Special Awareness Days
November 24th - Celebrate Your Unique Talent Day
Introduction
Can you pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time?
Can you recite a poem, sing a song, or skip backwards?
Everyone has at least one talent. In the busy world of the classroom we might not realize that the quiet student at the back plays the tuba, or the person in the front row can whistle through her nose.
Our unique talents make us who we are. They show the world another side of us — what we like, what we can do, and what makes us feel good.
Although there is no record of when this unofficial day began, clearly it has existed for all time, as everyone has a unique talent- even if they don’t know what it is!
Activity Bursts
Grades K-2
Ask students to show you if they can:
- Curl their tongue
- Jump like a frog
- Whistle
- Meow like a cat
- Dance
Tell students that these are talents—special skills that have been learned. Explain that hockey players and soccer players and ballerinas and artists and actors and singers all have talents. It is what makes them special and unique.
Ask students to think about a talent they have. Invite them to talk about their talents, explaining that everyone has a special talent. Share yours with the class!
You may have to prompt students by asking:
Can you:
- play a musical instrument?
- dance?
- sing?
- draw, paint, or do another art form?
- do gymnastics?
- play a sport?
Don’t forget funny talents such as wiggling your ears, skipping with your eyes shut, barking like a dog, etc.
Invite students to talk to their families about their special talents.
If possible, set aside a specific time to share the class talents. Send a letter home inviting parents to join you!
Grades 3-5 and 6-8
Discuss the word unique. What does it mean? Why would anyone want to be unique?
Ask what students think of when they hear the word talent. What does it mean? Do they think everyone has at least one talent?
Ask students to talk about people who have a talent that they admire. Are they athletes? Scientists? Artists?
Explain that whether a talent is newsworthy like those of Olympic athletes or people on television talent shows, or whether it is the ability to quack like a duck, solve a Rubik’s cube or tuck your earlobe in your ear, unique talents make us just that —unique!
Set up a “Unique Talent”.’ show and invite students to share.
