2. Title of the day’s lesson with a brief description:
Family Heritage. This is an introductory lesson on students’ heritage. To begin, the teacher will discuss her Irish heritage, show a short video of Irish dancing and then share pictures of the traditional Irish dress worn in the dance, the soft and hard shoes and the bubble socks. Then, the students will learn a simple Irish dance. Next, the students will research a country from their heritage and write 3-5 sentences about that country. They will also need to find the flag of the country, as well as locate it on the class map. Finally, the students will be given a family crest project at the end of the lesson which they may begin working on.
3. Materials/resources needed:
• Computer with access to the internet
• CD player
• Irish dance dress picture
• Irish dance hard toe shoe picture
• Irish dance soft shoe picture
• Irish dance bubble socks picture
• Family crest directions
• Family crest outline
• Family Crest example
• Computer lab
• Push pins
• The song: Riverdance, by Celtic Orchestra on a CD
• CD player
• Handout including websites and directions for researching activity.
• Ireland Passports
• Parent letter (asking for county of heritage)
4. Teacher Preparation
Before the lesson the teacher should be sure to learn the Irish dance. The teacher should make a CD of the Irish music. Copies of the family crest outline should also be made. The teacher should also reserve the computer lab for the class period. In addition, the teacher should send a letter home with the students, asking the parents about each student’s heritage, to make sure the student is able to participate in the lesson. The parents will send the letters back with the countries, prior to the lesson.
5. Minnesota Academic Strand(s) and sub-strand(s) addressed:
World History:
• Family Life Today and In the Past
6. NCSS Strand(s) and substrand(s) addressed:
Culture
• Compare ways in which language, stories, folktales, music, and artistic creations serve as expressions of culture and influence behavior of people living in a particular culture.
7. Goal(s) for today’s lesson:
a. The students will learn about their family’s heritage.
8. Objective(s) for today’s lesson:
a. Given the demonstration and directions, the students will perform a simple Irish ceili dance.
b. Given the websites, the students will research a country of their heritage.
c. Given the information gathered from the website, the student will write three to five sentences about the country.
d. Given the map location activity, the students will locate their country on a map by marking it with a pushpin.
9. Procedures
a. introductory experiences: 5 minutes
i. Hand students a passport as they join teacher at the carpet.
ii. Ask students to board the plane and make sure they buckle up.
iii. Once all students are sitting, tell the students they are visiting a country from the teacher’s heritage.
iv. Play Irish music and show pictures of Ireland.
v. Ask students if they can identify which country they are going to visit.
vi. Tell students they have just arrived in Ireland.
b. developmental experiences:
Irish dance activity: (10 minutes)
i. Locate Ireland on a map. Put a pushpin on the map.
ii. Explain to students that a specific type of dance is performed in Ireland, called Irish dancing.
iii. Show students pictures of traditional Irish dance dress, poodle socks, soft shoe, and hard toe shoes. If possible, bring these items in, rather than using pictures.
Irish Dance Dress:
Hard Toe Irish dance shoes:
Soft Toe Irish dance shoes:
Irish dance Poodle socks:
iv. Show students a video of an Irish dance.
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSaa-2t2zmQ&feature=related
2. Ask students what they thought of the dance.
v. Teach students a simple Irish ceili (pronounced Kaley) dance called the 8-hand reel. Tell students that ceili dances are round or line dances. Demonstrate for them what they should do. Make sure the teacher demonstrates multiple times, in order for the students to be successful in doing the steps. Have them follow along while the teacher is demonstrating. Allow the students to practice the steps. Once the students seem to feel comfortable with the steps of the dance, allow students to perform the dance.
Researching Activity (15 minutes)
i. Explain to students that many of their family’s past relatives have come from another country. For some it may have been hundreds of years ago, for others it may not have been that many years. Also explain to the students that for some of them, their heritage may not trace back to another country, if their relatives were American Indians. In addition, explain that for some of them, if their relatives were Mexican Americans before 1848, their country of heritage could be the United States as well.
j. Ask children to each name a country from their heritage. If they are unsure, look it up on the heritage information sheet from the parents.
k. Tell children that they will be researching on the computers, through a list of websites provided, to learn about information of the country they are researching. Hand students the directions as a reference for them. (see attached directions)
l. When they are done researching, ask the students to write the name of the country on an index card, and then write 3-5 sentences about what they learned on it as well. For example, the students could write:
ii. Australia:
I learned that Australia people in Australia speak English, but with a different accent. Also, kangaroos live in Australia.
m. Tell the students they may draw pictures using crayons or markers if it is related to something they discovered about the country.
n. When the students are finished, help them locate their country on a map. Mark it with a pushpin and make a border around the map with the index card. Connect yarn from the pushpin to the index card that tells about that country.
o. Ask students to share what they learned about the country they researched.
