My Family

For me this is a fun topic to hit. But for many early education teachers this topic is nothing but a beginning of the year, let me finish getting organized topic. It is my hope to help make this topic a little more fun and exciting for both you and your students. As always if you have any ideas to go along with this topic please feel free to let me know!

Setting up your room This is the most important step in beginning this topic.

Ahead of time send a note home to parents asking them to send a family portrait to school for this topic. You may get a couple of photos from children who come from divorced families.
Using the pictures that the children bring to school construct a large house out of butcher paper and hang it on your bullitin board or on the inside of your classroom door. Within the windows of the house hang the childrens photos.
This makes a lovely display that you can leave up for the remainder of the year. Children love to show off their families to their friends and it also provides a comfort zone when feeling down.

In your Home Center you will want to provide as many different types of clothing possible for role playing family members. This mean old business suits for mom's and dad's, baby clothes for younger siblings, and clothes for those teenagers. Become creative in what you display in your Home Center. This is where you will see what life is like at home for your students!!!

For math and science you can lay out different types of spoons used in the kitchen. Have the children match the different styles. This can be done with any common household item.

Your appearance this week is a fun one. Come dressed up each day as a different member of the family. Here is a simple weekly plan for your dress: Monday: Dad...come dressed in a business suit or work clothes; Tuesday: Mom...come dressed ready for work or a long day of errands; Wednesday: younger siblings...dress up as the baby of the family; Thursday: teen siblings...drag out those old clothes and dress as wild as you can; Friday: come dressed as your children dress for school. Kids love this last day especially when I pull the hair up in pig tails!!!!

Art Ideas The most obvious ideas are sometimes the most fun for children.

Set out magazines, scissors, glue and construction paper. Allow children to flip through the magazines and cut out pictures of families and glue to paper. Display these inside your classroom for the week.

Draw your family and frame with construction paper. Allow the children to use their imaginations and draw their family including all members who reside with them. Hang these pictures outside your classroom for all to enjoy.

Leaf Family. Go outside and allow children to find three leaves. One large, one medium, one small. Glue the leaves in descending order on a piece of construction paper and allow children to draw facial features and limbs.

Paper Plate Family Masks. Supply each child with a paper plate wih eye holes cut in it. Set out different materials that can be used to create eyes, nose, mouth, ears and hair. Allow children to choose one member of their family and make a mask in their likeness.

Family Vacation postcards. Ask the children if they went any where special as a family during the summer. Supply each child with a half a piece of construction paper and have them draw a picture of their family in the vacation setting. Mail the postcards to their parents.

Language Ideas

The Three Bears. Read the story to your class and have the children act out the part of the bears. You get to be Goldilocks! Your children will have fun scaring you as you sleep in baby bear's bed!

Define the word family with your students. Remember that this definition is ever changing so include all different types of families.

Study family life from abroad. For instance study family life in Brazil and compare it to family life in America. Have the children draw the differences in a two sided picture.

Stay tuned for fun Science and Gross Motor activities!!!