Family Cultural Traditions

Summary

Students will identify family traditions that are unique to them. Students will interview their family and present a selected tradition.

Materials

• My Father by Laura Mayer or Coming to America: The Story of Immigration, by Betsy Maestro
• Vocabulary cards (see attachment below)
• Student vocabulary booklet (see attachment below)
• Family interview page (see attachment below)
• Pencils
• Crayons
• Class world map
• Map Marker
• Rubric

Instructional Procedures

Day 1:

1. Read a book introducing immigration to the students. Suggested books are My Father, by Laura Mayer or Coming to America: The Story of Immigration, by Betsy Maestro.
2. Discuss with students what it is to immigrate.
3. Explain to students that the class will be discussing where each of them originally came from because most of them had ancestors who immigrated.
4. Explain to students that they will use a family interview page to find out more about where their ancestors came from. Once they've filled that out, they will be presenting what they learned during class. To do this they may bring an object, piece of clothing, music or other artifact that helps them explain their culture.
5. Model what this will look like and sound like using something unique to your own culture.
6. Distribute Family Interview sheet along with parent note to send home.

Day 2:
*If students are ready to present, review with the class procedures for listening and presenting then invite those students to share.

1. Review the book read the previous day with the class. Review and define what it means to immigrate.
2. Explain that they will learn some more important words that will help them as they present.
3. Distribute vocabulary booklet pages copy double sided, two full pages to each student.
4. Have students cut along the middle cut line and pile their pages together making sure they all face the same way.
5. After they've all be piled together, staple once in the middle of each and fold in half. This will create a booklet for students to illustrate vocabulary words as they are defined.
6. Using the vocabulary cards provided, go through each word included in the lesson, discussing them as you go. After they are defined, invite students to use them in sentences. Redirect as necessary. Display the vocabulary cards on the board.
7. OPTIONAL: When completed, have students play charades or Pictionary with the words to reinforce understanding.

Day 3:

1. Review the vocabulary words with the class
2. Allow other students to present if they're ready. As they present, find where on the map their family originated.

Continue having students present until the due date sent out with the parent note. As students present, continue to locate their ancestor's origin on the class map.

Assessment Plan

The student will present the information gathered. The Family Cultural Traditions Scale will be used to assess the student presentation.