NATIONAL DAY CALENDAR CLASSROOM – WEEK 13 – November 4, 2018
As we dive into November, the classroom we also head into the traditional holiday season. While we #CelebrateEveryDay, spending time with family during the holidays means we see people we miss throughout the year. Family Stories Month makes those moments a perfect assignment for the classroom, too!
This week, we also look back to the STEM/STEAM project for more classroom science fun.
Be sure to check out the trivia, crosswords and word search puzzles. Each week, we try to bring a variety of activities to celebrate the days on the calendar to keep your classroom curious.
Sharing on social media isn’t required, learning is. But if you do, please use #NDCClassroom to share on social media.
Lesson 1 – Family Stories Month
This week, students interview family members to find out family history or learn more about a specific family member. Students may use this list of starter questions or come up with their own. These questions may help generate stories from family members. Students may have to listen carefully to the responses and ask follow up questions to help get the story going.
- Where were you born?
- What was your dream when you were a child?
- What was your earliest memory?
- Who was your first friend?
- What was your first job?
- What’s the longest trip you ever took in a car?
- Have you ever been to another country?
- Who is the most famous person you’ve ever met?
- What is the thing you are most proud of doing?
- Can you play a musical instrument?
- Where were you when President Kennedy was shot?
- What’s your favorite homecooked meal?
- Have you ever been to Washington, DC?
- Can you swim?
LESSON 2 – Family Stories Month
Our adult family members aren’t the only people who have stories to tell. As part of the family, children have stories to tell, too. Encourage families to allow children the opportunity to tell stories about their adventures while family surrounds them. Storytelling and oral history as a tradition are being lost. Sharing this with our children and teaching them how to pass along oral histories benefits them by building confidence and improving their language skills. It also impacts their memory and creativity.
While oral storytelling takes on the role of the history teacher, it also entertains. There’s an excitement to the tale and an anticipation that builds. By encouraging students to participate in telling their stories, we’re asking them to explore their language and expand their experiences. We’re also asking them to consider the perspectives of the other people in their stories. They must remember, they aren’t the only characters in their adventures. What are the cause and effect of their actions? Were there consequences and what were the rewards? All of these come into the realm of storytelling and result in the children learning the morals of their own stories.
Ask parents to interview their children and record their answers. We’ve included a student questionnaire for you to use.
- How do you make cereal?
- What’s the best way to get to (fill in the name of someone the child enjoys going to see)’s house?
- Who drives the car best and why?
- If you could travel anywhere in the world where would it be and why?
- What are the ingredients in chocolate chip cookies?
- What do you dream about when you fall asleep?
- How do you catch snowflakes?
- What was your favorite day ever?
