Who am I?
The goal of this unit is for students to make connections with ancestry and heritage while developing a deeper sense of who they are and who they aspire to become in the future. Students will be conducing interviews with family or community members, creating a goal board, marking their mark within their school, and completing a personal interactive scrapbook about themselves featuring their strengths and special qualities
Lesson 1: 'Future Me' (May 13)
Step 1 - Teacher guided discussion about heritage and how family, community and experiences help to share values, opinions and personal character.
Step 2 - Students will download the application for Pinterest on their iPads.
Step 3 - Students will collaborate with their teacher to create a graphic organizer including all of the things they imagine about their future: education, housing, employment, family, pets, hobbies, volunteering, vehicles, etc.
Step 4 - Students will create their own idea boards for 'Future Me' on the Pinterest application.
Step 5 - Students need to have a minimum of 20 pictures that represent the future image of themselves.
Step 6 - Students will present the Pinterest board to one another in small groups.
Step 7 - Students will present their board to the teacher.
Lesson 2: 'Where did I come from?' (May 16)
Step 1 - 'A great way to uncover clues to your family history is a family interview. By asking the right, open-ended questions, you're sure to collect a wealth of family tales.' Resource: http://digital.kenyon.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1008&context=gullah_documents
Step 2 - Students will create a list of interview questions to help get started, there are some example questions below. If students have an older family friend or relative, it would be great to interview them as they may provide a greater insight into your family's past history.
Step 3 - Students need to create a list of ten (10) interview questions today in class.
Step 4 - Students need to have the questions corrected by the teacher.
Step 5 - Students need to interview a family friend or relative (via phone, facetime, text, email or in person) and present the interview in class on May 25th.
Here are some sample questions:
11. What was your favorite thing to do for fun (movies, beach, etc.)?
12. Did you have family chores? What were they? Which was your least favorite?
13. Did you receive an allowance? How much? Did you save your money or spend it? 14. What was school like for you as a child? What were your best and worst subjects?
15. Where did you attend grade school? High school? College?
16. What school activities and sports did you participate in?
17. Do you remember any fads from your youth? Popular hairstyles? Clothes?
18. Who were your childhood heroes?
19. What were your favorite songs and music?
20. Did you have any pets? If so, what kind and what were their names?
21. What was your religion growing up? What church, if any, did you attend?
22. Were you ever mentioned in a newspaper?
23. Who were your friends when you were growing up?
24. What world events had the most impact on you while you were growing up? Did any of them personally affect your family?
25. Describe a typical family dinner. Did you all eat together as a family? Who did the cooking? What were your favorite foods?
26. How were holidays (birthdays, Christmas, etc.) celebrated in your family? Did your family have special traditions?
27. How is the world today different from what it was like when you were a child?
28. Who was the oldest relative you remember as a child? What do you remember about them?
29. What do you know about your family surname?
30. Is there a naming tradition in your family, such as always giving the firstborn son the name of his paternal grandfather?
31. What stories have come down to you about your parents? Grandparents? More distant ancestors? 32. Are there any stories about famous or infamous relatives in your family?
33. Have any recipes been passed down to you from family members?
34. Are there any physical characteristics that run in your family?
35. Are there any special heirlooms, photos, bibles or other memorabilia that have been passed down in your family?
Lesson 3: Crossword Time (May 17)
Step 1 - Students will work with a partner to create a crossword puzzle about themselves. Students will need to find a partner in the class.
Step 2 - Students will need to come up with 16 clues or hints about themselves. The clues can be related to history, heritage, interest, etc. as long as they are facts and information about themselves.
Step 3 - Once the group has 16 clues (8 clues about each partner), they will establish the answer for each clue, ie.:
Bridgewater: Taylor was born in the town of ______________
four: Ben has ______ immediate family members
puzzles: Sydney's family really enjoys playing _____ during the holidays
Step 4 - Determine which 8 clues will be horizontal and which 8 cues will be vertical (for the crossword puzzle)
Step 5 - Create your crossword puzzle online with a website like this one: http://tools.atozteacherstuff.com/free-printable-crossword-puzzle-maker/
* If time allows, the teacher will photocopy the crossowrd puzzles at the end of the unit and everyone can complete the crossword puzzles from the other groups.
Lesson 4: Leaving my Mark (May 18 & 24)
Step 1 - Teacher guided discussion about a 'Letter to the Editor'.
