Faces of a Family
Lesson 3: Who's in a family?
Unit Essential Questions: What does family mean? How are families alike and different?
Lesson Essential Questions: What makes some families different from others and in what ways is your own family unique? How does having different kinds of families make the world and our community a richer place?
Time Needed: 2 class periods, about 40 minutes each
NCSS Standards:
· IV. Individual Development & Identity: Social studies programs should include experiences that
provide for the study of individual development and identity, so that the learner can
o Describe unique features of one’s nuclear and extended families
o Work independently and cooperatively to accomplish goals
MMSD Standards:
· Grade 1 Behavioral Sciences
o Describe how family members and friends provide for needs of love and respect
o Examine similarities and differences between family, community, and national traditions,
customs and celebrations
UW Teaching Standards:
Materials:
· List of ideas about what it means to be a family from previous lessons
· “Who’s in a Family?” by Robert Skutch
· Chart Paper
· Markers/crayons
· Post-it Notes
· Construction Paper
Objectives:
Students will
· Understand that families have different members and structures
· Discuss how differences in families make our world and community a better place
· Discuss and write about what makes their family unique
Lesson Context:
This is the third lesson in a unit on families and their similarities and differences. Previously, the students have discussed what it means to be a family, how their may be different perspectives on what it means to be a family, similarities and differences between families, and what it feels like to be left out of a situation. This lesson will discuss who is in a family and then will discuss unique traits of the students’ own families.
Lesson Opening:
· Refer to list of ideas about what it means to be a family
o Ask students if they have anything new they want to add to the list or if they have any
questions about any of the words on the list
o Today we are going to continue talking about families and how they are the same and
different. I have a book that talks about different people who are in a family.
Procedure:
· “Who’s in a Family?” Read-Aloud
o Front Cover
§ Who’s in a family? I want you to think in your head for three counts and then turn and
turn to your neighbor who is in your family.
o “A family can be made up in many different ways.”
§ Remember that we can use the pictures in a book to help us understand more of the
story. Here is a picture of a family playing in the pool. Here is a family with a daughter
and a dad.
o “Families are made up of people…Aunt Sue”
§ What does aunt mean? Aunt is a person that is either the brother or sister of your mom
or dad. Give example of your own aunt and tell how they are related to you to make
them your aunt. Ask for example and explain how that family member is their aunt.
o “Amina and Geitha live with their father. They love it when he puts on a puppet show for
them.”
§ Do you do any of these things with your family? What is a special thing that you like to
do with your family? Share with a partner and then whole group.
o “Laura and Kyle live with their mom, Joyce, her partner, Emily, and a poodle named Daisy.”
§ Has anyone heard the word partner before? What does it mean? Students may talk
about partners in class or other activities. Explain that this kind of partner is talking
about someone that lives with another adult and they might not be married. It also does
not have to be a man and a woman. It can be two women or two men. So it is kind of
like saying “wife” or “girlfriend.”
o “Who’s in a family? The people who love you the most!”
§ What do they mean by this? Share with a partner and then we will share with the whole
group.
§ Do we have anything to add to our idea list of what it means to be a family?
*The lesson could break here and continue at another time or day. The lesson could also continue right into the next activity.
· Talking about our families
o Let’s look back to the list of ideas we have created. What is a family? What makes some
families different from others? Give students time to share ideas.
o What would the world be like if families were the same? How does the fact that all of us come
from different families make our class a more interesting place? Give students time to share
ideas or can do a think, pair, share. Bring out ideas such as differences make the world more
interesting, we have a lot of things to learn about, not everyone is the same, etc.
o We have talked a lot about how families can be different. I want you to take a couple of
minutes and think about one thing that makes your family different. It can be a food you eat,
someone that is a part of your family, or a certain thing that you all like to do together. When
you think of it, I want you to write it on a post-it note and come stick it up on our chart paper.
I’m going to write at the top of this paper, “Our families are unique!” What does unique mean?
o Now I want you to pair up with your partner and each of you should share one thing that you
feel makes your family different and special. Talk about how you think that difference makes
you special.
