Family Structure 4

Heather Has Two Mommies

Written By Leslea Newman

Illustrated By Diana Souza

Heather's favorite number is two. She has two hands, two feet, two knees and two elbows. She has two pets: a black dog named Midnight and a ginger-colored cat named Gingersnap. Heather has two mommies: Mama Jane and Mama Kate. When Heather goes to day care, she learns that families come in all shapes and sizes: Joshua has a mom, a dad and a step-dad; Miriam has a mom and a baby sister; David is adopted. Heather also learns that "the most important thing about a family is that all the people in it love each other." (from lesleakids.com)

Additional resources to use in the classroom:

Learn more about the author and Heather Has Two Mommies

Catherine Dent reads "Heather Has Two Mommies"

The Number Two Activites and Games from Preschool Express

 

Family Structure 3

What a Family!

Written & Illustrated by Rachel Isadora



This unique book offers a fun introduction to the complexities of extended family relationships. Keeping it simple, Isadora emphasizes physical characteristics shared by different family members to show how they are related. Large, dynamic, and humorous pictures invite readers to look and compare the family in the book with their own. A family tree, complete with pictures, is included on the end papers. Recommended for ages 3-10



Additional Resources for Classroom Use:

Notable Trade Book Lesson Plan from Socstrp.org

Kindergarten Activities on Family Units (from eHow.com)

Family Structure 2

And Tango Makes Three

By Peter Parnell & Justin Richardson

Illustrated by Henry Cole

The book is based on the story of Roy and Silo, two male Chinstrap Penguins in New York's Central Park Zoo.The pair were observed trying to hatch a rock that resembled an egg. When zookeepers realized that Roy and Silo were both male, it occurred to them to give them an egg to hatch. An egg was  was obtained and given to Roy and Silo. They hatch and raise the healthy young chick, a female named "Tango", together as a family. This book is based on a true story and the three penguins can still be seen at the zoo today. Recommended for ages 4-8.

Additional Resources for Classroom Use:

KidLit Book Trailer: Book Trailer for Quackenstein Hatches A Family

Scholastic Lesson Plan: And Tango Makes Three Lesson Plan

"Anti-Bias Creative Drama in the Classroom" Blog: And Tango Makes Three Lesson Plan

And Tango Makes Three Read Aloud

Family Structure 1

Why teach your students about Family Structure?
It is important for students to know that all families are different and each is special and unique in its own way. Students need to know how to cherish and celebrate how their family is different. Students can also learn about other families, including their classmates families, if they are taught about diverse family structures. Teachers can use books about family structure to intruduce children to families with one mom, one dad, a mom and a dad, two moms, two dads, no parents, etc. Activities that could be used to accompany any family structure lesson would be a personal narrative writing piece from each student about their family, or a family class quilt, which could be made by having each student decorate a "quilt" piece to portray his or her family.


The Family Book

By Todd Parr

The Family Book, represents a variety of families, some big and some small, some with only one parent and some with two moms or dads, some quiet and some noisy, but all alike in some ways and special no matter what. This book is recommended for ages 4-8.

Additional Resources for Classroom Use:

"We Are Family" Lesson Plans from Scholastic.com

Get to know author Todd Parr through his Website

Glogster

Bullying 5

"Elemenopee: The Day L, M, N, O, and P Left the ABC's"
by Pamela Hall

L, M, N, O, P are teased by the other letters because kids run them together in the ABC song. They leave the alphabet because the other letters make them feel like they don’t belong, but this causes trouble in the classroom.

Additional Resources:

ABC Activities

Even more ABC activites

No Putdowns!



Bullying 4

"The Rainbow Fish" by Marcus Pfister



A fish thinks he is better than the other fish because of his beautiful scales, which leaves him with no friends. When he shares his scales with the other fish, everyone wants to play with him.

Additional Resources:

Rainbow Fish activities

Rainbow Fish visual aids

Book Trailer



Bullying 3

"Charlie the Caterpillar"

by Dom De Luis, illustrated by Christopher Santoro



No one wants to play with Charlie because he is an ugly caterpillar. Charlie grows lonely and turns into a beautiful butterfly who then befriends a lonely young caterpillar.

Addtional resources for classroom use:

Charlie the Caterpillar Read Aloud

Book summary and reading level (Scholastic)



Bullying 2

"Hooway for Wodney Wat"

by Helen Lester illustrated by Lynn Munsinger



Rodney’s classmates tease him because he cannot pronounce his /r/'s. His speech impediment ends up saving the rest of the class from a bully and he becomes the classroom hero.

Activities and resources for using this book in the classroom:

Scholastic Lesson Plan

Get to know the author - Helen Lester's website

Students can turn this story into a reader's theater
Script for reader's theater

Video of students performing "Hooway for Wodney Wat"



 



Bullying 1

The first social justice topic that we are going to focus on is bullying. Why teach about bullying in school? We need to teach kids to be more aware of their own actions and words towards others. Students should know how to handle situations in which they are being bullied or if they see bullying going on in their school. While creating a safe and secure classroom environment teachers need to teach kids not to bully, and also what it means to be a good friend, classmate, and person in their community.

We can teach students about bullying through children's literature.

"Chrysanthemum" by Kevin Henkes is a great book to teach about bullying in the classroom.



Chrysanthemum’s classmates tease her about her name, and she no longer wants to go to school. With the reassurance of her parents and a special teacher she learns to love her name and herself for who she is.

Additional Resources for using this book in the classroom:

Kevin Henke's Website

Think Aloud Comprehension Lesson

Read Aloud Video