LESSON PLAN

Grade: K-12 Lesson Title: Family Sharing Duration: 1hr over the span of several weeks

Overview of lesson

This lesson would be used for students to bring in members of their families, or someone special in
their life to share their identity with the class. For some students, this may be a special object that
has been passed down for generations, traditional food, a story, a picture, music etc. There will be 5
days chosen (one per week for one month) where parents, guardians, grandparents or anyone the
student wants can sign up and come in to help their child present their special object. Students who
are presenting that day are also encouraged to invite other family members to watch the
presentations if they would like. This lesson will also focus on teaching students how to ask
appropriate questions that are informative and not offensive. During these presentations, students
will most likely be exposed to different cultures and it is important that students are learning while
also being respectful to the students within their class and the families that come in.

Learning Objectives Teaching Strategies

“I can”…
● Demonstrate my ability ● Encouraging students to share their background, culture,
to speak, listen and family history etc. with their peers in order to celebrate
show respect to a and appreciate the diversity within the classroom.
different culture. ● Demonstrating and practicing with students what good
● Demonstrate my ability listening looks like when someone is presenting
to listen to my peers ● Demonstrating and practicing what an appropriate
and ask questions that question is and how to ask them to their peers.
are respectful and ● Utilize discussion in order to form a better understanding
appropriate. of the different cultures present within our classroom.
● Show respect to my ● While students are brainstorming their object, the teacher
classmates by listening can walk around formally assessing students, focusing on
and appreciating their helping students who may not have the home life that is
show & share. as applicable to this project as others (refugee students,
● Appreciate the students in foster care, students with divorced parents)
differences within my and help guide them in the right direction. If students
classroom and cannot think of anything, encourage them to discuss with
celebrate the diversity their parents or create a new item of importance.
within it. ● Introduce and demonstrate the idea of showing a
traditional food, song or dance for students who come
from another country as a way for them to feel confident
about their different cultures.

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 ● Encourage students who have divorced parents to choose
more than one object if that represents both their
parents.

Learning Resources / Material & Equipment

● Book (possible book: This is the Rope: A Story of the Great Migration)
● Popsicle sticks with students’ names
● Parent sign-up sheet/calendar

Assessment (formative/summative)

Formative
● Observing and listening to students during presentations to ensure they are being respectful
of their peers, using their best listening skills and practicing their appropriate question-
asking.
● Observing how students choose to present their special object—writing, speaking, drawing
etc. and looking at their literacy skills through this.
● Observing students’ passion and confidence throughout their presentation.

Summative
● Teacher can choose to make this project summative if they wish.For example evaluate
speaking and listening skills.

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Lesson Procedures

Introduction (10-15min.)

Optional:
● Read This is the Rope: A Story from the Great Migration
○ This story will introduce students to the concept of having an object that represents
them, their family, their background, their heritage etc.
■ Ask students if they have an object that they think helps define their identity
■ Have a conversation with students about how an object, food, dance, picture
etc. can be meaningful for their family, culture, background and history.
Option 2:
● Introduce students to the concept of a special object that represents their family (This could
be done by teacher demonstration/exemplar)
○ This can be a family heirloom that has been passed down, a food dish that the family
eats during special occasions, traditional clothing, a song, a dance, a photo etc.
○ Ask students if they can think of an object that represents them, their family or
culture
● Tell students our upcoming project will be for them to go home and talk to their family
about an item that represents their identity
○ Tell students that not every family will have an object, and that is okay. If students
do not have an object they can make one up/choose their own and explain how and
why it is important to them
● Tell students that once they have chosen an item and decided how they want to present it
they will be inviting their family in (if they can come) and the student will present with their
family member(s) in front of the class.

Body (__min.): main activities with differentiation

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 ● Have students start brainstorming ideas for their object.
● Tell students that they will be presenting these projects over the next 5 weeks and parents
will sign up for the day that works best for them
○ Because parents/guardians/family members are coming in we need to make sure
that each student and family gets a chance to present
● Tell students after each presentation we will only have time for 3 questions. Using popsicle
sticks the teacher will choose who asks a question. With each question there also needs to
be a compliment about the presentation.
● Have a conversation with students about what an appropriate question and compliment is.
○ Discuss the importance of asking questions that aren’t offensive etc.
■ Talk about how sometimes we think we are asking a nice question but it
actually is hurtful towards someone else so we must be mindful about the
types of questions we are asking.
○ Have students practice asking questions that are respectful
● At the end of each presentation the teacher will use popsicle sticks to choose three
students to ask one question and give one compliment to the presenter(s). The popsicle
sticks that are drawn will be put into another jar to ensure each student gets a chance to ask
a question and give a compliment for at least one presentation. This will also encourage
students who are not chosen for a question to speak to their peers on their own time—
lunch, recess, after school, on the bus—and get to know each other more.
●

Closure/ Reflection ( 3 min.)

● Tell students they will have class time to continue working on this project and they should
begin talking to family members to get information about their object.
● We will have 4 presentations once a week for 5 weeks.

Possible Pitfalls and Preventions

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Students who do not have family members who can attend
● Students will still be able to present without their family members, the teacher can help find
someone or the student can choose a friend to go up with them
Students who have divorced parents who do not get along, may not have one item which
represents both their parents
● Students will be encouraged to bring in more than one item if that is fitting or create a new
item they think represents their whole family
Students who have more than one person they want to bring in
● Students can bring in as many family members as they want, this is why we chose to have
only 4 students presenting on each scheduled day, as it allows the student to have as much
family as they want present
Parents/guardians/family members who cannot come in for any of the scheduled times
● If parents wish to come at another time the teacher can arrange this depending on their
schedule.
Parents/guardians/family members who cannot speak English
● They can use their own language! This will allow the student and their family to feel
involved and welcome in the classroom. This may also give the student confidence to
translate some of what their family member is saying to their peers.
Students who do not want to participate or present their project
● Students will be encouraged to present their project, however, in order to keep the
classroom a safe space for all students, no student will be pressured into presenting if they
choose not to. They will need to complete the project—with any differentiation—so the
teacher can see that it has been completed in order to formatively or summatively assess