First day’s Lesson: What is Your Name?
Materials: paper and pencils colored crayons, Google Docs, paint, computer apps, etc.
Directions given by teacher to students (modeling as needed for smaller children)
- Write your name. Share your name with the group orally and in writing. Be sure to explain if you have a nickname and a formal name, explain how you like to be called – by your nickname? If someone introduces you to someone they know – how would you like to be introduced?
- Discover, if not already known, the meaning of your name if there is one, by looking it up online and /or asking your family. Or discover: why you were given your name? For example, a parent may have named their child after someone they love in a book, or after a famous person or deity, or created a name or given a name that has a known meaning. Or perhaps your name has a special meaning in your culture. You can search online to find the meanings of baby names and many people choose these names for a newborn.
- Why do you have this name? For example: what language did your ancestors speak? Is your name from another language than English?
- Sometimes a person does not know or cannot find the answers to these kinds of questions. Sometimes a person does not like their name. What would you like your name to be? What would you like your name to mean?
- Design an image using your name. Creatively write the name. For example, many students like to make a sign for their room or area or personal space such as a desk, and put it up showing their name and show their own personality. Some students paint their name and others compose a pictorial or illustrative design using a computer program, or find a photo which is an avatar (symbol) or a photograph of themselves.
- Share your design.
- Thank you and enjoy!