Step 2 - Students will write a 200 word letter to the editor of the South Shore Breaker about how they will leave their mark. 'Leaving your mark' can mean different things to different people. Students can discuss their thoughts with the teacher. Some ideas may be:
Lesson 5: Reporting the Good News (May 23)
step 1 - Students will research an article about a positive story that affected a person, family or community.
Step 2 - Students will share the story with their peers.
step 3 - Students will answer the following questions:
Step 1 - Teacher guided discussion about 'paying it forward' and being inspired by movies.
Step 2 - Students will view scenes from the film 'Pay it Forward'.
Step 3 - Students will answer the following comprehension questions and submit them on Showbie:
Lesson 7: All About Me Powerpoint (May 31, June 2, June 6, June 7)
Step 1 - Download Powerpoint or a Presentation App like Prezi.
Step 2 - Complete a presentation about yourself and your favourite things. You will need to make a page for each topic including a title and a photo (the photo does not need to be a family photo, it can be found online).
Step 3 - Five (5) of the pages must include a short paragraph to share more details about yourself. You may pick any of the themes below.
Here are the topics to include, we will work on 8 per class:
Step 5 - All presentations must be completed by June 8th, we will present them to the class on June 8th and June 9th.
Lesson 1: 'Future Me' (May 13)
Step 1 - Teacher guided discussion about heritage and how family, community and experiences help to share values, opinions and personal character.
Step 2 - Students will download the application for Pinterest on their iPads.
Step 3 - Students will collaborate with their teacher to create a graphic organizer including all of the things they imagine about their future: education, housing, employment, family, pets, hobbies, volunteering, vehicles, etc.
Step 4 - Students will create their own idea boards for 'Future Me' on the Pinterest application.
Step 5 - Students need to have a minimum of 20 pictures that represent the future image of themselves.
Step 6 - Students will present the Pinterest board to one another in small groups.
Step 7 - Students will present their board to the teacher.
Lesson 2: 'Where did I come from?' (May 16)
Step 1 - 'A great way to uncover clues to your family history is a family interview. By asking the right, open-ended questions, you're sure to collect a wealth of family tales.' Resource: http://digital.kenyon.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1008&context=gullah_documents
Step 2 - Students will create a list of interview questions to help get started, there are some example questions below. If students have an older family friend or relative, it would be great to interview them as they may provide a greater insight into your family's past history.
Step 3 - Students need to create a list of ten (10) interview questions today in class.
Step 4 - Students need to have the questions corrected by the teacher.
Step 5 - Students need to interview a family friend or relative (via phone, facetime, text, email or in person) and present the interview in class on May 25th.
Here are some sample questions:
- What is your full name? Why did your parents select this name for you? Did you have a nickname?
- When and where were you born?
- How did your family come to live there?
- Were there other family members in the area? Who?
- Describe what the house (apartment, farm, etc.) was like? How many rooms? Bathrooms? Did it have electricity? Indoor plumbing? Telephones?
- Were there any special items in the house that you remember?
- Tell me about your earliest childhood memory?
- Describe the personalities of your family members.
- What kind of games did you play growing up?
11. What was your favorite thing to do for fun (movies, beach, etc.)?
12. Did you have family chores? What were they? Which was your least favorite?
13. Did you receive an allowance? How much? Did you save your money or spend it? 14. What was school like for you as a child? What were your best and worst subjects?
15. Where did you attend grade school? High school? College?
16. What school activities and sports did you participate in?
17. Do you remember any fads from your youth? Popular hairstyles? Clothes?
18. Who were your childhood heroes?
19. What were your favorite songs and music?
20. Did you have any pets? If so, what kind and what were their names?
21. What was your religion growing up? What church, if any, did you attend?
22. Were you ever mentioned in a newspaper?
23. Who were your friends when you were growing up?
24. What world events had the most impact on you while you were growing up? Did any of them personally affect your family?
25. Describe a typical family dinner. Did you all eat together as a family? Who did the cooking? What were your favorite foods?
26. How were holidays (birthdays, Christmas, etc.) celebrated in your family? Did your family have special traditions?
27. How is the world today different from what it was like when you were a child?
28. Who was the oldest relative you remember as a child? What do you remember about them?
29. What do you know about your family surname?
30. Is there a naming tradition in your family, such as always giving the firstborn son the name of his paternal grandfather?