Family Crest Activity (10 minutes)
p. Tell students they are going to begin making their family crests.
ii. A family crest is something that tells about your family. It shows details that make your family special.
q. Show students the outline of the crest divided into four parts.
r. Explain to students that they will fill this family crest will details about their family.
s. Write family crest on the board and circle it. Then, ask students what kinds of things they think should be included on a family crest. Following are some examples:
ii. Flags that represent the countries they came from
iii. Foods that are special to their family
iv. Pictures that represent their last name
v. Favorite family events
vi. Family traditions that relate to students heritage
t. Show students an example of personal family crest. Explain what the different pictures represent.
u. Hand out the family crest outline and directions.
v. Ask students to get out their pencils, crayons, colored pencils, or markers. Explain to students that they should do their very best work. Also, tell students that they will have class time tomorrow to finish their family crest. In addition, tell students to fill up the spaces of the family crest as much as possible.
c. culminating experiences (5 minutes)
i. The teacher will ask the students gather at the carpet and stay standing.
ii. Explain to students that when the music starts, they may begin dancing, using the Irish steps that they learned earlier.
iii. Tell students when the music stops, students will share, one thing they learned from today’s lesson.
iv. Play the music.
v. Stop the music and ask more students to share one thing they learned. Continue this pattern until all students who would like to share something have had a chance.
10. Assessment: The students will be assessed on their 3 sentences they wrote about their country. Also, when they finish their family crest the next day, they will be formally assessed. The teacher will be looking for neatness, and their ability to relay the important information about their families. Attached is a rubric on the grading for the family crests.
11. References:
(2008). Country information--kid's life. Retrieved April 26, 2008, from CountryReports.Org Web site: http://www.countryreports.org/kidslife/kidslife.aspx
(2008). Maps, flags, and counties. Retrieved April 26, 2008, from Yahoo! Kids Web site: http://kids.yahoo.com/reference/world-factbook
Eight hand reel. Retrieved April 26, 2008, from Irish ceili dances Web site: http://www.angelfire.com/on2/ceili/eighthandreel.html
Researching Activity
1. Look at the 2 websites to find information about your country.
2. Write 3-5 sentences about the country. What you learned or found interesting.
3. Draw a small picture of something related to what you learned.
4. Bring your index card to your teacher and locate the country on the map with the teacher’s help.
Your task will be to research a country from your heritage. If you do not remember the country of your heritage, ask the teacher and the teacher will look on heritage sheet from your parents and tell you.
You will be provided with the 2 websites to look at in order to research a country of your heritage.
Once you have read about the country, please write 3-5 sentences about what you learned, or found interesting, on an index card from your teacher. You may also draw a small picture of something related to what you learned about the country.
After you have finished writing, you may bring the index card to your teacher. You will locate the country on the map, with the help of your teacher, and a pushpin will be placed in that country to mark it for you.
Then, the teacher will attach your index card on the bulletin board, to create a border around the map. Yarn will be used to connect your country to your index card.
Websites:
• http://kids.yahoo.com/reference/world-factbook
• http://www.countryreports.org/kidslife/kidslife.aspx
Family Crest Directions
You will be creating a family crest. This family crest will include pictures and representations that tell others about your family. It may also include items such as a poem, which represent your family’s heritage.
In the oval in the family crest, please write your family’s last name.
The family crest will be broken into four parts. Label each of the sections as they relate to the picture.
1. A flag of the country of your heritage.
2. Something related to the family’s heritage should be included. This may be a poem, a tradition related to the family heritage, or a special food.
3. A family picture. A picture of the family should be drawn.
4. Anything you would like to include that is important to your family.
These crests will be graded on the neatness, and the thought that you put into them. They will also be graded on how the items included relate to your family’s heritage.
***Please do your best work and have fun with this project! We will be working in class on these family crests.
Family Crest Example:
Family Crest Template:
Eight-Hand Reel
A reel for four couples
1
BA
4G............F3
H............E
CD
2
A, C, E and G are men; B, D, F and H are women. AB are leading Tops, CD opposite Top; EF are leading Sides and GH opposite sides.
