This is a great unit to begin the new school year with. In literacy children discuss what makes a good friend. They begin to read stories about friendship as well as learn to write pen pal letters. Having children write letters to students in another school/grade/country motivates them to learn proper formatting, it encourages neat writing, punctuation etc. It also teaches them about the writing process. This is also a great way to develop social skills.
Letters!
Learning about the parts of our body and comparing and contrasting our friends' similarities and differences. This is also a great way to build confidence in children, discussing each child's uniqueness, likes, dislikes and strengths.
Friendship contract.
Using different computer programs to draw our friends.
Toys! This unit coincided with Christmas time making it very topical and engaging for the students.
Some of the ways in which the topic was integrated into the curriculum; Children learned about money in numeracy; buying toys and getting change. We even created a toy shop in the classroom where pupils were shop owners and customers. In science children learned about weather. We made our own toy kites and flew them on a still day and again on a windy day. In music children created their own musical instruments (tambourines, guitars and maracas). In art pupils created clay figurines. In history children learned about toys throughout time. This was also integrated into literacy with children reading about toys from the past. Children practiced their oral skills by bringing in their favourite toy and comparing and contrasting it with a toy in the past. Children were encouraged to talk to their parents/grandparents about what toys they played with. The culminating activity for this unit was a trip to the Toy Museum.
