Family Diversity: “A Family is a Family is a Family” by Sara O’Leary

Grade Level: Grade Two

Topic: Family Diversity

Book Title: “A Family is a Family is a Family”

Author: Sara O’Leary

Discussion Prompts/Questions:

“Who is in your family?”
“What does your family like to do together?”
“What makes your family the same as other families? What makes your family different?”
“The most important thing about a family is that they love each other, wherever they are. How can we still show that we love our families, even if they don’t live in the same house or city as we do?”

Follow-Up Activity:

Have students use loose parts to represent their families. Find or make a house template that students can use. This can be a “make and take” if the you want them to attach items, or just a creation station. If possible, record short videos of the students telling about the families that they have created.
Open a dramatic play house centre (ideally with racially diverse doll babies), where children can role-play being in a family.
For other play opportunities, this is a good time to pull out a doll house, animal families, and other home centre type activities.
For art, provide the opportunity for children to draw or paint pictures of their families and their homes.
*Note: If your classroom does not have access to these sorts of dramatic play and/or toy centres, see if you can arrange for your students to be “big buddies” for a preschool or kindergarten class, and find a time when those teachers have these sorts of centres set up and timing can work for a playdate! Your older students will benefit from the experience of being the “big kids”, will benefit from this kind of play, and this will give you the opportunity to watch them put their kindness, empathy, and understanding into action.

BC Core Competency Connections:

Personal and Social

Positive Personal and Cultural Identity
- I am aware of different aspects of myself. I can describe my family, home, and/or community (people and/or place).
Social Awareness and Responsibility
- I can help and be kind.
- I am aware that other people can be different from me.
- In familiar settings, I can interact with others and my surroundings respectfully.

Thinking

Communication

Communicating
- In a safe and supported environment, I respond meaningfully to communication from peers and adults.
Collaborating
- In familiar situations, I can participate with others.

BC Curricular Connections:

Understand (Big Ideas):
- Stories and other texts help us learn about ourselves and our families. (ELA 2)
- Everyone has a unique story to share. (ELA 2)
- Through listening and speaking, we connect with others and share our world. (ELA 2)
- Strong communities are the results of being connected to family and community and working together toward common goals. (Career Education 2)

Know (Content):
- Diverse characteristics of communities and cultures in Canada and around the world. (SS 2)
- Cultural and social awareness, achieved by exploring self-identity, acknowledging cultural differences, honouring indigenous traditions. (Career Education 2)

FPPL Link:

Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors.
Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place).
Learning involves generational roles and responsibilities.
Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story.

BC ELF Link:

Families have the most important role in contributing to children’s well-being and learning.
Early years spaces are inclusive.
People build connection and reconnection to land, culture, community, and place.
Play is integral to well-being and learning.
Relationships are the context for well-being and learning.

TFT Through-line Link:

Social Justice for Little Learners