My Family
Weekly Focus
Children learn about different types of families, family members, roles within families, and family traditions and celebrations.
Learning Objectives
- Identify family members and their relationships
- Recognize that families come in different sizes and structures
- Describe family roles and responsibilities
- Share family traditions and celebrations
- Practice counting family members
- Develop vocabulary related to families
Key Vocabulary
Materials Needed
- Chart paper and markers
- Family photos (requested from home)
- Art supplies (crayons, paper, scissors, glue)
- Books about families
- Dramatic play props (dolls, play kitchen, etc.)
- Materials for family trees
- Puppet families
- Blocks and figurines
Teacher Tip
Monday: Who Is In My Family?
Morning Circle
Introduce the theme "My Family." Read "The Family Book" by Todd Parr or a similar book about different types of families.
Literacy Activity
Children share their family photos and describe who is in their family. Create a language experience chart with children's descriptions.
Differentiation:
For emerging writers, scribe their words. For advanced students, encourage them to write simple words or sentences about their family.
Math Activity
Count family members. Create a graph showing how many people are in each child's family. Compare and discuss.
Art Activity
Family portraits: Children draw pictures of their families and dictate or write sentences about them.
Closing Circle
Share family portraits and discuss how families can be different but all families love and care for each other.
Assessment Strategies
- Observation of children's participation in family-themed activities
- Collection of work samples (family portraits, stories, 'helping hands' art)
- Documentation of children's descriptions of their families
- Photos of children engaged in dramatic play representing family roles
- Anecdotal notes on children's understanding of family concepts
Home Connection
Send home a family activity sheet that encourages parents/caregivers to:
- Share family photos and stories with their child
- Involve their child in a family tradition or routine
- Create a simple family tree together
- Discuss family roles and responsibilities
- Talk about ways family members help and care for each other