looking at family diversity using text to-self text to
TRANSCRIPT
Microsoft Word - Inside cover.docxSUGGESTED GRADE LEVEL: K –
2
LENGTH OF TIME: As a unit of four sessions of 45 minutes each (or individual 45 minute sessions.)
GOAL • To provide a look at family diversity through literature while developing reading
comprehension strategies.
OBJECTIVES • Students will develop skills to make connections to literature.
• Students will be able to identify common characteristics within all families.
• Students will learn that families have some similarities and some differences.
ACADEMIC STANDARDS • CCSS RL 1.1: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text. Also RL K.1 and RL 2.1.
• CCSS SL K.1, 1.1, 2.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten, grade 1 or grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
• CCSS SL 1.2: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media. Also SL K.2 and SL 2.2.
EDUCATORS’ NOTES The skill of making connections to and between pieces of literature is a critical skill for students to acquire as they progress through the grades. The early grades are an important time for students to develop this skill in a focused exercise with a familiar topic to students such as families. This mini- unit introduces the concept and allows the students to practice this skill while reading books that feature family diversity. The ideas for each day could be done individually instead of as a set of lessons.
MATERIALS NEEDED: Books featuring diverse families — 3 books for reading aloud and 5–7 for smaller reading circles, pencils, coloring tools (crayons, markers, colored pencils, computer drawing program), copies of the handouts Making Connections to Myself and Making Connections.
SUGGESTED BOOKS Choose three books that feature different family configurations and race or ethnicity.
• And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell (K – 1) Two dad family
• Antonio’s Card by Rigoberto Gonzales (K – 2) Two mom family
• The Family Book by Todd Parr (Pre-K – K) Many diverse families
w w w . w e l c o m i n g s c h o o l s . o r g G-7
• The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman (1 – 3) Many diverse families
• All Families Are Special by Norma Simon (1 – 3) Many diverse families
• We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past by Jacqueline Woodson (K – 2) Extended family
• Dear Child by John Farrell (Pre-K – K) Three families with a single dad, two moms, and a mom and dad
• I Love You Like Crazy Cakes by Rose Lewis (Pre-K –1) Adoption, single mom
• I Love Saturdays y Domingos, by Alma Flor Ada (K – 2) Multi-ethnic family
DAY ONE: TEXT-TO-SELF CONNECTIONS • Introduce the lesson by telling students we are going to read a book about something everyone
has. Everyone’s may look very different, but everyone in the classroom has one of these. Have students think, then share with a partner, and then brainstorm some ideas as a class for what the topic might be. (5 minutes)
• Read And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. This book tells the true story of two male penguins at the Central Park Zoo who want to build a family. (15 minutes)
• Ask the class to describe the family in the book. (Prompt your students to go beyond “there are two dads and a child.” Ask about qualities that they see in Roy and Silo as parents – caring, loving. Ask about things Roy and Silo do for Tango – feed her, kept her warm when she was in the egg.) (5 minutes)
• Ask the class to identify who lives with them or cares for them. Mention to the class that this could be family members, extended family like grandparents or aunts and uncles, other caregivers such as guardians, or close family friends. Ask students to compare their family to Roy, Silo, and Tango. Again ask your students to not just focus on concrete aspects of family such as smaller/larger, one mom or a mom and dad but also on qualities of families such as your family takes care of you or a family member plays with you. See attached Making Connections to Myself handout. (10 minutes)
• Introduce the term “text-to-self” connection and explain that all good readers are able to make these. Tell students they will be able to practice this skill throughout the week as you read more books about different kinds of families. (10 minutes)
DAY TWO: TEXT-TO-TEXT CONNECTIONS • Ask students to recall the story of And Tango Makes Three. Have students share their
responses with a partner. (5 minutes)
• Tell students that today we are going to read another book about families. Choose another book that includes a family who cares for their children. See suggested ideas above or for more ideas check out the All Kinds of Families Bibliography at www.welcomingschools.org. (15 minutes)
• Students can draw the family in the book (see attached Making Connections handout). (5 minutes)
w w w . w e l c o m i n g s c h o o l s . o r g G-8
• Have students review their personal family descriptions from the previous lesson to make comparisons between the family in the book that you just read and their own. Review the term “text-to-self” connection. (10 minutes)
• Ask students to compare how the family in the book that you just read is similar or different from Roy, Silo, and Tango. Tell students that these are called “text-to-text” connections and they are also part of our job as good readers. (10 minutes)
DAY THREE: TEXT-TO-WORLD CONNECTIONS • Ask students to recall the two books that you have read about families, in small groups. (10
minutes)
• Ask students to identify and describe the two jobs that we learned that readers have (making text-to-self connections and making text-to-text connections). (5 minutes)
• Read a book that looks at many kinds of diverse families such as The Family Book by Todd Parr, The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman or All Families Are Special by Norma Simon. As you read or afterwards, ask the students what kinds of families they noticed in the book.
