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Tanenbaum Curriculum

Religions In My Neighborhood, p. 76
Lesson Name

Understanding and Valuing all Types of Families
Grade Band

Elementary (Grades 3-5)

Middle School (Grades 6-8)
Required Material/s

  • Poem “A Family is Like a Circle” displayed on chart paper or board

  • Extra copies of the poem for students

  • Chart paper or board for listing responses

  • Newsprint (if using carousel strategy)
Standards / Competencies

CASEL Core Competencies

  • Self-Awareness

  • Self-Management

  • Social Awareness

  • Relationship Skills

  • Responsible Decision-Making

Common Core ELA-Literacy Standards

  • Speaking and Listening

  • Writing

  • Reading Literature

NCSS Social Studies Themes

  • Individual Development and Identity

  • Culture

  • Individuals, Groups and Institutions
Recommended Time

45 minutes
Essential Question What makes a family and why should we value and respect all kinds of
families?
Learning Objectives

  • Recognize that families come in many different shapes and sizes

  • Create an inclusive definition of family based on the key components they have identified that all families share and that respects all students’ experiences

  • Identify feelings they associate with family

  • Explain why it is important to value and respect different kinds of families
Important Vocabulary

  • Family: A group of people who may or may not be related by blood or marriage, and who provide support, care, and love for each other.

  • Inclusive Definition: A broad definition that encompasses all types of families and respects diverse family structures.
Activating Prior Knowledge Read the poem “A Family is Like a Circle” aloud to the class. Ask
students to underline words or phrases in the poem that describe what a
family is.
Core Instruction

Gallery Walk/Carousel:

Gallery Walk: Post the students’ family handouts around the room. Have students walk around and observe each other’s work, answering the question: “How can knowing about many families help us describe what a family is?”

Carousel: Use this strategy to have small groups rotate and discuss the question posed. Chart responses on newsprint or the board.

Creating an Inclusive Definition:

Discuss the different family structures observed and responses collected. Work with the class to create a definition of family that includes diverse structures and relationships.

Example Definition: “A family is a group of people who may or may not be related by blood or marriage to each other. They live together in the same house, although in some families, people live in more than one house, sometimes when parents divorce or partners separate. A family can be made up of a father and mother or a father, or a mother, or two fathers or two mothers, or grandparents, or a grandmother or grandfather, or aunts, uncles, cousins, or a step-parent or foster parents or a foster mother or father. Members of a family take care of one another. They are close and feel they can depend on one another for caring guidance and support. Love and caring for one another and depending on one another is what connects the members of a family to each other.”
Wrap-up Ask students to close their eyes and think of one word that
describes all families. Go around the room, each student sharing their
chosen word. Discuss why it is important to value and respect different
kinds of families, gathering at least five or six different
responses.
Learning Beyond Classroom Walls

Family Drawing or Collage: Ask students to create a drawing or collage that represents their family. They can include people, pets, or other important elements of their family life.

Poetry Reflection: Ask students to write a paragraph (or more, depending on grade level) explaining why they think Nicole M. O’Neal titled her poem “A Family is Like a Circle,” or how their own family is like a circle.

Download this lesson to access handouts.