Family Heritage

I.

Big Idea
Family Heritage; people come from all over the world

II.

Reference to PA and Common Core Standard(s)

6.1.1.C: Identify choice based on needs versus wants.
7.1.1.B: Describe places in geographic reference in physical features.

III.

Essential Question
Where does your family come from?
What is your heritage?

IV.

Lesson Objectives
The students will be able to correctly identify the United States on a
world map by coloring it in on a worksheet with 100% accuracy
Students will be able to verbally discuss reasons that would cause
someone to want to move from place to place

V.

Materials

Smart Board
Computer
Projector
Google Maps
From Here to There by Margery Cuyler, Illustrated by Yu Cha Pak
Pencils
Crayons
Chalkboard or white board
World map on the smart board
World map coloring page

**Students will be discussing family dynamics and various family cultures all
throughout the day. This lesson will take place over the course of two periods;
this part will be a continuation from the language arts lesson earlier. During the
first language arts period of the day the teacher will read Rene Has Two Last
Names and discuss how family is a part of who you are. The class will have a
discussion about what makes a family, and how some families are alike and
different. Students will use their family interviews to write three complete
sentences about their family. They will also incorporate information about their
families to make a family crest that reflects their familys interests and
uniqueness.

VI.

A. Introduction (10-15 minutes)

To continue from the lesson earlier in the day, the teacher will gather students
for story time and read From Here to There. The class will discuss that no matter
where you are in the world, you are still you. The discussion will cover how
sometimes people have to move from place to place, and the teacher will scribe
a list of students ideas on the Smart board. The teacher will then use this
information to talk about how even though we live in the United States, not
everyone was necessarily born here, or their families may not be originally from
the United States.
B. Lesson Development (25 minutes)
1. The teacher will first show the students a picture of a world map. The teacher
will point out the United States and show students how the country is made up
of the individual states that they live in.
2. Once discussion dies down, the teacher will then introduce Google Maps. The
teacher will show the students the map of the U.S. on the map and allow the
students to study the more realistic image. The teacher will point out
characteristics on the map such as bodies of water, or other countries.
3) The teacher will share their heritage with the students and locate the country
where their family originated from. The teacher will discuss how far or near this
country is to the U.S. and discuss potential reasons why her family wanted to
come to America. At this point, students will get the chance to share their
heritage and (with the help of the teacher) find a country their family may have
come from on the map.
4) Towards the end of the lesson, review with the students where the United
States is on the map. Have students go back to their seats, and distribute world
maps. Instruct the students to color the United States red, and the country
where their family originated a different color.
C. Closure/Summary
Ask students if they can remember any of the countries that were discussed
today. Find them on the map together as a class. Also, ask students to re-name
some reasons why people chose to move from place to place (jobs, different
freedoms, to be closer to family, to see new things, etc.)

VII.

Assessment/Evaluation
Students world maps will be collected. They will receive full credit if they
were able to correctly identify and color in the United States.
A checklist will keep track of student participation during the class
discussion. If a student is struggling to participate they can be evaluated
on their attentiveness and cooperative behavior.

VIII.

Adaptations, Modifications and Extension Activities

IX.

Gifted Students: These advanced students will be asked to identify at

least two other countries or bodies of water on their map. They will also
be encouraged to write up to five sentences about their familys heritage.
Students with visual impairments will be placed in the front row, closer to
the smart board to be able to better see the map.
If students struggle with fine motor capabilities they will be permitted to
color an enlarged map, or use a stamper to mark the country on their
map.

Interdisciplinary Connections
This lesson is connected to the writing activity from earlier in the day, but
could easily be extended into a variety of journal prompts such as If you
could live anywhere in the world or If you could travel anywhere in
the world, where would you go, and who would you want to take with
you?
Expanding off of the idea in From Here to There students could further
explore social studies by making a layered foldable such as the one
pictured below. It would include their house, their town, their state, and
their country. Gifted students could be asked to go a few steps further.
Additional materials such as construction paper, scissors, various sized
circle stencils, glue sticks, paper to draw pictures, and a brad would be
necessary.