Family Portrait –I love this simple family portrait craft because no matter how old your child or students are, they can participate. Banned & Challenged Books (2020-09-09). "Top 100 Most Banned and Challenged Books: 2010-2019". Office for Intellectual Freedom. American Library Association . Retrieved 2021-05-04. A joyous picture book about the importance of family and all of the strength it can give you.The message is subtle, but it's a crucial one: every family is special and the only thing that matters is love. Not only that, but if you feel like your family stands out, then don't– there are so many different sorts of families out there that the "normal" family doesn't really exist. My class is learning all about families right now, and I wanted to share some of the activities we are exploring. This book is one of my favorites for exploring families, and this year, as I teach over zoom, it is especially well suited for reading over zoom. This family-themed circle time activity is one of my favorites and it helps to show children how unique every family is while working on counting. Many of these activities work well in class, but some are perfect for at-home during remote learning too. Simple enough for any family to do on any budget. Have fun exploring these preschool activities for The Family Book by Todd Parr.

But Superintendent Cox claims he was only listening to the voice of his community. Unfortunately, yet again, the heated mob-mentality of a few, fueled by emotion rather than reason, has dictated policy for the many. The Family Book by Todd Parr is a book that gives its readers a broad definition of family; it doesn’t say that your family has to look a certain way or be the same as your neighbors. As a teacher, I really appreciate the matter of fact way it embraced diversity. It mentions some families having two moms or two dads in the same vein as all the other similarities and differences like living in a house vs. an apartment or having a large or small family. Kids see that families are not all like theirs, and it’s important to validate the truth while recognizing that while families may not all look alike, all families are made with love. Great book, fantastic illustrations, and children love it. Family Name Hunt– this is perfect for a remote school. It’s an easy activity to send home for students to do at home, and my students loved it. Since the book was provided by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), the district has moved to ban everything the organization has provided or sponsored, which includes some very popular and successful anti-bullying programs used nationwide. Self-Portraits can be very useful when learning about families. Who are you in your family? Students can make themselves or a family member.But as every parent knows, hate is not something you are born with, it is something that is learned. If these parents are so bent out of shape over a single reference to a lifestyle that is a fact of life, then it’s safe to say that their children will grow up as ignorant and as intolerant as they are. Combined with these differences are the ways they are all alike: they hug each other, are sad when they lose someone they love, and enjoy celebrating together. The Family Book also serves as a teaching tool about bullying. I am familiar with the artwork and themes of Todd Parr's books, and immediately enjoyed "The Family Book" with no exception. The color pallet and shapes do blind the reader due to their boldness, but it is without doubt one of the reasons children and adults of all ages return for more!

This circle time lesson for The Family Book combines counting, learning about how each family is unique, and of course, Todd Parr’s excellent book. Modern children's books help families explore diversity". CNN. 8 March 2012 . Retrieved 2 May 2013.Lindsay\’s daughter, Kyiah, will be in the third grade next year and took away a lot from the school\’s anti–bullying programs sponsored by GLSEN. Her favorite of which is “No Name Calling Week,” which is now banned under the new policy. Family Photo Quilt– This is awesome in a classroom when students can see each other’s families on the finished quilt. In a whimsical, engaging way, the daily lives of all kinds of families are depicted, celebrating their differences and their similarities; and supporting acceptance of them all. Brookhart said that the censoring of these materials, which have been proven effective in schools nationwide in combating bullying, would hurt the progress they have made at the local level.