept diversity</b>—the earlier the better. That's why your school team needs this ready-to-use resource, a simple, fun, and effective way to promote social acceptance in the critical early years of attitude development.</p><p>Perfect for K–2 classrooms, this book presents the field-tested, research-based Making Friends program, a toolbox of<b>adaptable, practical strategies that fit right into your regular school day. </b>You'll help students respect and accept each other's differences through three methods: 1) reading diversity-themed stories and conducting brief<b> whole-class discussions;</b>2) forming <b>small learning groups</b> that encourage children from diverse backgrounds to play and interact; and 3)<b>sharing the storybooks you read with families</b> so they can continue discussions at home. Aligned with DEC/NAEYC recommended practices and the English Language Arts Common Core State Standards, this proven program will boost students' social and academic skills as you create a welcoming, inclusive, and culturally responsive classroom.</p><p><b>USE THIS PROGRAM TO</b></p><ul><li>enrich your <b>existing classroom activities</b>—circle time, class discussion, cooperative play—with important lessons on social acceptance</li><li>strengthen students' <b>literacy skills</b> while they learn to accept and celebrate differences</li><li>support <b>friendships</b> among children of diverse abilities, backgrounds, and family structures</li><li>lay the groundwork for <b>bully-free school environments</b></li><li><b>choose books, toys, and other materials</b> that reflect our diverse world and give young children a sense of belonging</li><li>implement a <b>universal design for learning (UDL) </b>approach to address the needs of diverse learners</li><li><b>&quot;think on your feet&quot;</b> to work lessons on acceptance into small teachable moments and everyday conversations</li><li>increase the <b>home-school connection</b> with strategies parents can use with their children</li><li>strengthen understanding of how acceptance is developed through <b>reflective activities for teachers and school-wide teams</b></li></ul><p></p><p><b>PRACTICAL MATERIALS:</b> The book includes a complete package of reproducible, adaptable materials for implementing the Making Friends program, including a sample activity schedule, discussion guides, and forms to send home with families. You'll also get step-by-step directions on working the activities into your school day, extensive lists of diversity resources, vignettes that model positive interactions, and more.</p></div>