Name: Kristina Gjokaj

Grade: Kindergarten Date: 10/16/2018

Unit: Social Studies: What is a family? Lesson Title: Family Traditions – Birthdays around the world

Time Duration: 25 minutes

Content Standard Alignment: (at the very beginning, please also include the description of the standard, rather
than just the “code”)

Social Studies Standards

K – G1.0.1 Recognize that maps and globes represent places.

K – H2.0.1 Distinguish among the past, present, and future.

English Language Arts Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.8
With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from
provided sources to answer a question.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.2
Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which
they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic

Lesson Objectives/Instructional Outcomes: (Statements of student learning, not student activity - must include
the specific Learning Target for this lesson)

I can talk about my family’s traditions.

I can dictate between past, present, and future.
I can specify that there are many different family traditions around the world.

Instructional Materials/Resources: (If you are using a book, include the title; if you are using a video/video clip,
include the link and/or title)
Birthday’s Around the World By: Magariet Ruurs and Ashley Barron

Methods and Instructional Strategies

Anticipated Student Misconceptions:
Everyone celebrates their birthdays the same way. Everyone is like them.

Concept Prerequisites:
What a birthday is.
How to use crayons and pencils.

Introduction- Anticipatory
Set: (The “Hook”)
So, I was thinking about how last week we were talking about traditions with Mikey
the Monkey. So, I went home that night to celebrate my brother’s birthday and we
took him out to his favorite restaurant and bought him cake and surprised him with
gifts and balloons. After I thought, that one tradition we can talk more about is
Birthdays. It is something that we do with our families year after year. Sometimes
those traditions are passed down from grandparents.
 Birthdays are celebrated differently all around the world. And I brought in a book
today for us to read all about it. Actually, this week I brought in another friend… her
name is Pam the Princess.

Instructional Activities:  Introduction

(Begin with how you will  So today’s goal, is to learn more about traditions and how people all
inform the students of the around the world have different traditions.
Learning Target for this  Read the book Birthdays around the world
lesson. It is recommended  Label the map of all the different countries the characters live
that you write what you  Ask Pam the puppet what she does for her birthdays
will do step-by-step or as a  Have Pam the puppet asks the students what their birthday traditions are.
numbered or bulleted list,  Have students brainstorm… ask questions like: What special things do you
at least for your first few eat? What special family traditions will you follow? Wil there be parents?
lessons. Be sure to include Will there be candles to blow out? What will you wear?
key questions/ prompts  Have students turn and talk. Then have students go back to their desks to
that you will use) draw what they will be doing on their next birthday. Encourage students to
write labels and words.
Wrap Up-  Give students about 8-10 minutes to draw and write their about their
Synthesis/Closure: future birthdays. Walk around and have each student share with you.
(What will you briefly do  So, I was walking around and heard so many different traditions. Even in
to “end” the lesson, to our own classroom so many people have different birthday traditions.
inform your subsequent  It is important to always remember that every family has different
instruction, correct any traditions and that is what makes each family so unique and special.
possible
misunderstandings, and/or
tie up any loose ends. A list
of ideas will be provided)
Transition(s): (How will you move the students from this lesson to the next? Brain Break, GoNoodle break,
bathroom breaks, snack, or just put away materials and get out the materials needed for next lesson?)
 Now, friends, it is time for lunch. Have hot lunch friends put their drawings in my cubbies and wash hands
and cold lunch friends to follow.

Differentiation According to Student Needs: (Be certain to consider struggling students, as well as students who
catch on very quickly – be sure to thoughtfully plan learning groups to facilitate learning for all)

 If some students do not celebrate birthdays I can work with them to identify another family tradition that
takes place.
 Some of my students have a hard time sitting next to each there so arranging their seating may help them
to pay attention to the story.
 For my student that has a hard time focusing, I can move him to his special ‘writing area’ to work on his
writing/drawing
 If students don’t seem to have ideas I will try to ask questions to get them thinking.
 For students that are unchallenged, I will challenge them to label everything and attempt write words.

Assessment (Formative and Summative): (This is not necessarily some type of formal assessment, but how
do you plan to check for student understanding? Exit slips, Turn & Talk, Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down, making
rounds around the room are all examples, or consider creating a quick quiz using Plickers, Kahoot, or
Socrative)

Having the students turn and talk will help me to assess where my students are at and if they need to talk about
the topic more. This will help me assess whether I need to create a whole group discussion on the topic. Also, I will
be assessing students while they work and as I walk around the room. Are there any students that need extra
help? What does it look like certain students are struggling mostly with?
Personal reflection on the lesson:
(Be thinking about questions you will ask yourself after you teach the lesson. There is no need to type out
your reflection – you are welcome to simply write your reflections at the bottom of your lesson plan)
What went well?
What didn’t go well?
Did I miss anything?
What could I change for next time?
What did my students struggle with mostly?