OPERATION SMILE THE BEAUTY OF BEING UNIQUE
INTRODUCING OPERATION SMILE TO STUDENTS
THE BEAUTY OF BEING UNIQUE
Lesson Audience
• Upper Elementary School
• Middle School
• High School
Objectives
The student will:
• Recognize the importance of a smile.
• Value different types of beauty.
• Understand the mission of Operation Smile.
• Develop an affective connection to a child who needs cleft surgery.
Materials & Vocabulary
Materials:
• The Beauty of Being Unique PowerPoint Presentation
• Video of a patient’s story (retrievable at www.OperationSmile.org)
• Smile Ticket reflection sheet
Vocabulary:
• Symmetrical
• Asymmetrical
• Facial Deformity
• Cleft Lip
• Cleft Palate
• Psychology
• Malnutrition
• Vitamin Deficiency
• Folic Acid
National Standards of Learning
Language Arts
• NL-ENG.K-12.4 Communication Skills
Students adjust their use of spoken language to communicate effectively with a variety of
audiences and for different purposes.
• NL-ENG.K-12.9 Multicultural Understanding
Students develop and understanding of and respect for diversity in language use, patterns, and
dialects across cultures, ethnic groups, geographic regions, and social roles.
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OPERATION SMILE THE BEAUTY OF BEING UNIQUE
• NL-ENG.k-12.11 Participating in Society
Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of
literacy communities.
• NL-ENG.K-12.12 Applying Language Skills
Students use spoken language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment,
persuasion, and the exchange of information).
Health
• NPH-H.K-4.7; NPH-H.5-8.7; NPH-H.9-12.7 Health Advocacy
Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.
Mathematics:
• Geometry Standard PreK-2; 3-5; 6-8
Students will use symmetry to analyze mathematical situations.
Introduction
1. Ask students the following questions:
• When you do not know someone very well, how do you act toward him or her?
• When you first meet a person, do you notice his or her differences? Based on those
differences, do you first tend to judge people by their physical appearance or their
inward character? Why?
2. Instruct students to turn to a neighbor and describe a time when they judged someone based on
physical appearance, were judge by their own physical appearance, or saw someone being
judged by his or her physical appearance. Describe the impact that judgment had on the person
being critiqued.
Procedure
3. Students should arrange their chairs in a circle to simulate the appropriate environment for a
Socratic Seminar.
4. Use the Beauty of Being Unique PowerPoint presentation to show students pictures of
“beautiful” people. Ask them what makes these people attractive. Brainstorm ideas, allowing
students to freely express themselves.
5. Continue using the PowerPoint by presenting students with a few pictures of shapes or simple
objects that have symmetry. Ask students what the items have in common, and lead them to
understand that each item is symmetrical. Ask for a volunteer to come to the screen and use his
or her finger to draw a line of symmetry on one of the objects.
To reinforce the concept of symmetry for younger students, play I Spy Something
Symmetrical. Model the game by saying, for example, “I spy something symmetrical; I
spy something symmetrical and with one line of symmetry; I spy something symmetrical,
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OPERATION SMILE THE BEAUTY OF BEING UNIQUE
with one line of symmetry that is brown; I spy something symmetrical, with one line of
symmetry, that is brown, and hard,” etc. until students guess that you spy the trapezoid-
shaped table. Next ask for a couple of volunteers to lead the game with the class.
6. Use the next slides in the PowerPoint Presentation to examine a couple more pictures of
symmetrical faces, and again ask students if they have any more ideas about what makes these
people beautiful, leading them to understand that beauty is often perceived based on
symmetrical features in one’s face.
7. Explain that according to research, beauty is often judged by facial symmetry. Studies have
shown that even babies spend more time staring at pictures of people with symmetrical faces.
Psychological studies have also shown that people with symmetrical faces are typically in better
mental and physical health compared to those with asymmetrical faces.
8. Having said this, further explain that beauty still goes beyond symmetry; that is just one theory.
For instance, in his research completed in 1999, John Manning from the University of Liverpool
in England reminds us that beauty differs across cultures. In China, small feet were considered
beautiful and women bound their feet to keep them tiny; and in England during Shakespeare’s
time, ankles were examined as a mark of beauty. Ask whether anyone knows of other ways
beauty is judged in different cultures.
