EDUCATING CHILDREN
FOR
PARENTING®
LANGUAGE ARTS: Interviews
SCIENCE: Animal Growth and
Change
ARTS: Mood Music, Visual
Arts
These
activities are taken from the curriculum of Educating Children for Parenting,
which uses the model of regular parent-infant classroom
visits. The lessons are designed to be
integrated into these and other existing classroom subjects. Founded
in 1978, this national nonprofit organization trains educators to implement a
standards-driven parenting education curriculum in Grades K-8. It has now
reached over 100,000 children.
Educating Children for Parenting®
The
215-496-9780 (phone)
215-496-9752 (fax)
Change Unit – Lesson #1 Level:
Primary/Intermediate
Language
Arts
Lesson: Interviews
Time:
3 lessons, 45 minutes each
Objective:
Students will be able
to identify the terms ‘past,’ ‘present’ and ‘future.’ Students will construct
interview questions, gather information and summarize responses. Students will
also be able to compare and contrast life style changes from the past to the
present.
Standards Connections:
English
Language Arts #1 through #5.
Materials:
A
copy of the children’s book Yonder by
Tony Johnston, paper and pen/pencil, Worksheet #2a.
Introduction:
Read aloud Yonder. Create a
story map (Worksheet #2a) which maps the family tree. Discuss changes to the
family and how it grew. How did the land change as the family grew? Finally,
how did the tree that was planted by the first family change?
Procedures:
·
Write the
words ‘past,’ ‘present’ and ‘future’ on the board. Ask students to explain what
these words mean. Ask how they may be connected to the story.
·
Hand out a
piece of paper and fold to create three columns. Label each column with the
title ‘Past’, ‘Present’ or ‘Future.’ Invite students to make observations about
how the inhabitants, the tree, and the land changed with time. Record
observations in the ‘Past’ and ‘Present’ columns.
·
Allow time
for students to share their observations. Draw students’ attention to the ‘Future’
column. Drawing on students’ prior knowledge of community changes and progress,
have students make predictions about what will happen to the community in the
story Yonder.
·
Discuss
predictions.
·
Identify ways
in which their neighborhood and family have changed in time.
Closure:
Explain to students
that they will be constructing questions to conduct interviews with neighbors
or older adults to determine how our community has changed over time. Allow
students time to brainstorm questions on their own. Bring students together to
share their ideas for questions.
Follow-Up:
As a homework
assignment or independent activity, have students create their own Family Tree
or Family History Profile.
Extensions:
Take students to visit an local nursing home to gather information about the past.
Create a class newspaper to share results or encourage students to display
information in table or chart.
Change Unit – Lesson #3 Level:
Primary
Science
Animal Growth and
Change
Time: 45 minutes
Objective:
Students
will be able to identi~ and describe the stages of
growth in various animals. Students will create an acrostic poem choosing the
letters of one of the animal names.
Standards Connections:
Science Content and Performance
Descriptions #2 and #8.
English Language Arts #2 and #3.
Materials:
Baby
pictures of students brought from home; pictures of various animal babies;
pictures of various corresponding adult animals; paper and pencil/pen; several
books from the How They Grow
collection; Charlie the Caterpillar
by Dom DeLuise.
Introduction:
Invite
students to bring in baby pictures of themselves.
Display pictures without names and have students try to match each picture with
the correct classmate. Discuss how students and their needs have changed since
they were born.
Procedures:
·
Display
pictures of several baby animals. Identify the name of each baby, i.e., foal,
puppy, caterpillar, kitten, chick, cub, kid, tadpole, joey,
etc.
·
Discuss how
each of the animal babies displayed was born. Sort the pictures into two piles:
‘hatched’ and ‘live birth.’
·
Explain that,
depending on how an animal is born, it may have different needs.
·
Display
various pictures of adult animals. Have students name the animals and match the offspring to the
parent.
·
Identify the
term, “life cycle.” Using the book, Pig
from the How They Grow collection,
identify the stages in a pig’s life until the cycle begins again.
Closure:
Divide
students into groups, giving each group another book from the series. Allow
time for the groups to look at the pictures and discuss the stages of growth of
their animal. Call on each group to stand and show their book, explaining how
the animal changes as it grows.
Follow-Up:
Take
a closer look at the life cycle of a buttertly and
frog. Create a mix and match puzzle of the stages of life to reinforce the
concept of "life cycle". Read Charlie the Caterpillar by Dom DeLuis.
Extensions:
Read
the books, Chickens
Aren’t The Only Ones and Animals Born Alive And Well. Create a
Venn Diagram comparing animals from both books and the
way in which they are born.
Change Unit – Lesson #6 Level:
Primary/Intermediate
Arts
Mood Music
Time: 45 minutes
Objective:
Students will listen
to a variety of music and evaluate the mood the music induces. Students will
illustrate each selection using various art mediums. Students will observe the
effect different selections have on the baby visitor.
Standards Connections:
Science
Content and Performance Descriptions #4, #5 and #8.
Materials:
Recordings of various types of music;
crayons, chalk, paint, markers, and paper.
Introduction:
Allow students to
stand in their places. Play a Sousa march and ask students to show through
their movements how the song makes them feel. Then play a selection from “The
Nutcracker.” Again, ask students to move the music expressing how it makes them
feel. Tell students to take their seats and explain in words what the music
inspired.
Procedures:
·
Ask students
to explain what attributes make the music express happiness, joy or sadness.
Students should identify the speed, the loudness or softness, and the beat.
·
Identify and
define the terms tempo, crescendo, and
rhythm.
·
Distribute
paper and various coloring tools. Invite students to listen again while
different music
elections are played. As they listen, ask students to create a
picture to represent the music they hear.
·
At the
conclusion of each selection, ask several students to share their
illustrations.
· Note the use of color and the subject chosen for each illustration. Ask students to comment on why they made the choices they did.
Closure:
Ask students to
consider why certain types of music are used for certain occasions. Have students
choose selections to be included on a tape for the visiting baby. Include music
for play, sleep and bath. Play the tape at the next baby visit and record
observations.
Follow-Up:
Have
students choose a favorite song and change the words to send a message to
someone celebrating a special occasion. Create a greeting card to accompany the
song.
Extensions:
Research
various composers from various time periods. Identify the purpose of given
selections and the audiences for which they were written. Discuss the moods
created by certain pieces and the choice of instrument to enhance the mood.
Change Unit – Lesson #7 Level: Primary
Arts
Visual Art
Time: 45 minutes
Objective:
Students
will create (with a partner) outlines of themselves. Students will describe
themselves within the outline and cut and paste pictures of things they enjoy
outside the outline. Students will compare the size and measurements of their
own outline to a previously made outline of the visiting baby
Standards Connections:
Science
Content and Performance Descriptions #2.
Mathematics
Content and Performance Descriptions #2 and #7.
English
Language Arts #2, #3 and #5.
Materials:
Magazines,
scissors, glue, large sheets of paper, pencils or markers, tape measures,
crayons, and the Book Rainbow Crow by Nancy Van Laan.
Introduction:
Call eight students
to the front of the room. Separate them into two groups so that each member of each
group has something in common with the other members of their group. Ask
students to identify what is the common link in each group. Discuss the
similarities and differences between all people.
Procedures:
·
Distribute
magazines. Ask students to look through the magazine for pictures of
“favorites:” favorite foods, favorite activities, or anything that represents
an interest they may have. Cut out between 10-15 pictures. Students may need to
look in several magazines.
·
Ask students
to separate there collection of pictures into categories, such as, food,
clothing, activities, etc. Encourage students to share their pictures and find
others who share the same tastes.
·
Next, allow
students to work in pairs. Distribute large sheets of paper, pencils or markers
to each child (Students might need to attach two sheets of paper if the teacher
wants a full outline).
·
Have students
take turns drawing each other's outline.
· Once each partner’s image is complete, have students write words and phrases that describe their personality and emotions. On the outside of the drawing, student should paste the pictures which represent their outward selves.
Closure:
Have
students compare their outlines to the previously made outline of the class's
visiting baby. Distribute tape measures and allow students time to measure body
length and arm and leg length on both outlines to make comparisons.
Follow-Up:
Read
the book Rainbow Crow by Nancy Van Laan. As a journal assignment, discuss Crow’s appearance at
the beginning of the story and at the end. Discuss Crow’s personality and his
sacrifice. Ask students to determine what was more important, they way Crow
looked on the outside or they way he was on the inside?
Extensions:
Look
at outlines of various shapes. Determine if the shapes are symmetrical. Find
the lines of symmetry.
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