Families in Focus

Overview

Duration: 30 minutes
Class size: 10 students
Age group: Year 2 (6-7 years old)
Unit: Families in Focus (Lesson 1 of 12)
Lesson Title: Introduction to Families

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National Curriculum Links (England)

Key Stage 1 – English

• Reading: Comprehension
  Pupils should be taught to:
  • Develop pleasure in reading, motivation to read, vocabulary and understanding by listening to, discussing and expressing views about a wide range of stories.
  • Discuss the sequence of events in books and how items of information are related.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) Education

• Relationships
  Pupils should:
  • Recognise and respect that there are different types of families including those that may be different to their own.
  • Understand the importance of family for care, support, and security.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, pupils will be able to:

1. Explain what a family is and recognise that families can take many different forms.
2. Identify relationships within families (e.g., parents, siblings, grandparents).
3. Share and celebrate their own family experiences confidently.

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Resources Needed

• Book: All Kinds of Families by Mary Ann Hoberman (or a similar diverse family-themed picture book)
• Large paper and coloured pens
• Family photo template worksheet (simple outline for drawing family members)
• Circle time soft toy or talking object
• Visual aids: pictures illustrating different family structures (e.g., single parent, extended family, foster families)

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Lesson Structure

1. Introduction & Engagement (5 minutes)

• Gather pupils in a circle for ‘circle time’.
• Use the talking object to encourage each child to say their first name and one thing they love about their family (can be a pet, hobby, or person).
• Briefly explain: “Today we are going to learn about families and how each one is special.”

2. Shared Reading & Discussion (10 minutes)

• Read All Kinds of Families aloud, showing the illustrations clearly. Use engaging voices and pauses for reflection.
• Pause during the reading to ask open-ended, age-appropriate questions, e.g.,
  • “What do you notice about these families?”
  • “Is this family the same or different to yours?”
  • “What do you think makes a family special?”
• Reinforce differences kindly and positively. Highlight inclusivity.

3. Creative Activity – My Family Picture (10 minutes)

• Hand out the family photo template worksheet.
• Invite children to draw their family members, encouraging them to think about who is important in their family (parents, siblings, grandparents, carers, pets).
• Walk around and ask questions to individual pupils about their drawings to promote speaking and vocabulary development.
• Emphasise correct terms for family relationships.

4. Sharing and Reflection (5 minutes)

• Return to circle time.
• Invite 3-4 volunteers to share their family picture and say one special thing about their family.
• Recap key lesson points: “Families come in many different kinds, but they all share love and care.”
• End with a positive group affirmation, e.g., “We are all part of families that love us!”

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Assessment & Differentiation

Formative Assessment:

• Observe pupils during circle time sharing to assess confidence in speaking about family.
• Assess understanding through responses during the discussion and activity.

Differentiation:

• Provide additional visual aids or word cards for pupils with language delays or EAL (English as an additional language).
• Use scribing support for children who find drawing or writing challenging—allow them to dictate their family members.
• Challenge more able learners to describe family roles or similarities/differences between families.

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Extensions & Home Learning Suggestion

• Encourage pupils to ask family members about who is in their family and bring in a photograph or family artefact for the next lesson.
• Suggest parents read similar inclusive family books at home to reinforce the theme.

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Teacher Reflection Prompts

• Did all pupils feel included and positively acknowledged their family type?
• Were pupils engaged by the story and willing to share?
• Consider adapting next lessons to further explore feelings and relationships within families based on pupil contributions and questions.

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This lesson plan is designed to support social-emotional development, literacy skills, and cultural awareness appropriate to Year 2 pupils, strictly aligned with the National Curriculum for England.