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How Does Learning Happen at Home?

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Lesson Plan

Home Learning Kickoff

Students will identify and brainstorm practical ways families can support learning at home, then commit to one strategy and share take-home tips to foster a supportive home learning environment.

Engaging families in students’ learning strengthens academic success and builds a home–school partnership. By exploring real examples and creating personalized tips, students and families feel empowered to collaborate on learning goals.

Audience

3rd Grade Class

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion and hands-on brainstorming

Materials

Family Partnership Slides, Family Snapshot Poll, Home Practice Brainstorm, Take-Home Tips Flyer, and Exit Ticket Reflection

Prep

Prepare Materials

15 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Family Snapshot Poll

5 minutes

  • Distribute Family Snapshot Poll to each student
  • Ask students to complete quick questions about which home activities help them learn (reading aloud, cooking together, etc.)
  • Invite 2–3 volunteers to share one poll response with the class to spark ideas

Step 2

Introduction: Discuss Home Learning

10 minutes

  • Display Family Partnership Slides
  • Walk through 4 examples of home learning support (reading routines, math games, science observations, writing journals)
  • Pause after each slide to ask: “How could your family try this at home?”
  • Highlight real student examples or invite students to share their own experiences

Step 3

Activity: Home Practice Brainstorm

15 minutes

  • Hand out Home Practice Brainstorm sheets
  • In small groups, students list 3–5 ways families can support learning in reading, math, and science at home
  • Circulate and prompt deeper thinking: “What materials would you need? When could you do this?”
  • After 10 minutes, each group shares one favorite idea with the class

Step 4

Share & Take-Home Tips

10 minutes

  • Introduce Take-Home Tips Flyer
  • Model how to fill in the flyer with one student’s idea
  • Explain that students will share this flyer with their families and discuss which strategies they plan to try
  • Encourage students to ask family members for feedback and to write additional notes on the flyer

Step 5

Cool-Down: Exit Ticket Reflection

5 minutes

  • Distribute Exit Ticket Reflection
  • Prompt students: “Write one strategy you will do at home this week and one question you have for your family.”
  • Collect tickets to gauge understanding and plan follow-up
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Slide Deck

Family Partnership: Learning at Home

Supporting your learning doesn’t stop when the school bell rings!

In this workshop, we’ll look at everyday activities families can do together to boost reading, math, science, and writing skills.

Welcome everyone! Today we’re going to explore how families can become learning partners at home. First, I’ll share four simple examples of activities families can do to support reading, math, science, and writing. After each example, pause and ask students: “How could your family try this at home?”

Example 1: Reading Routines

• Read aloud for 10–15 minutes each day
• Choose books that interest you both
• Take turns reading pages or chapters
• Ask each other questions about the story

Explain that building a daily reading habit together strengthens comprehension and vocabulary. Share a quick anecdote about a family reading routine.

Example 2: Math Games

• Play card games (War, Go Fish) focusing on sums or differences
• Use dice to roll and add or multiply numbers
• Try simple board games that involve counting spaces
• Create a “shopping” game to practice money and change

Highlight how games make math fun and reduce stress. Describe a simple card or board game that practices addition or multiplication.

Example 3: Science Observations

• Keep a nature journal with daily drawings and notes
• Observe weather patterns and discuss changes
• Plant seeds and track growth with measurement logs
• Conduct simple experiments (sink/float, mixing colors)

Discuss how everyday observations spark scientific thinking. Share a short activity like watching plants grow or cloud spotting.

Example 4: Writing Journals

• Keep a daily or weekly journal of adventures or ideas
• Write letters or postcards to family and friends
• Create stories together: choose characters, plot, and ending
• Draw comics that include captions and dialogue

Emphasize that writing at home builds expression and critical thinking. Show how a journal can be both fun and reflective.

Discussion: Your Turn!

How could your family try one of these at home?

• Which activity sounds most fun?
• What materials would you need?
• When could you do this together?

Invite students to brainstorm ways their own families can try one of these activities. Encourage sharing and build excitement for the next brainstorming activity.

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Warm Up

Family Snapshot Poll

Take a quick peek at how you learn at home! Answer each question below.

  1. Which activities do you and your family do together? (Check all that apply)
  • Reading books
  • Cooking or baking
  • Playing math games (cards, puzzles)
  • Exploring nature (bug hunts, plant observations)
  • Writing stories or keeping a journal
  • Other: ___________________________

  1. What is your favorite way to learn at home? Why?






  2. Name one new activity you’d like to try with your family this week:






Be ready to share one of your responses with the class!

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Activity

Home Practice Brainstorm

Time: 15 minutes • Work in small groups

Use this sheet to list creative ways families can support your learning at home. Aim for 3–5 ideas in each area. Think about materials, timing, and who can help!

1. Reading at Home

List 3–5 family reading activities. Then answer the questions below.

  1. ________________________________________________


  2. ________________________________________________


  3. ________________________________________________


  4. ________________________________________________


  5. ________________________________________________


What materials would you need?
_______________________________________________





When could you do this together?
_______________________________________________





2. Math at Home

List 3–5 family math activities. Then answer the questions below.

  1. ________________________________________________


  2. ________________________________________________


  3. ________________________________________________


  4. ________________________________________________


  5. ________________________________________________


What materials would you need?
_______________________________________________





When could you do this together?
_______________________________________________





3. Science at Home

List 3–5 family science activities. Then answer the questions below.

  1. ________________________________________________


  2. ________________________________________________


  3. ________________________________________________


  4. ________________________________________________


  5. ________________________________________________


What materials would you need?
_______________________________________________





When could you do this together?
_______________________________________________





Share Your Best Idea

• Choose one favorite activity from your chart.
• Be ready to tell the class: What is it? Why will your family enjoy it? What do you need to get started?

Use this brainstorm to complete your Take-Home Tips Flyer later!

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Worksheet

Take-Home Tips Flyer

Help your family plan a fun learning activity at home! Fill out this flyer and share it with a family member. Be ready to talk about your plan and get their ideas.

Student Name: ___________________________ Date: _________________

1. Family Activity to Try

Describe the activity you chose from your brainstorm.
_______________________________________________





2. Materials Needed

List all the things your family will need to do this activity.
_______________________________________________





3. When We’ll Do It

Write the day(s) and time(s) your family can do this together.
_______________________________________________





4. Why This Activity Helps Me Learn

Explain how this activity will support your learning in reading, math, or science.
_______________________________________________





5. Tips for Success

Share two tips to make this activity more fun or easier to do.

  1. ____________________________________________


  2. ____________________________________________


Family Feedback

(For a grown-up to fill in)

  1. What do you like about this plan?
    _______________________________________________





  2. What suggestions do you have?
    _______________________________________________





Family Member Signature: ________________________ Date: ____________

Use your plan this week and see how it goes!

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Cool Down

Exit Ticket Reflection

Thank you for exploring ways to learn at home today! Please answer the questions below before you leave.

  1. One home learning strategy I will try this week is:






  2. A question I have for my family about learning at home:






Please hand in your exit ticket so I can read your plans and questions!

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