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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
Belmont Bldg, Suite 701, 211 North 13th Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
19107
215-496-9780 (phone)
215-496-9752 (fax)
info@ecparenting.org
www.ecparenting.org
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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