Materials:

• chart paper and marker
• family photographs depicting celebrations, events, or trips (include teacher's photographs too)

Objective: Children will develop language, listening, and social skills, and cultural awareness as they share photographs and stories about their families.

In Advance: Send a note home to families requesting that they assist their child in finding a family photograph to use for the classroom activity. The photograph should depict a celebration, event, trip, or activity that involved their child.

ACTIVITIES

1. Explain to children that they will bring in photographs of family events to share with their friends. Tell them that everyone will have an opportunity to tell a story about his photograph. On a sheet of chart paper, create a schedule with the children so they will know the days that they will present their family photograph and story.
2. Begin the activity by sharing teacher photographs to model "storytelling language" for children. Pass the photographs around the circle so that everyone will have an opportunity to see each one.
3. Invite each child to show his photograph to classmates. Ask children to create a story about their pictures. Ask Who? What? Where? When? and Why? questions to help with their descriptions. Encourage classmates to ask questions too.
4. Invite children to make connections between their photographs. Have any children done similar things with their families? What do they enjoy about these activities? Do classmates have siblings who are close in age? What activities do they enjoy with their siblings?
5. Create a language experience chart with children to summarize what they learned about each other's families. Later, provide opportunities for children to share some of their home experiences with classmates. Children might participate in mock birthday celebrations, special dances, or prepare a snack-time treat from a family recipe.

Curriculum Connection: SOCIAL STUDIES

Glue the photographs onto a sheet of oaktag. Invite a small group of children to look at each photograph. Can they find photographs that are similar to one another? Ask children to explain the reasons for their choices.