9. Use the PowerPoint Presentation to show pictures of children from around the world who have
cleft lips and/or cleft palates. Tell students they will now examine photographs of children with
asymmetrical faces. Let students have a substantial amount of time to examine all of the
pictures, then ask the students the following questions, using the Socratic Seminar model for
discourse:
Opening Questions:
• What is the most important point to remember about beauty?
• What do you assume about the quality of life of the people you saw with symmetrical
faces?
• What do you assume about the quality of life of the children you saw with asymmetrical
faces?
Core Questions:
• Why do you think we do not see many children that look like the ones with
asymmetrical faces in our country?
• What is the purpose of looking at people with symmetrical and asymmetrical faces?
• The mother of a child with an asymmetrical face similar to the ones you saw in the
presentation said, “I want my son to be handsome.” Can you support a mother who
speaks about her child’s physical appearance as so important? Why?
Closing Questions:
• What do you think of when you see the children with asymmetrical faces?
• What do you believe people in their country think when they meet these children?
• What might school or social experiences be like for them? How may this compare to
your school or social experiences?
• Do you have any characteristics that make you different?
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OPERATION SMILE THE BEAUTY OF BEING UNIQUE
• How do people treat you because of your differences, and how do you want people to
treat you?
10. Make sure students understand that a symmetrical face does not mean someone is superior.
Ask them to express other qualities people may have that make them great. Lead them to
answers such as kindness, altruism/selflessness, empathy, the ability to love, etc.
11. Explain to the students that they were looking at pictures of children who were born with cleft
lips and cleft palates. Inquire whether anyone can explain what a cleft lip and cleft palate is.
Then, ask students to examine the lips of a classmate. Have volunteers describe the shape of
their peer’s lips. Continue to explain that people who have cleft lips have a gap in their lips and
gums. Further explain that a cleft palate is different from a cleft lip. Ask students to touch their
tongues to the roof of their mouths. Have volunteers describe what they feel when they rub
their tongues over this area. Explain to students that people with cleft palates have a hole in the
roof of their mouth. The exact causes of cleft lips and cleft palates are unknown, but scientists
believe when the mother is pregnant malnutrition, maternal illness, vitamin deficiency, smoking,
drinking, lack of folic acid, and genetics may contribute.
12. Next explain that Operation Smile is a charity organization that travels around the world to
perform free corrective surgery on children with facial deformities such as cleft lips and cleft
palates. Since Dr. William Magee and his wife Kathy founded Operation Smile in 1982, the
organization has provided free surgery to over 135,000 patients. Operation Smile has over 4000
medical volunteers, and a presence in over 51 countries around the globe. During an
international medical mission, 35 to 40 medical professionals from around the world volunteer
for a two-week period. On the first couple days of a mission, all children go through screening,
where they are given a free medical examination; and for some this is the first time they have
ever seen a doctor. After every child is screened, the team of volunteers determines which
children are the best candidates for surgery. Because there is not enough time or money to
provide surgery to every patient, many must be turned away. It takes as little as 45 minutes and
$240 to give a child cleft lip surgery, which will change his or her life forever.
13. Show students a video of a patient’s story. To access videos, go to the Operation Smile
homepage, www.OperationSmile.org. Click the top tab, “Living Proof” then click “Video
Stories.”
Prior to showing students, view the video to ensure it is appropriate for the grade level you are
teaching. The videos include brief snippets of a surgery in the operating room; suggest that
students who do not like watching such occurrences turn their heads at that time.
14. After watching the video, pose the following questions:
• What do you think these children and their families dream about?
• Why don’t all children born with clefts receive corrective surgery soon after birth, like they
do in developed countries?
Examples include: there are not enough qualified doctors in the country; families cannot
afford the surgery.
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OPERATION SMILE THE BEAUTY OF BEING UNIQUE
References
Psychological Research on “beauty”:
• The Beauty of Symmetry, by Elizabeth Snead
http://www.usaweekend.com/03_issues/030601/030601symmetry.html
• Looking Good: The Psychology and Biology of Beauty
http://sugarcubes.blogsome.com/2005/11/22/looking-good-the-psychology-and-biology-of-
beauty/
• What is beauty http://www.viewzone.com/faces33.html
Extension Activity
1. Ask students, “How can you help Operation Smile change the lives of children?” See the
attached sheet on service opportunities for additional ideas.
