Racism. No Way - Anti-racism education for Australian schools

2.6: What makes my family unique?

Lesson overview

Theme:Being comfortable with difference
Age Group:Year 2
Learning Area:Personal Development, Health and Physical Education
Outcomes:IRS1.1

Content descriptor

Students describe their families and other groups to which they belong.

Teachers notes

  1. Teachers should encourage students to be sensitive about the variety of families represented in the class and stress that there is no “normal” recipe for families.
  2. Teachers should be particularly sensitive to students who may have lost or otherwise been separated from family members.

Resources

Coloured pencils, crayons or textas (optional)

Handouts

Activity

  1. Introduce this activity by explaining that families differ from each other in a number of ways including structure, individual roles and collective abilities and skills.
  2. Using the handout: My family [DOC], ask students to create family maps listing the names of everyone they consider to be a part of their family. Some students may wish to include members of their extended family, pets and friends. Once completed, you may wish to ask students to decorate their maps with photographs and/or drawings of family members.
  3. Ask students to complete the handout: Family recipe [DOC], listing the “ingredients” which makes their family unique. These ingredients may include details of family structure, cultural and religious background as well as skills or characteristics the families may have such as speaking another language, artistic or sporting talents.
  4. At the end of the activity, collect and collate the handouts into a class family collage which is used as a stimulus for discussing the diversity of the students’ families.