• Ask students about different kinds of families that they have seen in their community or on television.
o Be prepared to mention different kinds of family configurations if the students don’t bring them up. For example, you could include families with two moms or two dads, grandparent headed families, parents that live in different homes, multi-racial families.
o Have examples in mind such as a family with parents of two different races such as Barack Obama’s parents; a family with two dads such as Elton John and his partner, David Furnish; a family with two moms such as Sheryl Swoopes, the WNBA player and her partner; or former Vice-president Dick Cheney’s daughter, Mary Cheney, and her partner.
DAY FOUR OR EXTENSION: MAKING CONNECTIONS – READING GROUPS • In a whole group discussion, review the concepts of text-to-self, text-to-text and text-to-world
connections. (5 minutes)
• In literature groups, students will read another book about families (15 minutes)
• Students should independently complete the Making Connections worksheet. (20 minutes)
• Students will return to the whole group o Ask one student from each group to say who was in the family or families in the book
they just read.
o Each student can share one of the connections that they made on their Making Connections handout.
o Have students hand in their Making Connections worksheet
w w w . w e l c o m i n g s c h o o l s . o r g G-9
ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION On the fourth day, the students will independently complete the Making Connections handout to be used as an assessment of their connection-making skills.
• Students will be considered above grade level if they independently complete the activity and provide more than one example of a text-to-self connection and more than one example of a text-to-text connection.
• Students will be considered at grade level if they independently complete the activity by providing one example of a text-to-self connection and one example of a text-to-text connection.
• Students will be considered approaching grade level if they require adult assistance to provide one example of a text-to-self connection and one example of a text-to-text connection.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM WELCOMING SCHOOLS • Books to Engage Students: Many bibliographies on family diversity, gender stereotyping and
identity, and bullying.
• All Kinds of Families: Picture Books
• Books For Students Inclusive of Gay Family Members and Characters: A Short List of Recommendations
• Using LGBT-Inclusive Children’s Books and Looking at Gender Through Books
LENGTH OF TIME: As a unit of four sessions of 45 minutes each (or individual 45 minute sessions.)
GOAL • To provide a look at family diversity through literature while developing reading
comprehension strategies.
OBJECTIVES • Students will develop skills to make connections to literature.
• Students will be able to identify common characteristics within all families.
• Students will learn that families have some similarities and some differences.
ACADEMIC STANDARDS • CCSS RL 1.1: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text. Also RL K.1 and RL 2.1.
• CCSS SL K.1, 1.1, 2.1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten, grade 1 or grade 2 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
• CCSS SL 1.2: Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media. Also SL K.2 and SL 2.2.
EDUCATORS’ NOTES The skill of making connections to and between pieces of literature is a critical skill for students to acquire as they progress through the grades. The early grades are an important time for students to develop this skill in a focused exercise with a familiar topic to students such as families. This mini- unit introduces the concept and allows the students to practice this skill while reading books that feature family diversity. The ideas for each day could be done individually instead of as a set of lessons.
MATERIALS NEEDED: Books featuring diverse families — 3 books for reading aloud and 5–7 for smaller reading circles, pencils, coloring tools (crayons, markers, colored pencils, computer drawing program), copies of the handouts Making Connections to Myself and Making Connections.
SUGGESTED BOOKS Choose three books that feature different family configurations and race or ethnicity.
