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Project: LEAD | Curriculum | Resources | Workshops | Activities | About Us

Families and Neighborhoods 

Student Teachers: Dan McCarthy, Eric Milmaster and Jason Pahel
Project Children L.E.A.D. Director: Dr. Vincenne Revilla Beltran
Subject Area: Diversity
Grade level: Kindergarten (Ages 5-6)
Length of Lesson: 60 minutes
Group Size: 6 or more students

Download a printable version of the Lesson: Families and Neighborhoods in PDF format (requires Adobe Reader)

I. Objective
A. To introduce students to different kinds of neighborhoods by reading a
book.

II. Pennsylvania Department of Education Indicators
1.6 Speaking and Listening
A. 1.6B.1 Listen to selection of literature (fiction and nonfiction)
B. 1.6B.2 Listen to a selection and connect similar experiences to real life events.
C. 1.6D.2 Ask related questions to gain information.
D. 1.6D.3 Respond with related information to questions asked.

III. Materials
A. Book: On the Town A Community Adventure by Judith Caseley April,
2002.

IV. Procedure

A. Review
1. Reintroduce the classroom rules, rules for good listeners and speakers.

B. Introduction to the theme.
1. Ask the students if they have ever read a book on neighborhoods.
2. Introduce the title of the book and then begin reading it.

C. Development of Lesson
1. Students will have a book read to them with a few key questions asked before, during, and after the reading session. Examples of the questions would be: Where do you go for a haircut? or What is your favorite restaurant?

V. Evaluation

A. Of the Pupils
1. Using the book as reference the students will be asked to verbally identify some other examples of places that they may find in their neighborhoods.

B. Conclusion
1. The students will move to the next learning center, the construction area. They will begin building a new neighborhood.

I. Objective
A. To talk to children about what things, places and people most cities have.

II. Pennsylvania Department of Education Indicators
A. 2.8G Algebra and Functions: Gather, sort, count and display data to create a pictograph.

B. 2.9D Geometry: Find and name two-dimensional geometric figures in real life.

C. 2.1B Numbers, Number Systems and Number Relationship: use concrete object to represent quantities up to and including 20.

D. 2.7B Probabilities and Predictions: explain if an event was fair or unfair.

E. 2.7D Probabilities and Predictions: compare data using the concepts of largest, smallest, most and least.

III. Materials
A. Pre-constructed neighborhood on poster board.
B. Pictures of buildings (3 x 5 inches).
C. Bags - paper.
D. Glue stick
E. Construction hats (plastic).

IV. Procedure
A. Review and Assessment of Prior Knowledge
1. After a short review of book read the students will share their ideas of what is in a neighborhood.

B. Introduction to Theme 1. Each student will be given a bag with 3-4 items from a neighborhood to build the city with.

C. Development of Lesson
1. After envelopes are handed out there will be a question and answer session. The student with the appropriate building will place it on the map.

V. Evaluation
A. Of Pupil
1. A short question and answer session of asking the students what else a neighborhood needs.

B. Summary
1. After identifying what else a city needs, the students will vote for the name of the city.


I. Objective

A. Students will learn from voting and the free democratic election process can lead to a collective choice.

II. Pennsylvania Department of Education Indicators

A. 2.aB Numbers, Number Systems and Number Relationship: use concrete. Object to represent quantities up to and including 20.

B. 2.7B Probabilities and Predictions: explain if an event was fair or unfair.

C. 2.7D Probabilities and Predictions: compare data using the concepts of largest, smallest, most and least.

III. Materials
A. 15 Ballots (With Pictures of Ice Cream and a Cookie)
B. Crayons

IV. Procedure

A. Review and Assessment of Prior Knowledge
1. The student will be introduced to the lesson and asked to name a few things they get to choose. Discuss what majority means when it comes to choosing (this is not to be expected as prior knowledge at this age.)

B. Introduction to the Theme
1. The student will be involved in choosing a name between two prior selected city names.

C. Development of Lesson
1. 15 Ballots, along with a crayon, will be handed out to students and teachers.
2. Next the students will be instructed to choose one city name on a ballot and circle the appropriate choice.
3. If the student or teacher circles the cookie they have chosen the name Chocolate Chip City. If the ice cream was circled, then they have chosen Ice Creamville for the name of the city.

V. Evaluation

A. Of Pupils
1. The students will be evaluated by demonstrating the knowledge
of "majority rules" by counting the ballots.
2. By using the vote count, the teacher will demonstrate number values.
B. Summary
1. The students will be informed of the new city name, and that
the city now needs to be filled with people.

I. Objective

A. To teach the students about the different types of families.

II. Pennsylvania Department of Education Indicators

A. 1.6D.1 Speaking and listening. Ask related questions to gain information.

B. 1.6F.1 Speaking and listening. Respond with related information to questions asked.

C. 1.4A.3 Types of Writing. Include main idea and details in oral descriptions and drawings.

D. 1.5A Quality of Writing. Write, draw or use pictures to depict specific experiences, stories, people, objects or events.

E. 1.8C Identify important concepts to main idea.

III. Materials

A. Pictures of different types of families.
B. Construction Paper
C. Multi-Cultural crayons
D. Tape

IV. Procedures

A. Review and Assessment of Prior Knowledge
1. The students will be asked two questions about what a family is and what they do together. Prior knowledge would be relating facts about their own families.

B. Introduction to the Theme
1. Students will be shown pictures of different families.

C. Development of lesson.
1. After the students understand the different types of families they will then draw a picture of their family.
2. To reach the objective of your lesson, you need to show the class pictures and discuss similarities and differences within the pictures.

V. Evaluation

A. Of Pupil
1. The students will be able to identify the different types of families within their class from the drawings.

B. Summary
1. After the students draw their families they will then be able to complete the neighborhood by filling it with their families.