§ Students are given a few minutes to write down their idea. If students need support in
writing, they can use their peers or an adult in the room.
o On construction paper with crayons or markers, draw a picture of you family. In your picture I
want you to show the one thing that you wrote down that makes your family special. Share
teacher example.
o Students are given time to draw pictures of their families. Circulate throughout the room and
urge students to include in their pictures the thing that makes their families unique.
o Come back to a whole group and have students share their pictures. Have students share what
makes their family unique. Find their post-it on the board and show picture as example.
Lesson Closure:
We have learned a lot about how families can be unique and how our own families are unique. How does having different kinds of families make the world and our community a better place? Be sure students touch on: everyone has something unique to offer, we are not all the same, it is more interesting, we can learn from each other, etc.
Assessment:
Students will be informally assessed on their drawings and discussion around their drawings about what makes their families unique. They will also be informally assessed on working cooperatively and independently to accomplish goals throughout the second part of the lesson. Finally, students will be informally assessed on their conversations about similarities and differences between families throughout the lesson by listening in on conversations and taking quick notes during whole group discussions.
Special Considerations:
Because this is a lot of new vocabulary, some students may need extra support. For English Language Learners, or anyone needing extra support, working with them to create a book of pictures of people from their families and labeling them with the correct vocabulary (ex. aunt, uncle, cousin) would be an extra support for these students.
Resources:
Anonymous. (n.d.). Talking about our families: Primary grades: K-2. Teaching Tolerance: A project of the
southern poverty law center. Retrieved at <http://www.tolerance.org/supplement/talking-about-our-
families-primary-grades-k-2>
I adapted the second part of my lesson from the activity found at this website. On the website, one can find an introduction to the lesson, this lesson, as well as a lesson for older elementary students. This site also gave me great ideas for lesson extensions, particularly for English Language Learners. There was also an additional extension activity that has student interview someone in their family to find out more about them. I have used the Teaching Tolerance website in general for many of my lessons and think it is a great resource.
Skutch, R. (1995). Who’s in a family? Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press
This picture book talks about different members of a family. It includes examples of homosexual, biracial, divorced, and even animal families. It also includes examples of what all families like to do together, which can be a great point of similarities between families. At the end of the book, the author ends with his message of, “Families are those who love you the most.” I used this book as a read-aloud during this lesson to discuss people who are in a family and to introduce new vocabulary to the students. Although I believe this book is at a middle elementary school level, I would still leave it available for students in the classroom library so that they could use it as a reference or silent read throughout the unit.
NCSS Standards:
· IV. Individual Development & Identity: Social studies programs should include experiences that
provide for the study of individual development and identity, so that the learner can
o Describe unique features of one’s nuclear and extended families
o Work independently and cooperatively to accomplish goals
MMSD Standards:
· Grade 1 Behavioral Sciences
o Describe how family members and friends provide for needs of love and respect
o Examine similarities and differences between family, community, and national traditions,
customs and celebrations
UW Teaching Standards:
Materials:
· List of ideas about what it means to be a family from previous lessons
· “Who’s in a Family?” by Robert Skutch
· Chart Paper
· Markers/crayons
· Post-it Notes
· Construction Paper
Objectives:
Students will
· Understand that families have different members and structures
· Discuss how differences in families make our world and community a better place
· Discuss and write about what makes their family unique
Lesson Context:
This is the third lesson in a unit on families and their similarities and differences. Previously, the students have discussed what it means to be a family, how their may be different perspectives on what it means to be a family, similarities and differences between families, and what it feels like to be left out of a situation. This lesson will discuss who is in a family and then will discuss unique traits of the students’ own families.
Lesson Opening:
· Refer to list of ideas about what it means to be a family
o Ask students if they have anything new they want to add to the list or if they have any
questions about any of the words on the list
o Today we are going to continue talking about families and how they are the same and
different. I have a book that talks about different people who are in a family.
Procedure:
· “Who’s in a Family?” Read-Aloud
o Front Cover
§ Who’s in a family? I want you to think in your head for three counts and then turn and
turn to your neighbor who is in your family.
o “A family can be made up in many different ways.”
§ Remember that we can use the pictures in a book to help us understand more of the
story. Here is a picture of a family playing in the pool. Here is a family with a daughter
and a dad.
o “Families are made up of people…Aunt Sue”
§ What does aunt mean? Aunt is a person that is either the brother or sister of your mom
or dad. Give example of your own aunt and tell how they are related to you to make
them your aunt. Ask for example and explain how that family member is their aunt.
o “Amina and Geitha live with their father. They love it when he puts on a puppet show for
them.”
