Topic/Theme Statement

Throughout history, families have changed their forms and shapes of lifestyles for various

reasons. Often there is a dynamic event that influences families to change their values of families and

tradition. For example, due to the demand for manual labor, families in the past would have many

children. This resulted in large extended families. Think about the stories that you have heard from your

family members, and analyze the characters and their individual roles. By understanding the different

roles, students will develop a deeper understanding of the concept on family.

This unit is about diverse families. It addresses various perspectives and definitions of family. By

studying what a family means, the history of families, and various cultural traditions, students will be

able to develop a better understanding of their own cultural identity. This unit problematizes a one-

dimensional view of family. Many Buchanan students have experienced varying family structures, and

because a lot of Buchanan students often live with their extended family, this topic is very instrumental in

helping them not only understand but also take pride in their home cultures and identities. Mr. Dejong

teaches a 1st grade class, whose language abilities vary from entry-level English to fluency. Having said

this, this unit should be approached in a way that meets each students’ learning needs. A starting point for

one student might be defining “family” while another student may already have the prior knowledge and

vocabulary to begin learning about different components of family.

This unit poses important questions to students such as “what is family”, “what makes families

different”, and “how have families changed over time?” The history of family is a topic that is interwoven

throughout this unit and is used as a reference of comparison for students and their own stories.