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FACS:Family Traditions (Family)

Life Skills:

  • Thinking & Reasoning
  • Communication

Time Frame:
1 class period that runs 45 minutes.

Group Size:
Small Groups


  

Summary:
There are many different kinds of family structures that function together as a unit. Family activities help family relationships grow and contribute to family pride and unity.

Main Curriculum Tie:
Career and Technical Education Introduction
Standard 6 Objective 6-1
Examine attributes and issues related to family life and the skills needed to enhance independent living.

Career Connections:

  • Family Counselor

Materials:
Worksheets for students.

Background For Teachers:
FAMILY TRADITIONS

Concept: Traditions help build family unity and provide feelings of security. They do not need to be expensive or time consuming but they must be something meaningful to the entire family.

Begin talking about traditions by asking students to give their first responses to the following items or activities.

  • homemade bread
  • homemade cookies
  • playing in the snow
  • campfires
  • beach on a summer day
  • autumn leaves
  • hiking in the mountains
  • a kiss
  • growing flowers
  • a picnic
  • grandma/grandpa
  • mealtime
  • Fourth of July
  • Saturday morning
  • New Year’s Day
  • Christmas

    Then discuss how traditions are often simple activities such as a particular food on a given day or, for a particular event (such as rice pudding, homemade bread, popcorn, apples, etc.). It may stimulate interest to have samples of such a food that has been a tradition in your family to share with the class while you explain about personal family traditions. Continue talking about traditions by addressing the following concepts:

    What does the term tradition mean?

  • TRADITION is an established custom or practice.

    What makes a tradition?

  • Doing the same activity at the same time repeatedly; it should be something meaningful to the entire family.

    How do traditions develop? Where do ideas come from?

  • They come from the family’s native culture, friends or neighbors, grandparents, and other family members.

    Who is responsible for developing and following through with traditions?

  • Parents, children, grandparents, or other family members, e.g. any single family member or a combination of family members

    Who should be included in family traditions?

  • Both parents and the children or other family members

    How much should family traditions cost?

  • They don’t always need to cost money, but some activities do cost money

    How can they be maintained?

  • It is easier to maintain family traditions if parents and children make plans for the activity together and the family group participates in the activity.

    How can traditions help develop family unity and provide feelings of security?

  • In doing things together and interacting with each other, traditions give a sense of achievement, predictability, and provide a source of memories, etc.

    Working in family groups and using the student activity worksheets, OUR FAMILY TRADITIONS and CELEBRATIONS AND TRADITIONS, have the students share traditions of their own families in their assigned family groups, including birthdays, and let each student record them on his/her paper. Then have the family groups decide on a tradition with the class in the form of a pantomime.

    Student Prior Knowledge:
    Basic communication information.

    Intended Learning Outcomes:
    Students will realize the value of traditions and plan a family tradition.

    Instructional Procedures:

    Attachments

    Bibliography:
    TLC Resource Curriculum

    Author:
    Utah LessonPlans

    Created Date :
    Aug 07 2002 21:10 PM

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