§ Do you do any of these things with your family? What is a special thing that you like to
do with your family? Share with a partner and then whole group.
o “Laura and Kyle live with their mom, Joyce, her partner, Emily, and a poodle named Daisy.”
§ Has anyone heard the word partner before? What does it mean? Students may talk
about partners in class or other activities. Explain that this kind of partner is talking
about someone that lives with another adult and they might not be married. It also does
not have to be a man and a woman. It can be two women or two men. So it is kind of
like saying “wife” or “girlfriend.”
o “Who’s in a family? The people who love you the most!”
§ What do they mean by this? Share with a partner and then we will share with the whole
group.
§ Do we have anything to add to our idea list of what it means to be a family?
*The lesson could break here and continue at another time or day. The lesson could also continue right into the next activity.
· Talking about our families
o Let’s look back to the list of ideas we have created. What is a family? What makes some
families different from others? Give students time to share ideas.
o What would the world be like if families were the same? How does the fact that all of us come
from different families make our class a more interesting place? Give students time to share
ideas or can do a think, pair, share. Bring out ideas such as differences make the world more
interesting, we have a lot of things to learn about, not everyone is the same, etc.
o We have talked a lot about how families can be different. I want you to take a couple of
minutes and think about one thing that makes your family different. It can be a food you eat,
someone that is a part of your family, or a certain thing that you all like to do together. When
you think of it, I want you to write it on a post-it note and come stick it up on our chart paper.
I’m going to write at the top of this paper, “Our families are unique!” What does unique mean?
o Now I want you to pair up with your partner and each of you should share one thing that you
feel makes your family different and special. Talk about how you think that difference makes
you special.
§ Students are given a few minutes to write down their idea. If students need support in
writing, they can use their peers or an adult in the room.
o On construction paper with crayons or markers, draw a picture of you family. In your picture I
want you to show the one thing that you wrote down that makes your family special. Share
teacher example.
o Students are given time to draw pictures of their families. Circulate throughout the room and
urge students to include in their pictures the thing that makes their families unique.
o Come back to a whole group and have students share their pictures. Have students share what
makes their family unique. Find their post-it on the board and show picture as example.
Lesson Closure:
We have learned a lot about how families can be unique and how our own families are unique. How does having different kinds of families make the world and our community a better place? Be sure students touch on: everyone has something unique to offer, we are not all the same, it is more interesting, we can learn from each other, etc.
Assessment:
Students will be informally assessed on their drawings and discussion around their drawings about what makes their families unique. They will also be informally assessed on working cooperatively and independently to accomplish goals throughout the second part of the lesson. Finally, students will be informally assessed on their conversations about similarities and differences between families throughout the lesson by listening in on conversations and taking quick notes during whole group discussions.
Special Considerations:
Because this is a lot of new vocabulary, some students may need extra support. For English Language Learners, or anyone needing extra support, working with them to create a book of pictures of people from their families and labeling them with the correct vocabulary (ex. aunt, uncle, cousin) would be an extra support for these students.
Resources:
Anonymous. (n.d.). Talking about our families: Primary grades: K-2. Teaching Tolerance: A project of the
southern poverty law center. Retrieved at <http://www.tolerance.org/supplement/talking-about-our-
families-primary-grades-k-2>
I adapted the second part of my lesson from the activity found at this website. On the website, one can find an introduction to the lesson, this lesson, as well as a lesson for older elementary students. This site also gave me great ideas for lesson extensions, particularly for English Language Learners. There was also an additional extension activity that has student interview someone in their family to find out more about them. I have used the Teaching Tolerance website in general for many of my lessons and think it is a great resource.
Skutch, R. (1995). Who’s in a family? Berkeley, CA: Tricycle Press
This picture book talks about different members of a family. It includes examples of homosexual, biracial, divorced, and even animal families. It also includes examples of what all families like to do together, which can be a great point of similarities between families. At the end of the book, the author ends with his message of, “Families are those who love you the most.” I used this book as a read-aloud during this lesson to discuss people who are in a family and to introduce new vocabulary to the students. Although I believe this book is at a middle elementary school level, I would still leave it available for students in the classroom library so that they could use it as a reference or silent read throughout the unit.
