Home Economics Support Service School Visits
Teacher Notes January – May 2004
3. SOCIAL STUDIES
Lesson Outlines
3.1 The family in society
Topic / Content (material designated higher level only in italics) / Methodology/ResourcesLesson 1
1 class period / 3.1.2
Defining the family / The universality of the concept of family
Definitions of “the family” / Class discussion on family variations. Then ask each group to formulate a definition of the family with reference to the variations discussed.
Lesson 2
Lesson 3
2 class periods / 3.1.3
Family structures / The historical development of the family in Ireland from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day
Characteristics of modern family structures to include:
- lone parent, nuclear, extended and
Social, economic and technological changes affecting modern family structures / Ask each student to conduct an interview with a family/community member to ascertain differences in family life then and now.
Lesson 4
1 class period / 3.1.1Introducing sociological concepts / Sociological concepts, to include:
- society, culture, norms and mores, values
- role, status, socio-economic groupings, social mobility
- primary and secondary social groups, kinship, socialisation
- social institutions
- social change
Topic / Content (material designated higher level only in italics) / Methodology/Resources
Lessons
5 & 6
Lessons
7 & 8
4 class periods / 3.1.4
Family functions / Family functions
- physical, economic, emotional,
How these family functions may be adopted or supplemented by other social institutions / Brainstorm with class the functions of the family i.e. ask them why is their family important to them, what does their family do for them.
Write answers on flipchart/board. Then ask students to classify their responses into the 5 different categories.
Lessons
9 & 10
Lessons
11 & 12
4 class periods / 3.1.5
Marriage / Definition of marriage
Outline knowledge of some cultural variations in marital arrangements, commitment, customs, legal obligation, rights and responsibilities within the marriage relationship
Facilities and services available to those preparing for marriage
Choices available when a marriage has broken down, to include:
- marriage counselling
- family mediation
- legal separation
- legal nullity
- divorce
Topic
/Content (material designated higher level only in italics)
/ Methodology/ResourcesLessons
13 – 22
10 class periods / 3.1.6
Family as a caring unit / Roles and responsibilities of family members and how these roles change through the life cycle of the family
Gender issues in relation to family roles
Social and economic factors that have affected the changing roles of family members in recent times
Role conflict
Child-parent relationships, to include
- physical and psychological needs of young children and adolescents and how the family can meet these needs
- the rights of children within the family
- conflict between adolescents and adults and how it can be dealt with
- importance of good communication within the family
- the importance of independence for the older person within the family group
- generation conflict and how to deal with the conflict
Teacher Notes - Cluster 4 pg 42
Case Study
Teacher Notes - Cluster 4 pg 43
Case Study
Guidelines for Teachers pg 87
Guidelines for Teachers pg 85
Guidelines for Teachers pg 85
Lessons
23 & 24
2 class periods / 3.1.7
Family law / Protection available for families under current Irish family law, to include:
- The Family Law (Maintenance of Spouses and Children) Act (1976)
- The Family Home Protection Act (1976)
- The Family Law Act (1976)
- The Judicial Separation Act (1989)
- The Child Care Act (1991)
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