Grades K-1: My Family Journey!
Rating: 
http://www.tolerance.org/lesson/my-family-journey
Common Core Standards
Kindergarten
Speaking & Listening
SL.K.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
SL.K.3 Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood.
SL.K.4 Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail.
SL.K.6 Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.
Writing
W.K.1 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose opinion pieces in which they tell a reader the topic or the name of the book they are writing about and state an opinion or preference about the topic or book (e.g., My favorite book is...).
Grade 1
Speaking & Listening
SL.1.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
SL.1.3 Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to gather additional information or clarify something that is not understood.
SL.1.4 Describe people, places, things, and events with relevant details, expressing ideas and feelings clearly.
SL.1.6 Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation. (See grade 1 Language standards 1 and 3 here for specific expectations.)
Writing
W.1.1 Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.
Description of Lesson
This Grades K-1 lesson titled “My Family Journey!” from Teaching Tolerance/ a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center is targeted for use in a Social Studies or Reading/Language Arts classroom. During lesson activities, students: use a world map to trace their family’s journey, engage in small and whole group discussions to learn how traditions affect their lives, and consider which elements of that cultural history they would like to pass on. As a culminating task, students pair up with another student and share what they learned about their cultural history using the completed Family Interview handout. Then, each pair presents their findings to the class.
Cautions
Connecticut teachers should be cautioned that it is unclear if there is explicit instruction for many of the standards listed for the lesson; direct instruction for the vocabulary words listed in the lesson is warranted. The instructional time required for the lesson is not stated. The development of an aligned rubric to sufficiently interpret student performance for many of the standards listed is recommended. K-1 was selected for this lesson to align with the grade level themes/topics identified in the CT Elementary and Secondary Social Studies Frameworks. Before beginning this lesson, teachers are advised to consider the concerns stated in the lesson related to family history.
Rationale for Selection
The lesson is a useful example of how to provide opportunities for students to present ideas and information through writing and/or drawing and speaking experiences. It addresses instructional expectations and is easy to understand and use. It provides for authentic learning, application of literacy skills and/or student directed inquiry. Extension activities are provided.