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The Circle of Life: The Family

The purpose of this unit is for students to learn how the traditional family meal is an integral part of The Circle of Life.

Grade Range	Intermediate (4-6) Middle School (7-8) High School (9-12)
Concepts	Cycles
Topics	Traditions

Purpose Statement

How are the family meal traditions an integral part of The Circle of Life?

Software

1. Claris Works 4.0 reports.
2. Netscape to access the WWW.

Hardware

Power Mac computer 6500/225

Internet Resources

nmaa-ryder.si.edu
www.cgi.cnn.com
www.butterball.com
and web sites the students find on their own

Standard Resources

textbooks and magazines related to family meal traditions and The Circle of Life

Language Arts Teacher Objectives

1. The teacher will provide the students with the opportunity to talk about, write about, and read about how family meal traditions are an integral part of The Circle of Life.

Language Arts Content Objectives

1. The student will have the opportunity to talk about, write about and read about how family meal traditions are an integral part of The Circle of Life.

Math Teacher Objectives

1. The teacher will provide the opportunity for the student to calculate the quantity of ingredients needed to make all of the food that ia included in a traditional family meal such as a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Math Content Objectives

1. The student will have the opportunity to calculate the quantity of ingredients needed to make all of the food that ia included in a traditional family meal such as a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Science Teacher Objectives

1. The teacher will provide the opportunity for the student to analyze the nutrients in the traditional family meal such as a traditional family Thanksgiving meal.

Science Content Objectives

1.The student will have the opportunity to analyze the nutrients in the traditional family meal such as a traditional family Thanksgiving meal.

History Teacher Objectives

1. The teacher will provide the student with the opportunity to research and analyze the history of the traditional family meal as an integral part of The Circle of Life.

History Content Objectives

1. The students will have the opportunity to research and analyze the history of the traditional family meal as an integral part of The Circle of Life.

Performing Arts Teacher Objectives

1. The teacher will provide the student with the opportunity to re-enact a traditional family meal such as a traditional family Thanksgiving meal.

Performing Arts Content Objectives

1. The student will have the opportunity to re-enact a traditional family meal such as a traditional family Thanksgiving meal.

Technology Teacher Objectives

1. The teacher will provide the student with the opportunity to use technology which will help enrich learning about how family meal traditions are an integral part of the Circle of Life.

Technology Content Objectives

1. The student will have the opportunity to use technology which will help enrich learning about how family meal traditions are an integral part of the Circle of Life.

Visual Arts Teacher Objectives

1. The teacher will provide the student with the opportunity to use artists' pictures that illustrate how family meal traditions are an integral part of The Circle of Life.

Visual Arts Content Objectives

1. The students will have the opportunity to use artists' pictures that illustrate how family meal traditions are an integral part of The Circle of Life.

Instructional Outline

1. Brainstorm family meal traditions.

2. Brainstorm the meaning of "The Circle of Life".

3. Show the Indian "Circle of life" poster that my son received from an Indian. Discuss the Indian meaning of "The Circle of Life".

4. Analyze Carmen Lomas Gaza's picture of a family meal tradition and relate them to the Circle of Life.
Play Elton John's song, "The Circle of Life", discuss how the family holiday meal in Carmen Lomas Gaza's picture is related to the "Circle of Life" song.

5. Analyze how family meal traditions are an integral part of the Circle of Life.

6. Use skills in Math, Science, Family & Consumer Science, Art, and Technology while planning and preparing a traditional family Thanksgiving meal.

7. Analyze an artist's picture of a traditional family meal from a different culture and write about how it is an integral part of The Circle of Life.

8. Students write and discuss their own Thanksgiving family meal traditions.

9. Students bring pictures of their own traditional Thanksgiving family meal and share them with the class.

10. A guest speaker from the community and/or a parent talk to the class about the traditional family meal and how it is an integral part of The Circle of Life.

11. Use family members, community members, the WWW, and textbooks to research the traditional family Thanksgiving meal and how it is an integral part of The Circle of Life. Write about the traditional family Thanksgiving meal and discuss it with the class.

12. Use the WWW to collaborate with students in other parts of the world about how traditional family meals are an integral part of the circle of life.

13. The students will analyze and compare their family meal traditions as an integral part of The Circle of Life with the traditions of a different culture.

14. The students will conclude by writing and discussing how their own family meal traditions are an integral part of The Circle of Life.

Teacher Reflection

When I planned this unit, I started with the concept and thought of resources that would help the students learn the concept. I remembered one fo my favorite artist's picture of a kitchen full of family members helping prepare a traditional family meal. I decided to use this picture as a visual aid because it was a excellent example of the concept that I wanted the students to learn. I decided to have the students use the WWW to further develop the concept of family meal traditions in other cultures.

During this unit, the students related the concept of family meal traditions as an integral part of The Circle of Life to their own life experiences. The learning activities provided a hook or a tie to the lives of the students in order to promote long term learning. The students related the learning to past experiences. The learning was meaningful and fun. The students produced a real product which was a traditional family meal and a written description of how their family meal tradition is an integral part of The Circle of Life.

Teacher Artifacts

1. The learning environment and supplies to research, plan, and to prepare a traditional family meal which is an integral part of The Circle of Life.

2. Rubric.

Student Artifacts

1. Research on the traditional family meal as an integral part of The Circle of Life.

2. A traditional family Thanksgiving meal.

3. The student's own written description of his/her own traditional family meal as an integral part of the Circle of Life.

Partnerships

The students used National Museum of American Art resources and community members as resources during this unit.

All Unit Plans are to be considered "Works in Progress". As teachers reflected upon the challenges and successes of each unit they were encouraged to return and make modifications. Also, each teacher was at their own level in incorporating the four strands of the grant into their daily teaching. As they grew more comfortable with each area they were encouraged to revisit their Unit Plan and make modifications. These Unit Plans are a snapshot of where the teachers were when the grant ended.