Kindergarten Lesson: Family Customs/Traditions/CelebrationsGrading Period/Unit (CRM): 1st 9 weeks/CRM 2Estimated timeframe: 2 days

Lesson ComponentsLesson Objectives:Students will know: Learn key vocabulary terms. Understand that there are many different cultures in the United States. Learn how family customs, traditions, and celebrations help us learn about our culture and past. Identify family customs and traditions and explain their importance. Compare family customs and traditions.

Students will be able to : Illustrate and write about family customs and traditions and explain their importance. Discuss and illustrate two different types’ family customs or celebrations. Explain and describe in writing their favorite celebration. Use a graphic organizer to compare family celebration and customs.

Language Objectives:Students will listen, speak and write about customs and celebrations during whole group and independent/small group activities.

Standards (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills):K .12 Culture. The student understands the importance of family customs and traditions.

K.12A. describe and explain the importance of family customs and traditions K.12B compare family customs and traditions

K.15 Social studies skills. The student communicates in oral and visual forms family customs and traditions. K.15A express ideas orally based on knowledge and experiences

K.15B create and interpret visuals including pictures and mapsEssential Questions:How do people understand themselves through customs, celebrations and traditions?Enduring Understandings: People understand themselves and their families through customs, celebrations and traditions.

VocabularyEssential: customs/ costumbre, traditions/ tradiciones, celebrations/ celebracionesSupporting: culture/ cultura, past/ pasado, map/ mapa, location/ ubicación

Lesson PreparationDiscovery Education Streaming video How Customs and Heritage Shape Communities (16:00 mins.).http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=7F273E42-3E51-4025-BCF6-2B8FAB22E638&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=USWOW activity Dice-R-Cise http://curriculum.austinisd.org/pe_health/elem/K5teachers/k/index.html

Anchors of Support

© Austin ISD K Department, 2015/2016Page 1 of 9

Family Traditions Concept Web Family Traditions Shared Writing

Lesson CycleEngage

Creative Learning Initiative:CLI Strategy: StatuesProcedure● Preview read aloud to determine vocabulary and moments where students will connect to characters and events● Tell students that as you read, they are going to create frozen, silent, whole body statues to demonstrate their comprehension of the story.During the read aloud, ask students to: ○ Show on their faces how characters are feeling ○ Make a statue that represents a vocabulary word, based on the storyTopic: Cultural Celebrations, Beliefs, and Traditions CLI Strategy: Art TalkProcedure● Show image to the class. Give students time to silently reflect on what they notice.● Ask students to think about one word that describes the main feeling of the image,reminding students to respect each other’s interpretations of the image. Have studentsshare their word with the class before engaging in the class discussion.Reflection● Describe: What’s happening in this picture?● Analyze:What might the individuals be thinking / feeling? What can you infer about theindividuals’ relationships? What does this image communicate? What does the imagesay about this culture?● Relate:What does this image remind you of? How is your culture similar or different?

Lesson StagesSuggested BooksThe Relatives Came by Cynthia RylantThe Quilt Story by Tony Johnston and Tomie dePaolaThe Patchwork Quilt by Valerie FlournoyThe Josefina Story Quilt by Eleanor CoerrJust Us Women by Jeanette Franklin CainesKnots on A Counting Rope, by Bill Martin Jr.

Day 1:Read and discuss the book The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant or Just Us Women by Jeanette Franklin Caines. Ask students, “What are some of your family traditions? “ For example, how does your family celebrate specific holidays, birthday, first day of school, or vacations? Discuss by modeling a web about your own personal traditions, explain that traditions are things that your family has done for many years, for example, family reunion, July 4 fireworks, Memorial Day visit a gravesite, and make quilts for a

wedding.

© Austin ISD K Department, 2015/2016Page 2 of 9

Ask students what their traditions are and generate a class list. Role-play some traditions mentioned in during discussion: What do they look like, sound like, etc.? Demonstrate a tradition; pair share this with another student.

In addition to using a globe or world map, use Google Maps, to locate the various countries from which students’ traditions or customs originated. Show where they are in relation to the United States and where we are. Search for images showing how these same traditions are celebrated by people in other parts of the world . Exposure to an “internet search” is a vital skill for today’s student.

https://www.google.com/mapsStudent Task: Family Traditions Concept WebUsing the modeled concept map as an anchor of support, students will create their own family traditions/customs concept map. Students may use pictures and/or words, based on teacher preference. Students will refer back to this web on Day 2 to complete a writing assignment about their favorite family tradition.

Day 2: Traditions Are Special

Read The Quilt Story by: Tony Johnston and Tomie dePaola (or any other picture book about quilts and their special significance) Patchwork quilts are special because each square has a special meaning. The purpose of the quilt is determined before people begin working on them. Quilts are an important way that people pass down their customs and traditions. Often times, families or friends work together to create these special blankets. When the pieces are added together, all of the special

meanings form one big collection of memories. They are pieced together to signify a bond. We are going to create a “class quilt” to display, using our favorite family traditions. In our quilt, we will see how we are all alike and different at the same time. We will be able to use our “quilt” to compare and contrast our own traditions. It will be special because our traditions are important and meaningful to us. We are going to share our “patches” (pictures) with each other and join them together to make them even more special.

