The American Family

E-mail this product to a friend

Description:

This unit presents information about the historical role of the family. Students receive a global perspective; then they discuss the economics of family life, consider modern work and gender roles, investigate family problems and alternative child raising techniques, and examine the elements of a successful marriage and family life. The unit concludes with an assessment experience. Students use information learned in the previous lessons to set up a functional household.

Activities:

Students compare stereotypes about families from television sitcoms of the 1950s and today, brainstorm alternative family structures, create a family budget, analyze statistics, develop a position paper, and make predictions about what future census data will tell us about the American family. Academic activities include reading, writing, small- and large-group discussion, role-playing, dramatizing, brainstorming, charting, and mapping.