An entry lesson to gender identity that helps students learn how to be a good friend and to develop understanding and respect for people when their name and appearance change. Created by Bryan Gidinski. Curricular Connections (English Language Arts K-2). Big ideas: · Language and story can be a source of creativity and joy. · Stories and other texts help us learn about ourselves and our families. · Everyone has a unique story to share. · Through listening and speaking, we connect with others and share our world. Curricular Competencies:; · Use developmentally appropriate reading, listening, and viewing strategies to make meaning; · Engage actively as listeners, viewers, and readers, as appropriate, to develop understanding of self, identity, and community; · Recognize the importance of story in personal, family, and community identity; · Use personal experience and knowledge to connect to stories and other texts to make meaning; · Recognize the structure of story