BARS-----------A. Lead Round
16-------------Dancers half right turn and lead around a complete circle. Rleease hands, turn about inwards. Man takes partners right hand in his left and both lead back to place.
---------------B. Body
16-------------(a) Extended Sides: Men side-step to right behind partner, women side-step to the left in front; finish with two short threes. All again side-step on in same direction as before; end witht wo short threes.
Each man takes the right hand of the woman next to him on his right and both make a full turn; all now chain back as they have come, to meet partners,w ith right hand, in starting position and turn in position.
32-------------(b) Skip across: Dancers A and C now exchange places to the side side-step, ending with two short threes; E and G follow suit, facing each other, right arm to right when crossing. Turn Turn woman with right hand and pass on to woamn on left of original position; give left hand and turn in place. A and C again change places to the side-step as before, ending witht wo short threes; E and G follow suit. Turn women with left hand, pass on to met own partner with right hand, in original position, and turn in place.
16-------------(b) Return chain: Men are now in original position, holding partner's right hand in own right; men give left hand to woman on right, women give left hand to men on left. All chain around, giving right and left hand alternately until meeting own partner again with right hand at opposite side of circle. Turn right around partner and chain back to original position; meet partner with right hand and turn in place.
16-------------(d) Backk-to-back: The man, holing his partner's right hand, side-steps towards the left of contrary woman, while his partner side-steps towards the left of the contrary man. The man then takes the left hand of contrary woman while his partner takes the left hand of contrary man, the four dancers thus forming a circle, men being back-to-back, women facing each other. All dance two short threes. The man releases his partner's right hand, turns around contrary woman and returns to his own partner, passing he other man right arm to right. Partners take hands and dance around the couple opposite to contrary couple. (i.e. couples 1 and 3 in diagram)
---------------C. 1st Figure
16-------------(a) Advance and retire: Leading and oppositeTops men take partner's left hands in their right, both advance to meet the opposite couple and retire to place [4 bars]. Repeat the movemnt. Both couples then dance a complete circle around each other.
16-------------(b) Repeat: Sides dance (a).
---------------D. Body
80-------------Repeat B.
---------------E. 2nd Figure
16-------------(a) Women chain: Top women advance, give right hands in center, and continue to opposite man, giving left hand. Both turn in place. Women return to own partner, both making a full turn in place. Both couples dance a complete circle around each other.
16-------------(b) Repeat: Sides dance (a).
---------------F. Body
80-------------Repeat B.
---------------G. Finish
40-------------All dancers join hands in a circle, foreamms bent sharply upwards and elbows held in to the sides. Advance to center and retire, advance and retire again. All side-step anticlockwise and finish with two short threes; side-step back, ending with two short threes. Advance and retire twice as before. All side-step clockwise and back, ending with threes. All couples take hands and swing around to the right to finish.
Parent letter to send home previous to lesson:
Hello Parents!
As you may know, the first graders are learning about families in Social Studies. Soon they will be learning about their own family heritage. Some students may not know or remember the country of their heritage. Therefore, if you could please write a country of your child’s heritage on the line below, and send this sheet back with your child tomorrow.
Thank you very much for your cooperation!
Sincerely,
______
Student Name: _________________
Country of Heritage: _________________
Family Crest Rubric
CATEGORY: Required Elements
4: The family crest includes all required elements, as well as additional information.
3: All required elements are included on the family crest.
2: All but 1 of the required elements are included on the family crest.
1: Several required elements were missing.
CATEGORY:Pictures-Relevance
4: All pictures are related to family heritage and make it easier to understand. 3: All pictures are related to family heritage and most make it easier to understand. 2: Most pictures relate to the family heritage, but some are not clear.
1: Pictures do not relate to the family heritage.
CATEGORY:Labels
4: All items of importance are clearly labeled.
3: Almost all items of importance on the family crest are clearly labeled.
2: Several items of importance on the family crest are clearly labeled.
1: The sections were not labeled.
CATEGORY:Pictures-Originality
4: Several of the pictures used on the family crest reflect an exceptional degree of student creativity in their creation and/or display.
3: One or two of the pictures used on the family crest reflect student creativity in their creation and/or display.
2: The pictures are made by the student, but are based on the designs or ideas of others.
1: The pictures do not show any time and effort put into them.
CATEGORY:Attractiveness
4: The family crest is exceptionally attractive in terms of design and neatness. 3: The family crest is attractive in terms of design and neatness.
2: The family crest is acceptably attractive, though it may be a bit messy.
1: The family crest is distractingly messy or very poorly designed. It is not attractive.
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