• And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell (K – 1) Two dad family
• Antonio’s Card by Rigoberto Gonzales (K – 2) Two mom family
• The Family Book by Todd Parr (Pre-K – K) Many diverse families
w w w . w e l c o m i n g s c h o o l s . o r g G-7
• The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman (1 – 3) Many diverse families
• All Families Are Special by Norma Simon (1 – 3) Many diverse families
• We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past by Jacqueline Woodson (K – 2) Extended family
• Dear Child by John Farrell (Pre-K – K) Three families with a single dad, two moms, and a mom and dad
• I Love You Like Crazy Cakes by Rose Lewis (Pre-K –1) Adoption, single mom
• I Love Saturdays y Domingos, by Alma Flor Ada (K – 2) Multi-ethnic family
DAY ONE: TEXT-TO-SELF CONNECTIONS • Introduce the lesson by telling students we are going to read a book about something everyone
has. Everyone’s may look very different, but everyone in the classroom has one of these. Have students think, then share with a partner, and then brainstorm some ideas as a class for what the topic might be. (5 minutes)
• Read And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. This book tells the true story of two male penguins at the Central Park Zoo who want to build a family. (15 minutes)
• Ask the class to describe the family in the book. (Prompt your students to go beyond “there are two dads and a child.” Ask about qualities that they see in Roy and Silo as parents – caring, loving. Ask about things Roy and Silo do for Tango – feed her, kept her warm when she was in the egg.) (5 minutes)
• Ask the class to identify who lives with them or cares for them. Mention to the class that this could be family members, extended family like grandparents or aunts and uncles, other caregivers such as guardians, or close family friends. Ask students to compare their family to Roy, Silo, and Tango. Again ask your students to not just focus on concrete aspects of family such as smaller/larger, one mom or a mom and dad but also on qualities of families such as your family takes care of you or a family member plays with you. See attached Making Connections to Myself handout. (10 minutes)
• Introduce the term “text-to-self” connection and explain that all good readers are able to make these. Tell students they will be able to practice this skill throughout the week as you read more books about different kinds of families. (10 minutes)
DAY TWO: TEXT-TO-TEXT CONNECTIONS • Ask students to recall the story of And Tango Makes Three. Have students share their
responses with a partner. (5 minutes)
• Tell students that today we are going to read another book about families. Choose another book that includes a family who cares for their children. See suggested ideas above or for more ideas check out the All Kinds of Families Bibliography at www.welcomingschools.org. (15 minutes)
• Students can draw the family in the book (see attached Making Connections handout). (5 minutes)
w w w . w e l c o m i n g s c h o o l s . o r g G-8
• Have students review their personal family descriptions from the previous lesson to make comparisons between the family in the book that you just read and their own. Review the term “text-to-self” connection. (10 minutes)
• Ask students to compare how the family in the book that you just read is similar or different from Roy, Silo, and Tango. Tell students that these are called “text-to-text” connections and they are also part of our job as good readers. (10 minutes)
DAY THREE: TEXT-TO-WORLD CONNECTIONS • Ask students to recall the two books that you have read about families, in small groups. (10
minutes)
• Ask students to identify and describe the two jobs that we learned that readers have (making text-to-self connections and making text-to-text connections). (5 minutes)
• Read a book that looks at many kinds of diverse families such as The Family Book by Todd Parr, The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman or All Families Are Special by Norma Simon. As you read or afterwards, ask the students what kinds of families they noticed in the book.
• Ask students about different kinds of families that they have seen in their community or on television.
o Be prepared to mention different kinds of family configurations if the students don’t bring them up. For example, you could include families with two moms or two dads, grandparent headed families, parents that live in different homes, multi-racial families.
o Have examples in mind such as a family with parents of two different races such as Barack Obama’s parents; a family with two dads such as Elton John and his partner, David Furnish; a family with two moms such as Sheryl Swoopes, the WNBA player and her partner; or former Vice-president Dick Cheney’s daughter, Mary Cheney, and her partner.
DAY FOUR OR EXTENSION: MAKING CONNECTIONS – READING GROUPS • In a whole group discussion, review the concepts of text-to-self, text-to-text and text-to-world
connections. (5 minutes)
• In literature groups, students will read another book about families (15 minutes)
• Students should independently complete the Making Connections worksheet. (20 minutes)
• Students will return to the whole group o Ask one student from each group to say who was in the family or families in the book
they just read.
o Each student can share one of the connections that they made on their Making Connections handout.
o Have students hand in their Making Connections worksheet
w w w . w e l c o m i n g s c h o o l s . o r g G-9
ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION On the fourth day, the students will independently complete the Making Connections handout to be used as an assessment of their connection-making skills.
• Students will be considered above grade level if they independently complete the activity and provide more than one example of a text-to-self connection and more than one example of a text-to-text connection.
• Students will be considered at grade level if they independently complete the activity by providing one example of a text-to-self connection and one example of a text-to-text connection.
• Students will be considered approaching grade level if they require adult assistance to provide one example of a text-to-self connection and one example of a text-to-text connection.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM WELCOMING SCHOOLS • Books to Engage Students: Many bibliographies on family diversity, gender stereotyping and
identity, and bullying.
• All Kinds of Families: Picture Books
• Books For Students Inclusive of Gay Family Members and Characters: A Short List of Recommendations
• Using LGBT-Inclusive Children’s Books and Looking at Gender Through Books