Lesson Plans: Family Unit Plan
Home || Resume || Lesson Plans || Philosophy || Education || Web quest || Blog || Presentations || Resources || About Me
Kady Milligan
Balanced Literacy Project
FAMILY
Appropriate for 2nd-3rd grade
Overview:
The purpose of this unit is to develop a basic understanding of the variety of families found in our society incorporating a balanced literacy approach. The issues to be investigated are:
· Students gain awareness of what constitutes a family
· Vocabulary related to the “family” theme
· Literature showcasing that families are made up with many factors affecting them: divorce, adoption, remarriage, single parents, grandparents as primary care giver, same-sex and foster parents
· All types of families love and care for each other
· The understanding of a family tree is created
Focus:
· To have students become aware of the different types of families that is present in our society by presenting various books and pictures to show the variety.
Materials:
· Children’s books on Family (see attached bibliography)
· Family tree handouts
· Construction paper
· Coat Hangers
· String
· Markers, Crayons, Glue
· Family pictures
· Word wall
· Interactive bulletin board
Initiating Activity:
· Pass out the family tree worksheet and have each student write down 3 things that comes to mind when they hear the word family. Teacher will draw a large tree on the board. Several students will be called on to write down their ideas inside the tree.
· Read the children’s book Me and my Family Tree by Joan Sweeney. This children’s book gives a brief explanation of how a person’s family tree is created. This book allows children to see that everyone in the world has a family tree and each is created differently.
· Introduce the “My Family Tree” interactive bulletin board. On the board will be an envelope with each students name on it. The teacher will first model who is in her family tree. One student will be chosen at random and will come up to the board and describe who is in their family tree and place the apples in the tree.
Content and Activities:
· Class Discussion
o Show pictures to class of different families
§ Example: single parent families, same-sexed families, multi cultured families, grandparents as caregivers, adoption
§ Explain each family
§ Explain that every family is created differently which makes us all unique
§ Discussion: Why do you think every family is created differently? What would our society be like if we all had the same families? List different members who could make up a family.
· Literature Circles
o Students will vote on two books from the family collection
o Read out loud both books
o Students will be split up into two groups and assigned a book that has been read to the class
o Students will identify important characters and 3 events or important parts in the story
o Each group will create a poster with information found in the story and present to the rest of the class
· I Love My Family Because...
o Read the story, “I Love My Family” by Wade Hudson
o Students will trace their hand on a piece of construction paper and glue it on to a long rectangular piece pre-made with the saying “I Love My Family Because…”
o On each of the five fingers, the students will write a reason why they love their family
· Mobile Families
o Each student will make their own family mobile. Each student will be given a coat hanger and pieces of construction paper and string to create their own. The students will draw pictures of each member in their family and cut it out and attach it to their coat hanger. On the opposite side, the student is to write one sentence to describe that person or something they enjoy doing with them.
§ Discussion: Students will share their mobile with the class and share what they wrote about each person. The goal of this activity is for the children to think positively of the members in their family. Why are families so important to us? Why do we need a family?
· Family Quilts
o Read The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco.
o We will have a class discussion about quilts. Students will be asked if anyone knows what a quilt is? Share pictures or bring in a quilt to share with the students. Tell the students that quilts are more than just a blanket, often times they are used to tell stories or to help remember people.
o Students will be making quilts of their own using different patterns. Show the students examples of patterns on the pictures of quilts and have them find different shapes used in the patterns.
o Students will each be given different colored squares to create their own pattern and make a quilt. Once the pieces are all glued on, the students will then draw a picture of their family on a separate piece of paper and attach it to the center of their quilt.
§ Discussion: How are our families different? How are they the same? How do you feel when you look at this family quilt? What is a pattern?
Reading Strategy:
§ RETELLING/STORY RETELLING BOXES
o The Relatives Came- by Cynthia Rylant
o I will explain to the students that we will be reading the story and it is important for them to pay close attention to the main ideas (setting, characters, plot, and personal connections) in the story.
o Each student will be given a piece of paper and will fold it, making 6 boxes. The students will draw a picture in the first box to represent what they think will happen.
o Teacher reads story stopping every so often to let kids draw and/or write a sentence about the story in each box.
o Students will then turn to a neighbor and share his/her pictures and sentences explaining what happened.
o Ask 2 or 3 students to retell what happened in the story based on their pictures and sentences.
Weekly/Daily time line:
· Day 1
o Family Tree worksheet
o Read Me and My Family Tree by Joan Sweeney
o Introduce bulletin board- teacher model, 1st student present their family tree
o Class discussion (present pictures of different families)
· Day 2
o Bulletin Board- 2 students present family tree
o Introduce Word Wall
o Read I Love My Family by Wade Hudson
o I Love My Family (hand activity)
· Day 3
o Bulletin Board- 2 students present family tree
o Review word wall vocabulary
o Read The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant
o Reading Strategy: Retelling/Retelling Story Boxes
o Mobile Families
· Day 4
o Bulletin Board- 2 students present family tree
o Review word wall vocabulary
o Read The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco.
o Make family quilts
· Day 5
o Bulletin Board- 2 students present family tree
o Review word wall vocabulary
o Wrap-up: have students choose which 2 family themed books to read
o Literature Circles: 2 groups (one group for each book)
Literacy Centers:
§ Word Wall: Vocabulary words associated with the family theme: mom, dad, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, grandma, grandpa, adoption, divorce, and family.
§ Interactive Bulletin Board: Each day 2 student’s names will be chosen at random. On the bulletin board will be Velcro apples with family vocabulary on them. The students name will be placed at the top of the tree then they will place the remaining apples on the tree to complete the family tree. The student will describe the members of their family and describe one thing they like doing with their family.
Literature Selections:
§ See Attached
Evaluation:
§ Teacher observation during the activities and tasks to check for understanding to make sure each student is on task and is at the level of understanding that is best suited for him/her
§ Discussion questions/class participation
§ Understanding of how to create a pattern
§ Retelling Story Boxes- 6 boxes completed with pictures and sentences
§ Group posters
"A good teacher is like a candle- it consumes itself to light the way for others."
-Author Unknown
Home || Resume || Lesson Plans || Philosophy || Education || Web quest || Blog || Presentations || Resources || About Me
Kady Milligan
Email:
mill2434@mail.plattsburgh.edu
Site Hosted By: SUNY Plattsburgh
Last Updated:
September 09, 2008
© 2008 Kady Milligan