Social Studies Lesson Plan

Title: Different Family Types All Connected by Love

Grade: Two

Curriculum and Strand: Social Studies – Heritage & Identity Changing Family and Community Traditions

Lesson Description

· Introduction video (song) on family diversity to hook children while they are getting ready for the lesson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcpZKXPnbZs. A handout with lyrics will be on each student’s desk so they can follow or sing along.

· Begin by discussing ideas on families or practices, and write down children’s answers under the two columns on the chalkboard / whiteboard

· Read the Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman

· Refer back to the discussion chart. See if any ideas on families or practices change or if new ideas can be added from the story

· Focusing more on the idea of family and family structures, discuss the main components of family. Discuss more inclusive words or emotions / feelings associated with family (i.e. love or security)

· Love Makes a Family activity: students receive a blank piece of paper and coloring utensils to draw a picture of their immediate family. Four sentences describing family / family practices must also be included within the picture. Once all students are finished, attached pictures all together to form one large snapshot of an idea of family.

· Conclude lesson by focusing on the main points of diversity and love within family. Encourage students to discuss both points with their families at home.

Stage 1: Desired Results

Fundamental Concepts/Skills

1. Identify different forms of family or different practices that are important to family

2. Understand family diversity and what it means

3. Provided the correct tools to discuss family diversity

4. Family is based on a connectedness or a feeling, rather than specific members

Specific Expectations for this Lesson (from Ontario Curriculum)

A1.2 compare their family’s structure and some of their traditions and celebrations with those of their peers’ families (e.g., traditions/celebrations related to rites of passage, holidays, foods)

A2.6 communicate the results of their inquiries, using appropriate vocabulary

A3.1 identify and describe different types of families (e.g., families with one parent, two parents, no children; same-sex families; blended and multi- generational families; immigrant families; families where the parents come from different religious or ethnocultural groups)

A3.2 identify some different groups in their community (e.g., various religious and ethnocultural groups), and describe some of the ways in which they contribute to diversity in Canada)

Lesson Goals

· Identify family types

· Describe family using various emotions / feelings

· Connect learned knowledge to personal experience / situation

Background Knowledge

· Before expanding knowledge to involve family structures / practises, educator can take a lesson to help students explore individual identity.

· Focus on elements of identity, such as family role (ex. sister or a son), religion, citizenship, ethnicity, likes or dislikes

Stage 2: Planning Learning Experience and instruction

Resources

· The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZCCB0faXFE

· Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcpZKXPnbZs

Student Groupings

· Class Discussion incorporating chalkboard/whiteboard to initiate thinking and encourage students to consider family diversity

· Story book to provide main points on family diversity

· Picture drawing: to connect knowledge to personal experience

Instructional Strategies

· Class discussion for introduction, but children stay at their desks

· For story reading and book discussion, children join teacher on the group carpet

· Independent work for picture drawing

· Video (Song) to introduce the topic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcpZKXPnbZs

Materials

· Book: The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman

· Blank paper

· Coloring utensils

· Chalkboard / whiteboard

· Device to showcase the video

· Handout with song lyrics on them for students to follow along

Considerations/Accommodations

Presentation Accommodations:

· For students who may have difficultly listening to a reading, let them read independently or listen to an audio version

· Write instructions for activity on board, as well as verbally discussing them

Response Accommodation:

· For students who have difficulty spelling, leave chart / list from class discussion on board for activity

· Allow a scribe for students with IEP, who have trouble writing

Setting Accommodations:

· For class discussion portion, give students have trouble focusing a fidget toy to get energy out

· For story reading, strategically place students with hard-of-hearing or limited focus close to teacher

Assignment Accommodations:

· Children who have trouble writing, may write two sentences instead of four on assignment.

· If students need more time to complete assignment, they can take it home and bring back the next day

Stage 3: Learning Experience and Instruction

Motivational Hook (10 MINS.)

· Introduction video (song), which can be played 2 or 3 times, to orientate students with main lesson idea of family diversity

· Handouts with the lyrics are available to encourage students to follow or sing along to learn the song and help reinforce the normalcy of different family types.

Open (20 MINS.)

· Class discussion on families or practices, and write down children’s answers under the two columns on the chalkboard / whiteboard

· Read the Great Big Book of Family to showcase family diversity and give names to the various types of family

Body (40 MINS.)

· Revise the discussion around family by reviewing previous lists made by students. Create a new list of ideas of family / practices using previous or new ideas after reading the story.

· Compare and contrasts the two lists to view any changes in family knowledge.

· Prompt a discussion of family focusing on emotions / feelings (i.e. love or safety) associated with family, instead of typically thought of required members.

· Explain the assignment instructions: Students will receive a blank piece of paper where they are required to draw their family / practices and write four sentences describing family (i.e. what it means to you, the feelings it give you, what you like to do with family, etc.)

· Once the assignment is complete, teacher can combine all the photos to create one big snapshot on family revolving around love.

Close (5 MINS)

· Closing discussion on their main idea of diversity and love within families

· Encourage students to discussion topics with family at home to continue learning / the discussion outside of the classroom

· Students will be sent home with song lyrics from hook activity and a link to the YouTube video

Assessment

· Formative assignment for lesson

· Love Makes a Family will act as the assessment.

· Students will be marked on their completion of the work and their demonstrated understanding on family diversity through the identification of their family structure and the description of family they chose to write. Description is evaluated based on appropriate language and comprehension of their unique family practices or feelings associated with family.

Evaluation Method

· Picture is marked based on completion – checkmark if done

· Written component based on 4-level scale from social studies Ontario Curriculum. Desired results are a level three for knowledge / understanding, thinking, communication, and application.

Link for Future Lesson

· Build on the new knowledge of family structures / practices and branch out into the discussion of family traditions or celebrations based on ethnicity, religion, or global location.

· Ex: Christmas, Hanukah, or Eid

· Can discuss different family roles within each tradition, celebration, or practice

· Can discuss how traditions or practices have changed and evolved over time