2. Have students determine a service project to complete individually, as a class, or as a school.
Lesson Evaluation
1. Provide students with the Smile Ticket reflection sheet to complete.
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OPERATION SMILE THE BEAUTY OF BEING UNIQUE
Name: ______________________
Date: ______________________
Smile Ticket
1. What excited you most about Operation Smile? Why?
2. What surprised you about what you learned?
3. Do you think you can help Operation Smile change the lives of children? Why or
why not?
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OPERATION SMILE THE BEAUTY OF BEING UNIQUE
TEACHING METHOD
SOCRATIC SEMINAR
In the spirit of the Greek philosopher, Socrates, the Socratic Seminar method urges
students to think divergently by participating in discussions with one another, without
seeking one finite answer to a question. Dialogues, devoid of prejudice and bias, begin after
students reflect on a rich reading, artwork, movie, or music. During discussions,
participants sit in a circle, and refrain from raising their hands throughout conversations.
The seminar facilitator should prepare three types of open ended questions prior to
beginning the discourse: Opening Questions, Core Questions, and Closing Questions.
o Questions that touch on major themes, ideas, or topics of the text.
• Opening Questions:
What would be a better title for this piece?
Do you agree or disagree that the author would say…?
What is the most important idea/theme/topic in this selection? Why?
o Questions to facilitate a deeper interpretation of the text.
• Core Questions:
o Questions often refer to specific passages, quotes, or ideas of the text.
What does the author/main character mean when (s)he says…?
What is the meaning of the passage/quote…?
Can you elaborate on what you mean?
o Questions that allow students to make personal connections to the text.
• Closing Questions:
How does this text relate to your life?
What are the future consequences?
How have your opinions changed?
Depending on the direction students take the discussion, the facilitator may not pose all
prepared questions. During the discussion, seminar participants should develop
meaningful, respectful, and reflective questions and conversations. Participants should
refer to each other by name, and maintain eye contact with the speaker.
Resources:
Studyguide.org: http://www.studyguide.org/socratic_seminar.htm
Going Socratic: http://www.hightechhigh.org/unboxed/issue3/going_socratic/
•
AVID: Socratic Seminar:
•
http://savanna.enschool.org/ourpages/auto/2009/2/19/43664135/Socratic%20Seminars.pdf
•
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OPERATION SMILE THE BEAUTY OF BEING UNIQUE
OPERATION SMILE
SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Youths of all ages can help change the lives of a child forever! The following are a few ways
You Can Help
students may want to support Operation Smile’s mission.
Tell your students about OS CENTRAL, Operation Smile’s online student community,
where they can connect with other students involved in Operation Smile around the world,
post blogs, discussions, videos, and much more! Access this community at
www.OSCENTRAL.org.
Start a STUDENT ASSOCIATION at your school. Use the attached club application form;
or find the most updated information on OS Central (www.OSCENTRAL.org). Simply click
“Find Club/Group,” scroll down to “Start an Operation Smile Student Club,” and follow the
instructions.
Create SMILE BAGS filled with small sized personal care items that every child receives
after surgery. The bags are 12 inches wide by 14 inches deep, and have a drawstring.
Operation Smile has a volunteer team that fills the Smile Bags and ensures that each child
on the same mission receives equivalent items. Please stay in the parameters of our
requests, because we do not have room to take additional items on missions. Smile Bags
include the following items:
• .85 to 1.4 oz shampoo (screw on top only)
• Small comb (no rat tails)
• New wash cloth
• Child size toothbrush (single pack)
• 8 pack box of crayons
• Thin 8 ½ x 11 coloring book
• Small stuffed animal (beanie baby size)
• Small square mirror (approximately 3’’x3’’)
• Sample size toothpaste (not expired)
• Hotel size bar of soap
Make QUILTS, BLANKETS, or AFGHANS for children to stay warm and comfortable at the
hospital and home. These items need to be child-sized (45’’x45’’, 54’’x54’’, or 45’’x54’’).
Preferred materials include cotton or light fleece, and quilts should have light batting.
Create GET WELL cards for our patients.
