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!!!