After the story, review the “family traditions web” from yesterday. Call on students to share some of the traditions they wrote about on their concept web. Shared Writing Opportunity: Select (3-5) students to come fill in the blanks on chart paper (prepared prior to lesson) “My family tradition is ____________. –name”

Student Task: Class Family Traditions QuiltInform students that they will select their favorite family tradition from their concept map. Using either white construction paper or the “My Favorite Family Tradition” writing page (see below) each student will illustrate and write about their family tradition. Once they are all finished, they can be joined together on Butcher Paper, to create the “quilt.” Have the students spend some time looking at the quilt. Point out the beauty that can be found by joining all of our special customs and traditions. Ask students to share their observations about how our traditions are alike and different

© Austin ISD K Department, 2015/2016Page 3 of 9

(Optional) Day 2:Read and discuss the book Knots on A Counting Rope, by Bill Martin Jr. Brainstorm and identify some traditions listed in the story. Describe and explain the importance of family customs and traditions, for example, explain that family traditions create good feeling and special memories, and they give one a sense of belonging.

Use a large world map, to discuss and explain that people who live in different places in the world might have the similar customs and traditions or that people in the same country or area may have different customs or traditions. Give some examples of different location, but same customs and traditions. Examples like England and France both celebrate Christmas. People in Israel and some people in the US celebrate Hanukah.

Another example, would be Mexico and the US both celebrate Independence Day, but on different days (Sept.16, July 4). Note to students that one of the special things about the US, is that lots of people from other countries come here to live and bring their traditions and holidays with them.

Differentiation StrategiesSpecial Education and English Language Learners: use pictures of customs, traditions, foods and celebrations that represent the student’s home language and American customs and traditions to help with understanding of similarities and difference. Locate where the student came from on a map and then discuss about the customs and traditions from this area. Use sentence stems to help students discuss. Provide a graphic organizer for looking at similarities and differences. Pre-teach the terms similar and different.

Extension for Learning: (Optional Class Project or Idea for Art Center) If used as a class project, you will want to send the information letter home at least 1-2 weeks prior to this unit. You might even want to ask for some donations of the various art supplies needed for the project. Send home a letter to parents asking them to talk about family traditions with their child and send a list of those the following school day. Request that they send a 1 or 2 photos showcasing their traditions. They may also include something, a trinket (not sentimental or valuable) which can be strung along a string to represent the traditions and customs in their family. (i.e a non-breakable ornament, a traditional craft, a replica of something sentimental)

Once they bring them to class, the students will use them to make “hanging classroom art” (pictured below) Using fabric scraps, string/yarn, beads, dry elbow noodles, pictures, tape, and any other trinkets the families send in, create a project where each strand of beads and pictures represents a student’s family traditions. When all the strands are

© Austin ISD K Department, 2015/2016Page 4 of 9

finished, hang them from a tree branch or decorative piece of wood (pictured below), above your “family tree” area.

http://fairydustteaching.com/2013/01/reggio-emilia-hanging-art/

Closure ActivityCompare and Contrast: Family TraditionsTeacher will model using a Venn diagram to compare and contrast favorite family traditions. Teacher uses their own (from web) for one side and a student’s favorite family tradition for the other side.

Students will complete their own Venn Diagram using their favorite tradition and one from a partner. Have students take turns sharing, with the class, what they learned about the differences and similarities their partner’s family traditions.

Check for Understanding (Evaluation)Formative:ObservationsWritingConcept WebsGraphic Organizers

Summative: Students select a family tradition to describe and explain its importance. Students will then compare and contrast the tradition they chose with classmates. Students may do this in journals, Venn diagrams, or orally.

College and Career ReadinessII. Diverse Human Perspectives and Experiences B. Factors that influence personal and group identities (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status) 6. Analyze how individual and group identities are established and change over time.

21st Century Skills

Global Awareness:

Understanding other nations and cultures, including the use of non-English languages

English Language Proficiency Standards2. The ELL listens to a variety of speakers including teachers, peers, and electronic media to gain an increasing level of comprehension of newly acquired language in all content areas.• (F) listen to and derive meaning from a variety of media such as audio tape, video, DVD, and CD ROM to build

and reinforce concept and language attainment;3. Cross-curricular second language acquisition/speaking. The ELL speaks in a variety of modes for a variety of purposes with an awareness of different language registers (formal/informal) using vocabulary with increasing fluency and accuracy in language arts and all content areas.• J. Respond orally to information presented in a wide variety of print, electronic, audio, and visual media to build

and reinforce concept and language attainment.

© Austin ISD K Department, 2015/2016Page 5 of 9

4 The ELL reads a variety of texts for a variety of purposes with an increasing level of comprehension in all content areas. ELLs may be at the beginning, intermediate, advanced, or advanced high stage of English language acquisition in reading.

(I) demonstrate English comprehension and expand reading skills by employing basic reading skills such as demonstrating understanding of supporting ideas and details in text and graphic sources, summarizing text, and

distinguishing main ideas from details commensurate with content area needs;

© Austin ISD K Department, 2015/2016Page 6 of 9

Name______________________________________ Date__________________________________________My Favorite Family Tradition

© Austin ISD K Department, 2015/2016Page 7 of 9

© Austin ISD K Department, 2015/2016Page 8 of 9

Name_______________________________________________ Date______________________________________________________

Mi tradición familiar favorita

© Austin ISD K Department, 2015/2016Page 9 of 9

Nombre_____________________________________ Fecha________________________________________