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OPERATION SMILE THE BEAUTY OF BEING UNIQUE
Collect supplies for our MEDICAL RECORDS volunteers. Operation Smile sets up a
complete office at each hospital site during missions. Most facilities cannot provide items
necessary to run the office successfully, so we bring our own supplies. The following items
are always needed:
• Flashlights and D Cell Batteries
• Bulk file folders (colored)
• Staplers (Bostitch or Swingline)
• Staple removers
• Large rubber bands
• 2 hole punch
• Clipboards
• Colored markers (10-12 packs)
• Highlighters (yellow, green, pink)
• 1’’ masking tape
• Blue and black ink pens
• Sandwich-size Ziploc bags
• Staples
• Scissors
• Scotch tape and dispensers
• Glue sticks
• White-out (correction pen/exactliner)
• Black Sharpie markers
• 55 gallon trash bags
• Pencil sharpeners
Receive DONATIONS from families, friends, or religious congregations by giving speeches
about the importance of Operation Smile, having a lemon-“aid” stand, or asking for
donations instead of gifts on holidays and Birthdays.
Have a donation jar in the cafeteria where students can put their EXTRA CHANGE in
order to help a child.
Put on a Talent Show FUNDRAISER, or comparable function, that benefits Operation
Smile.
Display STUDENTS’ ARTWORK and allow parents to attain their child’s creation by
donating money to Operation Smile.
Create and sign artwork to hang in the PATIENTS’ PLAYROOM at hospitals around the
world.
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OPERATION SMILE THE BEAUTY OF BEING UNIQUE
CONTACT
OPERATION SMILE
• Curriculum Questions
Suzanne Unger
Director of Curriculum, Operation Smile
(757) 321-7787
suzanne.unger@operationsmile.org
• Operation Smile Headquarters
Operation Smile
6435 Tidewater Drive
Norfolk, VA 23509
1-888-OPSMILE (888-677-6453)
1-757-321-SMILE (757-321-7645)
www.OperationSmile.org
• Supplies and Donations
Operation Smile accepts supply donations throughout the year. Make copies of the
blank inventory form included in this section of the lesson, and include one
completed inventory sheet per box. Place the inventory sheet on TOP of the box.
Inventory sheets should include the name, address, and telephone number of the
school or club designated to receive the letter of acknowledgment/receipt.
Shipments of multiple boxes should be numbered (ex: 1 of 3, 2 of 3, 3 of 3). Please
send supplies along with an inventory sheet to:
Operation Smile
ATTN: Warehouse
6435 Tidewater Drive
Norfolk, VA 23509
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Registration and Contact Verification Form
Operation Smile Student Programs
Please provide the following information in order for us to register your Student Club and/or
to update our records to keep you more efficiently informed of Student Programs events and
offerings.
Name of school/organization: _______________________________________________
Address of school/organization:______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Phone number of school/organization: _______________________________________
Grade levels: ____________What year did you start your Student Club: ___________________
Name of Student Club Advisor: ________________________________________
Phone number: _____________________ Email: __________________________________
The best way to contact you is by: __________ E-mail
__________ Regular Mail
__________ Telephone
Name of Student Club President: ________________________________________
Phone number: _____________________ Email: _______________________________
The best way to contact you is by: __________ E-mail
__________ Regular Mail
__________ Telephone
Please list some of your past fundraisers and any creative ideas you may have:
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
What are your goals for this year? ___________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Suggestions or comments:__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Mail the completed form to:
Operation Smile
Student Programs/CV
6435 Tidewater Drive
Norfolk, VA 23509
6435 Tidewater Drive ■ Norfolk, VA 23509 ■ 757.321.SMILE (7645) ■ Fax 757.321.7660
www.operationsmile.org
Revised 6/09
Supply Donation Inventory Sheet / Packing List
(Please include this sheet with each shipment)
Please complete the following information:
*******************************************************************
Contact person & title: ______________________________________________________
Business, School or Club name:________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________
City, state, zip: _________________________________________________________
Phone:___________________________ Alternate phone: _________________________
Email: _____________________________________________________________________
Item Quantity Item Quantity
Total Estimated Dollar Value of
Donation:
Thank you!
Your involvement with Operation Smile is greatly appreciated!
Thank you for your generous heart to heal children’s smiles and
transform lives across the globe!
6435 Tidewater Drive ■ Norfolk, VA 23509 ■ PHONE 757.321.SMILE (7645) ■ FAX 757.321.7660
www.operationsmile.org