Lands That I Love

Overview
Surveying families about their origins, youngsters create a class family roots graph and mark the continents of their origin on the mural map. A biography about a Japanese man who journeys to the United States leads them to conclude that individuals can develop strong feelings for two places. As they learn about the author, children understand the importance of childhood memories and use software for their own story.

For more about this special from A Glimpse of Japan ~ From Our World to Yours e-mail Mary Rudder, author and AT&T Teacher Disseminator.
Learning Standards
  • Learn to use survey information to create simple graphs.
  • Listen to non-fiction and multicultural literature.
  • Classroom Activities
    Bringing home a Family Survey on their origins, students return with results. They:
    • Help research on-line Flags of the World. Identify countries of origin, print, and distribute to respective students.
    • Match flags to appropriate continents on mural map,
    • Help create a class graph showing the continents their families came from.
    • Discuss why people left their homes.
    • Predict the story of Grandfather's Journey.

  • Listen to teacher explanation that the author's own grandfather is the main character.
  • Locate Japan and United States on maps and discuss how grandfather traveled to the U.S.
  • Listen to story. Discuss it and its author.
  • In response to "How would you feel if you had to leave home?" children use software to describe their own reactions.
  • Begin KWL chart on Japan: Know, Want to Know, Learned.
  • Use software to learn more about Japan.
  • Community Activities
    The class visits residents at a Senior Center, surveys them about their country of origin and posts results on the map.
    Careers
    Students hear more authors, illustrators and publishing from an Internet article.
    Materials
    Family Survey, Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say, 1993: Houghton Mifflin; chart paper, mural map, flags, paper for stories
    Technology
    Children respond to the story by using KidPix and an inkjet printer. They learn about Japan from CD-ROM Travel the World with Timmy, and research flag web sites on the Internet
    Assessment
    Children create a Glimpse of Japan Folder. This and the KWL chart provide ongoing opportunities for teachers, parents, and students to see what they have learned.

    Web Sites
    Children discover great stuff at Kidsweb, Flags of the World, and About Allen Say