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Family Ties

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Lesson Plan

Family Ties Lesson Plan

Students will understand how different family structures influence behaviors and attitudes, identify various family types, and learn respectful ways to honor all families.

Kindergarten students benefit from understanding family diversity to build empathy, acceptance, and a supportive classroom community.

Audience

Kindergarten

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Discussion, visual examples, group drawing, and reflection.

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Teacher should review all generated materials prior to the lesson to ensure clarity.

Step 1

Warm-Up Discussion

5 minutes

  • Invite students to sit in a circle
  • Ask: “Who is in your family?” and have volunteers share a family activity
  • Emphasize that all families are special and unique

Step 2

Family Types Introduction

10 minutes

  • Display the Family Types Poster
  • Briefly explain each structure: nuclear, single parent, blended, intergenerational, cohabitating, adoptive, foster, same-gender, interracial
  • Use Family Structure Cards to show pictures and examples
  • Ask students to name any families they know from stories or real life

Step 3

Family Group Activity

15 minutes

  • Divide students into small groups of 3–4
  • Give each student a Family Drawing Worksheet and crayons
  • Instruct them to draw their own family and label who is in it
  • Circulate to prompt discussion about similarities and differences

Step 4

Reflection and Respect Chart

10 minutes

  • Reconvene whole class and display the Respectful Families Chart
  • Ask: “How can we show respect for families that look different or have different members?”
  • Record responses (e.g., kind words, include everyone, listen to stories)
  • Reinforce that respect makes our classroom community stronger

Step 5

Closing and Sharing

5 minutes

  • Invite 2–3 volunteers to share their family drawing and tell one respectful action they learned
  • Praise all contributions and recap that every family is important
  • Encourage students to use respectful actions each day
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Slide Deck

Family Ties

Exploring how our families shape us and ways to show respect for all families.

Welcome everyone! Today we’ll explore our families and learn how they shape who we are. Encourage excitement and remind students they can share as much as they feel comfortable.

Today’s Objectives

• Identify different family structures
• Understand how families influence our behaviors and attitudes
• Learn respectful ways to honor all families

Read each objective aloud and explain any new words. Make sure students understand what they will learn today.

Warm-Up Discussion

• Sit in a circle
• Question: “Who is in your family?”
• Share a family activity you enjoy
• Remember: Every family is special!

Invite students to sit in a circle. Prompt volunteers to share who is in their family and one fun thing they like to do together.

Family Types Introduction

Here are some family structures:
• Nuclear (parents & children)
• Single parent
• Blended
• Intergenerational
• Cohabitating
• Adoptive
• Foster
• Same-gender
• Interracial

Display the Family Types Poster. Point to each type and briefly describe it in kid-friendly terms. Use the Family Structure Cards for visual examples.

Look and Describe

• View the Family Structure Cards
• Notice differences and similarities
• Share one thing you see

Hold up each card and ask: “What do you notice?” Encourage naming colors, number of people, activities shown.

Family Drawing Activity

• Draw your family on your worksheet
• Label each family member
• Talk to your group about your drawings

Hand out the Family Drawing Worksheet and crayons. Circulate and ask open-ended questions: “Who is this? What are they doing?”

Reflection & Respect

Question: “How can we show respect for families that look different?”
• Kind words
• Include everyone
• Listen to their stories
• Other ideas?

Bring everyone back together. Display the Respectful Families Chart. Record students’ ideas as they speak.

Closing & Sharing

• Volunteers share their family drawing
• Tell one respectful action you learned
• Reminder: Practice respect every day!

Invite 2–3 volunteers to share their drawings and one respectful action. Praise their participation and reinforce key takeaways.

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Family Ties • Lenny Learning