31. What stories have come down to you about your parents? Grandparents? More distant ancestors? 32. Are there any stories about famous or infamous relatives in your family?
33. Have any recipes been passed down to you from family members?
34. Are there any physical characteristics that run in your family?
35. Are there any special heirlooms, photos, bibles or other memorabilia that have been passed down in your family?
Lesson 3: Crossword Time (May 17)
Step 1 - Students will work with a partner to create a crossword puzzle about themselves. Students will need to find a partner in the class.
Step 2 - Students will need to come up with 16 clues or hints about themselves. The clues can be related to history, heritage, interest, etc. as long as they are facts and information about themselves.
Step 3 - Once the group has 16 clues (8 clues about each partner), they will establish the answer for each clue, ie.:
Bridgewater: Taylor was born in the town of ______________
four: Ben has ______ immediate family members
puzzles: Sydney's family really enjoys playing _____ during the holidays
Step 4 - Determine which 8 clues will be horizontal and which 8 cues will be vertical (for the crossword puzzle)
Step 5 - Create your crossword puzzle online with a website like this one: http://tools.atozteacherstuff.com/free-printable-crossword-puzzle-maker/
* If time allows, the teacher will photocopy the crossowrd puzzles at the end of the unit and everyone can complete the crossword puzzles from the other groups.
Lesson 4: Leaving my Mark (May 18 & 24)
Step 1 - Teacher guided discussion about a 'Letter to the Editor'.
Step 2 - Students will write a 200 word letter to the editor of the South Shore Breaker about how they will leave their mark. 'Leaving your mark' can mean different things to different people. Students can discuss their thoughts with the teacher. Some ideas may be:
- how students will make a difference in their school (joining a group or club)
- how students will make a difference in their community
- how students will impact the lives of others
- how students will stand up for something they believe in
Lesson 5: Reporting the Good News (May 23)
step 1 - Students will research an article about a positive story that affected a person, family or community.
Step 2 - Students will share the story with their peers.
step 3 - Students will answer the following questions:
- Who is this article about?
- Why is this article appealing to you?
- How will the people involved be affected over time?
- What is the link to the article or story?
Step 4 - Students will submit their answers on Showbie.
Step 1 - Teacher guided discussion about 'paying it forward' and being inspired by movies.
Step 2 - Students will view scenes from the film 'Pay it Forward'.
Step 3 - Students will answer the following comprehension questions and submit them on Showbie:
- “What happens if, when you’re finally free, you don’t like the world you live in?” Think of an idea to change our world, and put it into ACTION.
- During his bike ride, what is Trevor looking for?
- Explain the idea of “pay it forward”.
- Do you know of examples of teachers being “teachery”? Is that a good or a bad thing?
- Trevor feels that he has failed in helping Jerry so he moves on to ______________________. What is Trevor’s set-up? Does it work?
- Trevor thought he had failed with Jerry, but along comes this lady on a bridge..... Explain.
- What inspires us to do good?
- How are some people recognized for their efforts?
- Could “pay it forward” work?
- What else could we do?
Lesson 7: All About Me Powerpoint (May 31, June 2, June 6, June 7)
Step 1 - Download Powerpoint or a Presentation App like Prezi.
Step 2 - Complete a presentation about yourself and your favourite things. You will need to make a page for each topic including a title and a photo (the photo does not need to be a family photo, it can be found online).
Step 3 - Five (5) of the pages must include a short paragraph to share more details about yourself. You may pick any of the themes below.
Here are the topics to include, we will work on 8 per class:
- The day I was born.
- My full name (were you named after anyone? explain).
- My family.
- My first birthday.
- A family trip or get together.
- An elementary school memory.
- My hobbies.
- My three wishes.
- A quote from my favourite book.
- My favourite movie.
- My favourite music group.
- My favourite course.
- My favourite ice cream.
- My worst fear.
- My bucket list (include 10 items, thing you want to do in life).
- My astrology sign.
- My pets (or special doll, toy that you liked).
- My friends.
- My special talent.
- My favourite animal.
- My strengths and skills.
- A haiku about myself. (Line one has 5 syllables, line 2 has 7 syllables and line three has 5 syllables).
- When I grow up I want to...
- My three most important values or beliefs.
- My future will look like...
Step 5 - All presentations must be completed by June 8th, we will present them to the class on June 8th and June 9th.