Family Hardships/Associated Feelings
Brittany Barto
C&I 371-Social Studies
Social Studies Unit: Families
Lesson: Family Hardships/Associated Feelings
Target Grade: Kindergarten
Essential Question: What makes a family?
Guiding Questions and Learning Objectives/Goals:
o Students will learn about various hardships families may face, including: divorce, having a sick/disabled family member, and the loss of a family member.
o Students will be able to act out different family hardships with the use of puppets.
o Students will learn that the there are various feelings associated with various types of family hardships, including sadness, anger, fear, etc.
o Students will be able act out different feelings associated with family hardships by using puppets.
o Students will be able to act out ways to manage their feelings and ways to communicate with others when using puppets.
o Students will learn of people who will help them at school.
Standards:
o Participate in activities that require the division of labor (classroom chores, cooperative learning, and family responsibilities).
o Describe different ways of expressing emotions and feelings.
o Demonstrate confidence in expressing one’s own beliefs and feelings.
o Identify similarities and differences in individuals (i.e. actions, feelings, appearance, abilities).
o Assess self and others’ behavior in a variety of groups and situations.
o Identify people who will help them at school.
o Exhibit an awareness that children grow up in different parts of the world with similar and different experiences.
o IV. Individual Development and Identity
o V. Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
Materials:
o Sick Family Member: Let My Colors Out- Courtney Filigenzi
o Loss of a Family Member: The Saddest Time- Norma Simon
Procedures (Activities/Assignments):
Day One
o For the first brainstorming session, I will have students think about various hardships families may go through that challenge the relationships within that family. I will make a list of these ideas on the whiteboard.
§ Students should come up with ideas, such as: divorce, separated families, remarriages of parents, families with a sick or disabled member, loss of a family member, family members with mental illness/depression, etc.
§ We will discuss what some of these hardships may mean if students may or may not have experienced them first-hand.
§ The hardships discussed will be used later in the lesson as part of an activity.
o For the second brainstorming session, I will have students think about the various feelings that may be associated with the different hardships families face. I will also make a list of the ideas students come up with on the board. This will provide a reference for students later on in the lesson.
§ Students should be able to think of various emotions that are associated with these hardships that may include sadness, anger, fear, etc.
§ We will discuss what all of these feelings may look like from person to person and what actions someone who feels these feelings might do.
Day Two
o After this read aloud, I will ask students:
§ What hardships did the family in the book face?
§ What feelings did the family or main character in the book represent?
§ How could you tell they were experience those feelings?
§ What did the family do to deal with the given situation?
§ As students give the answers to these questions, I will put a star next to the hardships and feelings they bring up so they can monitor where we have been.
o After this read aloud, I will ask students:
§ What hardships did the family in the book face?
§ What feelings did the family or main character in the book represent?
§ How could you tell they were experience those feelings?
§ What did the family do to deal with the given situation?
§ As students give the answers to these questions, I will put a star next to the hardships and feelings they bring up so they can monitor where we have been.
o After this read aloud, I will ask students:
§ What hardships did the family in the book face?
§ What feelings did the family or main character in the book represent?
§ How could you tell they were experience those feelings?
§ What did the family do to deal with the given situation?
§ As students give the answers to these questions, I will put a star next to the hardships and feelings they bring up so they can monitor where we have been.
Day Three
o Once students have planned out their skit, they can use puppets in the room to practice their skits.
Day Four
o After each presentation, I will ask students:
§ What family hardship was portrayed in this skit?
§ What feelings did the members of the family have in relation to the family hardship?
§ What did the family do in handling/dealing with the situation and communicating with one another to get through the hardship?
Assessment
C&I 371-Social Studies
Social Studies Unit: Families
Lesson: Family Hardships/Associated Feelings
Target Grade: Kindergarten
Essential Question: What makes a family?
Guiding Questions and Learning Objectives/Goals:
- What hardships might families face?
o Students will learn about various hardships families may face, including: divorce, having a sick/disabled family member, and the loss of a family member.
o Students will be able to act out different family hardships with the use of puppets.
