AQA GCSE Sociology Lesson plan

The Sociology of Families lesson plan

Context of lesson:

This lesson will :

Explain the difference between a family and a household

Identify and describe different types of families that exist in contemporary Britain

Learning Objectives:

Students should be able to:

Explain the difference between a family and a household

Identify and describe various family forms that exist in Britain today

Assessment Procedures being used:

Verbal feedback and written work

Outline what Key Skills and Cross-Curricular issues are being developed:
Literacy/numeracy/learning skills/personal skills

Verbal communication skills

Written skills

Application skills

Equipment/Resources needed

Copies of the AQA endorsed textbook

Hoops (on floor) or use different areas of the classroom

Pictures/cards on different types of families

 AQA GCSE Sociology Lesson plan

Teaching Strategies and Organisation

Teacher and Student Activities

Introduction / starter:

Hoops on floor 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Teacher to call out questions e.g. how many pets in your house, how many people in your house, how
many people in your house are you related to etc. (use the activity in the book)

Students move from one to the other

Development:

Discuss what the activity showed – summarise what this shows about family structures.

Bring out the differences between households and families:

 A household is a term used to describe a group of people living together in the same dwelling
 A family is a group of two or more people linked by birth, marriage, adoption or cohabitation based
on a long term relationship

Different types of families have emerged from the starter activity:

Discussion - Which are families? (use activity in book)

 Do you need adults of both sexes in a family?

 Do you need to have children to be called a family?
 Is your pet dog a member of the family?

Images of different types of families – in small groups discuss the picture and the situation of the family.

Give names to the different types of families described (definitions in book):

 Nuclear family: a family group consisting of parents and their children.

 Reconstituted (or blended) family: when two adults with children from previous relationships remarry
(or cohabit) to form a new family.

 Lone parent family: a family with only a mother or father as a consequence of death, divorce or
individual choice.

 Extended family: parents, their children and other more distant relatives e.g. grandparents, aunts and
uncles.

 Beanpole family: a family whose living members come from many generations, but with few members
in each generation.

 Family diversity: the many different types of family structure that exist in contemporary society.
 AQA GCSE Sociology Lesson plan

Students to write down the name and definition of the family in their picture.

Research

Students to decide how they can find out what type of families the students live in.

What research method would be good and why?

Students in small groups to design a small piece of research and feedback their findings at the next lesson
(this could be done in the class or as homework). Summarise the findings.

What types of families and households do students live in?

Do the results show family diversity?

Assessment (during plenary)

Ask each student to briefly explain one type of family / one thing they have learnt from the lesson.

Beginning of next lesson: give them all a card with the name of a family type and ask them to write down
the definition.

Conclusion:

Summarise different types of families and households and family diversity.