Social Studies Unit Plan- Families

Kindergarten 2014
Kelley Wier
2-1Learning about Families
2-2Defining What Makes a Family
2-3Making a Family Tree
2-4....Sharing Family Activities
2-5....Gifts in my Family
2-6....Processing- My Family is Special Because

2.1 Learning about Families

& 2.2 Defining What Makes a Family
Subject: Social Studies Activity: Introduction/Preview
Number of students: 19

Setting: K general educ. classroom

Statement of
Objective:

Students will be able to begin understanding and noticing the differences and
similarities between families.

Materials:

Families by Ann Morris

Social Studies Alive! Big book
Chart paper and marker (Describing a family chart)
My Family is Page
Read aloud pages 6-9 of the Big Book to introduce the idea that every family is
special
How can you tell that these are families?
How can you tell that these people care about one another?
What are ways people in your family show they care about one another?
Talk about the word family- record answers on chart paper
What is a family?
How do people in a family feel about one another?
The members and sizes of a family vary from family to family
Read Aloud- Families by Ann Morris
What did you notice about the families in this book? What differences did
you notice? What things were the same in the families?
Add to chart paper
After reading the book, think more about the question, what is a family?
Is there anything we need to add?
There are families all around the world. Every family is different and
special. Families do things together. Every family is a group of people
who care about one another.
Model completing My Family is page
My Family is Page
Monitor and assist
Share out
Every family is different. Every family is special. We are going to learn
all about the families in our classroom and families around the world.
Every Family is Special- CD track 1 (if time)
Chart paper and My Family is.. page

Opening:

Presentation:

Guided Practice:

Individual practice:
Closing:

Assessment:

Accommodations:

2.3 Making a Family Tree
Subject: Social Studies Activity: Art extension
Number of students: 19

Setting: K general educ. classroom

Statement of
Objective:

Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of who makes up a family by

completing their own family tree activity.

Materials:

Social Studies Alive! Big book

Describing a Family chart paper to add to
Me and my Family Tree by Joan Sweeney
Family tree page and faces (for each student)
Read page 7 of the Big Book
How many people are in this family?
Who is in a family? (record answers on chart paper)
Read Aloud- Me and My Family Tree
What is a family tree?
Who is in a family? (record additional answers on chart paper)
How many people are in your family?
How does it feel to be a part of a family?

Opening:

Presentation:

Accommodations:

Guided Practice:

Individual practice:
Closing:

Assessment:

Are you the oldest? Youngest? Only?

Who lives in your house with you?
Model how to complete family tree
We are going to make family trees to display the information weve just
talked about
Children complete family tree page
Only include people who live in their house with them!

Help students put

names and title on
family tree if desired

Share out
Look at all the different families in our classrooms!
Congratulate students on completing a family tree
Completed family tree

2.4 Sharing Family Activities

Subject: Social Studies Activity: Read Aloud and discussion
Number of students: 19

Setting: K general educ. classroom

Statement of
Objective:

Students will be able to share what their family likes to do and compare these
activities with other family activities in the class.

Materials:

Social Studies Alive! Big book

Describing a Family chart paper to add to
Cliffords Day with Dad/Just Me and My Mom/Just Grandma and Me
My family likes to. Page (for each student)
Read page 8 of Big Book to introduce the idea that people in a family do things
together
What is happening in the pictures?
What are these families doing together?
What are some things you do with your family? (record ideas on chart
paper)
Read Aloud
What did the families in this book do together?
What are some of your favorite things to do with your family? (record
answers on chart paper)
Model completing My Family Likes to page
We will create a class book from these pages so that you can learn more
about what families in our class like to do together
Complete My Family Likes to page

Opening:

Presentation:

Guided Practice:

Individual practice:
Closing:

Assessment:

Accommodations:

Congratulate students on completing My Family Likes to page

We will be able to learn about all of the families in our classroom from
this classroom book
Graph family activities if time
On chart paper
My Family Likes to page

2.5 Gifts in my Family

Subject: Social Studies Activity: Read aloud and discussion
Number of students: 19

Setting: K general educ. classroom

Statement of
Objective:

Students will be able to identify what their family gives them and what they give
their family.

Materials:

Chrysanthemum
Grandpa Green
Describing a Family chart paper
Read page 9 of the big book

Opening:

Accommodations:

Another thing that makes families special is that each person brings
special gifts to the family
People in our families give us many things and help us in many ways.
We also give many things to our family and help them in many ways.
Brainstorm family gifts
What does your family give you? What do you give your family?
(record ideas on chart paper)
My mom gives me fun family memories. My brother gives me laughter.
I give my family kindness.
Read Aloud
In this story, what did the characters family give them?
What did the character give their family?
Discuss what a family gives us
Names, support, love, food, a home, laughter, hugs, read to us, help us
when we are hurt, help with homework, memories, fun, etc. (record
ideas)
Discuss what we give our family
Laughter, fun, love, hugs, etc.
Complete Family Gifts page
Monitor and assist
Write words for students
Share out
Share a special gift that your family gives you
Family Gifts page

Presentation:

Guided Practice:

Individual practice:

Closing:
Assessment:

2.6 Processing- My Family is Special Because

Subject: Social Studies Activity: Conclusion
Number of students: 19

Setting: K general educ. classroom

Statement of
Objective:

Students will be able to identify why their family is unique.

Materials:

The Family Book by Todd Parr

Yarn to split rug in half
Paper to graph information about our families
My family is special because page (one for each student)
Read big book pages 6-9
What have we learned about families? Review Describing a Family chart
paper
Read aloud- The Family Book
How are families the same?
How are families different?
What is special about your family?
Model completing human graph activity
We are going to do an activity to learn more about the families in our
classroom
Each side of the yarn will be a different category about families
If you hear something that is true about your family, move to that side of
the rug
Categorize information about family by making human graphs
I am the oldest child in my family: I am not the oldest child in my family
I have a brother or sister: I have no brothers or sisters
I have a grandparent living with me: I have no grandparents living with
me
I have fewer than four people in my family: I have more than four people
in my family
Review information gathered from human graph activity on a paper graph
Look at all the different families in our classroom! We have learned so
much about each other.

Opening:

Presentation:

Guided Practice:

Accommodations:

Each of us has a special family. Today we will draw and write about why our
family is special.
Individual practice:

Closing:
Assessment:

Complete My family is special because page

Model completing the page
Monitor and assist
Congratulate students on learning about families and recognizing why their family
is special
My family is special because page

___________________________________________________

s Family

My family is _______________.

My family likes to

Family Activities

My family likes to __________________

_______________________________________.

Family Gifts

My family gives me _____________________________________.

I give my family _________________________________________.

My Family is Special!

My family is special because _______________________

_______________________________________________________.

To my wonderful family,
You are so special to me!
____

_______________

________!

Love,
___________________

To my wonderful family,
You are so special to me!
____

_______________

________!

Love,
___________________