Friday 9 May 2014

International Day of Family - May, 15th


"Families Matter for the Achievement Goals" 
is the 2014 International Day of Families' motto.
To learn more:

United Nations site:

International Day of Families was founded by the United Nations Programme on the Family. Family is the core of a society so it is essential to have good and healthy relationships with our relatives. But every family is different, there are many different cultures and many ways to conceive a family.


Let's see some definitions:
“The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State” (United Nations, 1948).

“Society’s definition of ‘family’ is rapidly expanding and has come to include single parents, biracial couples, blended families, unrelated individuals living cooperatively, and homosexual couples, among others. Unfortunately, family policy has been slow to catch up to changing trends in modern lifestyles” (J.M Crawford).

“A family consists of two or more people, one of whom is the householder, related by birth, marriage, or adoption and residing in the same housing unit. A household consists of all people who occupy a housing unit regardless of relationship. A household may consist of a person living alone or multiple unrelated individuals or families living together” (U.S. Census Bureau, 2005).

“We define family as any group of people related either biologically, emotionally, or legally. That is, the group of people that [a person] defines as significant for his or her well-being” (S.H. McDaniel)

SOME STUDENTS' TASKS 

                  (for younger learners)




What is your famiy like?

Is it a traditional or a 

modern family? 






Describe 


your family' s 

members and

 make a family tree.


2
Listen to the songs below. 
Which one do you like the most? Why?
Tell what the author wants to say 
in your opinion.
What does "family" mean to you?


"We are family" by Sister Sledge
 invites the whole family to unite and get up and sing.


"My father's eyes" by Eric Clapton
"In it I tried to describe the parallel between looking in the eyes of my son and the eyes of the father I never met, through the chain of our blood", said the author.


When we are teens we often have problems with our parents. Later we realize how precious they are. This is the theme of the next two songs.

"Mama" by Spice Girls


"You're gonna miss this" by Trace Adkins


"In my daughter eyes" by Martina McBride
Yes, parents are there to support their children but sometimes, when audults feel down they find the strenght to go on in their children' s eyes.


Some other songs about family

List of songs about family:


Songs about family with music and lyrics:
3
Below you can see a very famous family!
What do you know about the Royal Family?
Did you witness some recent events that particularly struck you?
Choose one member of the Royal Family and tell his/her story.

To learn more about the Royal Family:
https://www.royal.gov.uk/thecurrentroyalfamily/overview.aspx