I. Curricular Framework

Concept:

Belonging

Essential Question:

What is a heritage?

Bridge:

My Family Tree

Content:

"When I Was Young in the Mountains" by Cynthia Rylant

Outcomes:

II. Standards Aligned

III. Instruction and Assessment

1. Connect: Connecting to the Concept Experientially

Objective: To have the children begin a discussion of belonging.

Activity: Have the children draw a picture of a place where you belong. It could be a room, or a house, or a yard, or a school

Assessment: Details in the picture and the sense of belonging the picture conveys

2. Attend: Attending to the Connection

Objective: To being the process of analyzing belonging in the context of heritage.

Activity: Have the children share their pictures and discuss what belonging means. Teach the root of the word “heritage” (heir) and talk about what heritage means.
At the end of the discussion ask the children what it would be like to not belong anywhere.

Assessment: The quality of the discussion, understanding and new insights

Assessment, Phase One, Level of Engagement, Fascination:

3. Image: Creating a Mental Picture

Objective: To have the children enhance their understanding of their families.

Activity: Have the children create a family tree. They will need help from their parents. Have them draw pictures of different family members as part of their tree.
Have them present their findings to their small groups.

Assessment: The accuracy of the facts and presentation of their family tree

Assessment, Phase Two, Seeing the Big Picture:

4. Inform: Receiving Facts & Knowledge

Objective: To understand and enjoy the book.

Activity: Read When I Was Young in the Mountains.

Assessment: Attentiveness and understanding on the part of the children

Assessment, Phase Three, Success with Acquiring Knowledge:

5. Practice: Developing Skills

Objective: To further the children’s knowledge of their family and their heritage.

Activity: Have the children interview a grandparent or an elderly member of their family.
Ask the following questions: Where did you live, near mountains, or water, or on a farm, in a city, or near a desert? What did you work at?
How did you get to school? What was church like? How did you pass the time in the evenings? What kind of vacations did you take? Where did you go? Tell an unusual story about something that happened to you when you were near my age.

Assessment: Quality of material that the children gather from the interviews.

Assessment, Phase Four, Success with Acquiring Skills:

6. Extend: Extending Learning to the Outside World

Objective: To help the children visualize their grandparents’ young lives.

Activity: Have the children create a picture book of their grandparents’ or elderly relative’s young life and share it with the other children.

Assessment: Accuracy of the data, quality of the pictures and layout.

7. Refine: Refining the Extension

Objective: To have the children create a pride statement of their heritage.

Activity: Ask the children to write three things they are proud of in their heritage, their belonging.

Assessment: Honesty and insight levels.

8. Perform: Creative Manifestation of Material Learned

Objective: To have the children share the meaning of their heritage.

Activity: Have the children share their stories of their grandparents and their three pride statements with other classrooms’ children.

Assessment:Quality of the presentations and impact on the listeners

Assessment, Phase Five,Performance, Creative Use of Material Learned: