Tag: Family

Families in Children’s Books

by K.Graybill • October 18, 2019 • 0 Comments

Many years ago Carol Erwin, of Nebraska, shared an activity with me that gave students the chance to analyze the work of the family. Students enjoy reading about different families in children’s books as they complete a series of prompts. It’s important for children to see how families interact and be able to recognize and relate to different family structures, stages of the family life cycle, and family functions. So if you have access to a variety of children’s books about families or a local library, you may want to grab some books and check this lesson out.

Family Life Cycle Collage Project

by K.Graybill • August 30, 2019 • 0 Comments

In the past, I shared a technology based project titled, “Family Life Cycle: Prezi Project”. The project required students to create a Prezi to introduce their assigned stage of the family life cycle. I totally used that project until I didn’t! Why? My students are unable to create Prezi’s on their iPads; they can only view them. Because of this little snafu, I’ve had my students create hand generated collages around their assigned family life cycle stage, using their iPads to research the information. When students were finished, they displayed them in order on my wall like a train, and I must admit they looked pretty darn impressive!

Pop-Up Family Structures

by K.Graybill • February 23, 2018 • 2 Comments

I’m finding that my students do better when they have a good balance of “hands-on” activities mixed with technology. So, in this feature you will find my version of a “pop-up” style activity that revolves around the family structures. Students work in small groups to complete a “pop-up” of their assigned family structure, incorporating additional information. The “pop-ups” are then displayed and students participate in a gallery walk to learn more about each of the unique family structures. See below for more details!

Family Definition Media Activity

by K.Graybill • January 19, 2018 • 1 Comment

Many years ago, I was given a definition while taking a graduate course about the family. Through the years, I have often used it as a poster project lead-in to my family unit. However, since going 1:1, I decided to try this assignment a new way, using technology…aka iMovie! While I’m not an expert with this app, my students are and they were eager to assist their peers when necessary. I even surprised myself by creating a YouTube channel so I could share a couple of student samples with you! Not a 1:1 school or have access to technology–no worries! I’ve included my original poster assignment (see attachments), which by the way could be easily modified for the differentiated classroom. I loved seeing how each student interpreted the family definition and how unique and diverse each movie was…just like families!

Activities for Teaching the Family Functions

by K.Graybill • June 16, 2017 • 0 Comments

Everyone is connected to a family in some way, shape or form! The roles and responsibilities within each family may differ, as do the functions they provide for their members. So, when teaching about the functions of the family with my senior high classes, I like to engage students with a station activity where they have to figure out how the items at each station relate to one of the functions the family provides. Later, students connect the functions to their own family as they create a family crest.

Family Crises Awareness Quilt Project

by K.Graybill • April 15, 2016 • 0 Comments

When teaching about families in crisis I like to specifically focus on a select few that often vary from one year to the next. quilt.blocks. However, I also like students to be aware that there are a multitude of crises that families can face throughout their lives. In order to make them aware, I like to have students select a crisis and find an article about it to read and summarize. After summarizing and connecting their feelings to the issue, I like to have them make a classroom quilt square depicting their selected crisis. When put together, it makes a statement about specific crises and draws others in to make them aware of issues facing families today.

Ideas For Teaching About the Family

by K.Graybill • May 1, 2015 • 2 Comments

I love teaching about the family, but finding interactive ways to teach the various concepts regarding the family can be challenging. Ifamily.slide have spent a great deal of time over the years developing and creating a cache of ideas to pull from when teaching a lesson or unit on the family. Below you will find some ideas that may be of help when trying to pull together a unit on the family. If you have additional ideas for teaching about the family please share in the comment section.

Strong Family Traits Inspired by Duck Dynasty

by K.Graybill • November 29, 2013 • 1 Comment

There’s a lot of buzz out there about this popular TV show called “Duck Dynasty” so I decided to watch it and discovered that it would be a great show to illustrate the traits of a strong family. This lesson introduces the traits of strong families to students, helps them recognize the traits in their own families as well as others, and then students create a PSA to help spread the word on the importance of strong families.

Impact of Technology on the Family

by K.Graybill • June 8, 2013 • 1 Comment

It’s been said that the only thing that is constant in life is “change”. Our world is constantly changing and families are not insulated from the changes that occur in the society in which they live. One thing that seems…

Show Me the TV Family: Paper Plate Project

by K.Graybill • March 8, 2013 • 2 Comments

After teaching several lessons on family structures, family functions, and family life cycle stages, I use this lesson/project as a way for students to review and apply information learned as well as a way for me to assess their learning. Students select a television family and create a TV Paper Plate Project using their knowledge of family to complete it. Students use mobile labs to research any unknown information about their TV family such as names of all family members or jobs TV parents held, etc.

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