Lesson 9.2: Family Relationships

Overview

This lesson focuses on understanding different types of families we have in our society. Families influence the social and cultural norms we live by, including the different relationships we may have with our own family members.

Learning Targets

  • LO6: Describe five types of families in today’s society.
  • LO7: Distinguish three benefits of a healthy relationship with your parent or guardian.
  • LO8: Compare and contrast your relationship with your siblings with that of another student.
  • LO9: Analyze two changes that occur within families and ways to adjust to them.

Preparation

For the Warm-Up Activity: Write the Journal Question on the board or identify (and copy as needed) the worksheets you plan to use:

For the Content Focus: Open the Lesson 9.2 PowerPoint slides or make copies of the Lesson 9.2 Note-Taking Guide.

For the Lesson Focus: Copy the Lesson 9.2 Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet: Influences on Your Perceptions of Family Roles.

Warm-Up Activity

Select a warm-up activity to help get your class focused and on task.

  • Journal Question: If you have a sibling, do you think you have a healthy or an unhealthy relationship with them? Explain why. If you don’t have a sibling, do you wish you did? Explain why you do or do not.
    • Option: Write or project the question and have students respond in their journal or on their “bell ringer” sheet as they enter class.
    • Option: Have students discuss the question with a partner or in a small group.
  • Vocabulary Review: Have students work individually, in pairs, or in small groups to complete the Lesson 9.2 Vocabulary Review Worksheet.
  • Quiz: Have students complete the Lesson 9.2 Quiz to assess their prior knowledge.
    • Option: Collect the quiz and use it alongside a posttest to demonstrate student learning.
    • Option: Have students share their answers with a partner and then go over the answers together as a class.

Lesson Content

Review the content from the textbook lesson.

Lesson Focus: Influences on Your Perceptions of Family Roles

  1. Provide each student with a copy of the Lesson 9.2 Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet: Influences on Your Perceptions of Family Roles.
  2. Have students individually answer the questions using the Analyzing Influences Skill Cues.
  3. Once students have answered the questions individually, you can have them discuss their answers with a partner.

Challenge Activity

Have students needing an additional challenge work on the following Thinking Critically task.

Write a paragraph that explains your family structure. Identify how each family member is connected to you (what relationship you have) and how family roles influence your daily life.

Reflection and Summary

Review the critical content from today’s lesson. Review the learning targets and ask students to answer each question posed.

Can you...

  • Describe five types of families in today’s society?

    Nuclear families have two parents and their biological children. Single-parent families have one adult and at least one child. Multigenerational families consist of three or more generations living together. Extended families consist of a household that includes near relatives, such as grandparents, aunts, or uncles, in addition to the parents and children. Adoptive families include adults and at least one child who is adopted. Foster families include adults and at least one child who is living with the adults on a temporary basis. Blended families include children of a previous marriage of one or both spouses. Grandparents-as-parents families have grandparents who have taken over the primary role of raising a child or children. Childless families consist of two adults who do not have children.

  • Distinguish three benefits of a healthy relationship with your parent or guardian?
    • You are able to talk to your parent or guardian openly and honestly about difficult subjects.
    • You develop independence and confidence knowing you have the support of family.
    • A healthy relationship can act as a buffer against negative influences.
    • You have a sense of consistency and predictability knowing the rules and expectations of your behavior.
  • Compare and contrast your relationship with your siblings with that of another student?

    Having a positive relationship with your siblings increases your ability to make and maintain friendships and increases your emotional awareness. Emotional awareness is the ability to recognize and make sense of not just your own emotions but those of others as well. Students should think about their own sibling relationship and then compare that relationship with other students’ relationships. If they don’t have a sibling they can discuss sibling relationships with other students.

  • Analyze two changes that occur within families and ways to adjust to them?

    Families may have to move due to changes in a guardian’s job; an illness in the family may require family members to help take care of the person or take on other responsibilities around the house; and if a job is lost, the family may experience financial difficulties. Other changes include death or a substance use disorder within a family. Whatever the situation may be, it is important to communicate how you feel about the changes and what the expectations are from all the family members.

Assessment

Complete one or more of the following assessment tasks for this lesson.

Take It Home

Talk to an adult family member about how when they were growing up, their family may have encountered some of the changes discussed in this lesson or other changes not discussed here. Ask how they adjusted to the changes and what they would do differently if they went through them again. If you have experienced any of the changes to the family in this lesson, discuss with the family member what your experience was like and what you would do differently, if anything.