- What feelings are associated with family hardships?
o Students will learn that the there are various feelings associated with various types of family hardships, including sadness, anger, fear, etc.
o Students will be able act out different feelings associated with family hardships by using puppets.
- What are can families do in times of family hardships?
o Students will be able to act out ways to manage their feelings and ways to communicate with others when using puppets.
o Students will learn of people who will help them at school.
Standards:
- MMSD Standards
o Participate in activities that require the division of labor (classroom chores, cooperative learning, and family responsibilities).
o Describe different ways of expressing emotions and feelings.
o Demonstrate confidence in expressing one’s own beliefs and feelings.
o Identify similarities and differences in individuals (i.e. actions, feelings, appearance, abilities).
o Assess self and others’ behavior in a variety of groups and situations.
o Identify people who will help them at school.
o Exhibit an awareness that children grow up in different parts of the world with similar and different experiences.
- NCSS Standards
o IV. Individual Development and Identity
o V. Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
Materials:
- Whiteboard/Markers
- Puppets/Puppet Area
- Writing sheet with box for drawing on top
- Read Alouds
o Sick Family Member: Let My Colors Out- Courtney Filigenzi
o Loss of a Family Member: The Saddest Time- Norma Simon
Procedures (Activities/Assignments):
Day One
- Brainstorming Activity
o For the first brainstorming session, I will have students think about various hardships families may go through that challenge the relationships within that family. I will make a list of these ideas on the whiteboard.
§ Students should come up with ideas, such as: divorce, separated families, remarriages of parents, families with a sick or disabled member, loss of a family member, family members with mental illness/depression, etc.
§ We will discuss what some of these hardships may mean if students may or may not have experienced them first-hand.
§ The hardships discussed will be used later in the lesson as part of an activity.
o For the second brainstorming session, I will have students think about the various feelings that may be associated with the different hardships families face. I will also make a list of the ideas students come up with on the board. This will provide a reference for students later on in the lesson.
§ Students should be able to think of various emotions that are associated with these hardships that may include sadness, anger, fear, etc.
§ We will discuss what all of these feelings may look like from person to person and what actions someone who feels these feelings might do.
Day Two
- Read Aloud- I Don’t Want to Talk About It by Jeanie Franz Ransom
o After this read aloud, I will ask students:
§ What hardships did the family in the book face?
§ What feelings did the family or main character in the book represent?
§ How could you tell they were experience those feelings?
§ What did the family do to deal with the given situation?
§ As students give the answers to these questions, I will put a star next to the hardships and feelings they bring up so they can monitor where we have been.
- Read Aloud- Let My Colors Out by Courtney Filigenzi
o After this read aloud, I will ask students:
§ What hardships did the family in the book face?
§ What feelings did the family or main character in the book represent?
§ How could you tell they were experience those feelings?
§ What did the family do to deal with the given situation?
§ As students give the answers to these questions, I will put a star next to the hardships and feelings they bring up so they can monitor where we have been.
- Read Aloud- The Saddest Time by Norma Simon
o After this read aloud, I will ask students:
§ What hardships did the family in the book face?
§ What feelings did the family or main character in the book represent?
§ How could you tell they were experience those feelings?
§ What did the family do to deal with the given situation?
§ As students give the answers to these questions, I will put a star next to the hardships and feelings they bring up so they can monitor where we have been.
Day Three
- Activity-Small Group Planning for Puppet Presentation
o Once students have planned out their skit, they can use puppets in the room to practice their skits.
Day Four
- Activity-Small Group Puppet Presentations
o After each presentation, I will ask students:
§ What family hardship was portrayed in this skit?
§ What feelings did the members of the family have in relation to the family hardship?
§ What did the family do in handling/dealing with the situation and communicating with one another to get through the hardship?
- After the presentations and discussion after each one, I will have students think of what they can do if they ever find themselves facing a family hardship.
Assessment
- Informal
- Formal