This lesson will be broken into three class periods. The first day will introduce Kao Kalia Yang’s book, The Most Beautiful Thing. This book starts the conversation on family kinship through the protagonist’s perspective. On the second day, students will utilize the characters in The Most Beautiful Thing to explore family relationships. Students will have a deeper understanding of familial kinship beyond the nuclear family. On the final day, students will create their own family tree or select one family member to tell a story of and how they are related or connected to each other. They will present their work at the end of day three. 

Day One: Storytelling and Family Relationships (30–35 minutes)

1. Introduction - Begin the lesson by previewing the cover or a page from Kao Kalia Yang’s book The Most Beautiful Thing (you can access a book review here https://www.lindseymcdivitt.com/2020/12/18/picture-book-review-the-most-beautiful-thing/). 
2. Explore: Students will be asked to look and share what they See, Think, and Wonder. Their ideas can be written on the board or a piece of paper. 
3. Observe: Students will watch Kao Kalia Yang’s read aloud on YouTube https://youtu.be/McATgnUAGyw?feature=shared&t=635. (Teacher will play from 10:35-18:52.)
4. Discuss: Students will be asked to discuss the following questions (with a peer or whole class): 
   1. Who are the main characters in this story? 
   2. What do we know about Kao Kalia’s grandmother? 
   3. How does Kao Kalia’s grandmother remember the important people in her life? 
   4. Where does the grandmother live? 
   5. What are some of the activities Kao Kalia does for and with her grandmother? 
   6. How does Kao Kalia relate with her grandmother? 

Students’ understanding will be assessed through small group and large group discussions. Teachers will periodically check their comprehension through thumbs up, thumbs down activity. 

5. Explain: Teacher will explain to students the dynamics of Kao Kalia’s family structure, how Kao Kalia’s grandmother teaches her grandchildren about her life, and the ways Kao Kalia’s grandmother remembers the past and lives in the present. 
6. Reflect: Students will be asked to think about their own family structures and how they know their family’s history and stories. 
   • Teachers should be sensitive and flexible to the definition of family for the students. If students have discomfort with completing the project around their nuclear family, they can complete the project with their ideal vision of family in their perspective. 

Day Two: (30–35 minutes)

1. Introduction - Begin the lesson by asking students what they know about trees. On the board, draw different parts of a tree (leaves, branches, trunk, and roots) or present an image of it for the students. 
   • Image of a tree: https://ucdavis.box.com/s/5iuvt5ourlalc3c088ho0r5qnvhdx376  

Teacher will explain each part of the tree’s anatomy and make connections to a family tree. 

2. Establish Connection - Teachers will use the characters in the book, The Most Beautiful Thing, as a reference to help students understand how a family tree operates. Teacher will draw on the board or show an image of a family tree with the characters in Kao Kalia Yang’s book.
3. Establish Purpose - Explain to students that the characters in the book are an example of a Hmong family’s kinship (define kinship for students: relationships shared through ancestral ties). Additionally, the character, Kao Kalia Yang is narrating and telling stories about her grandmother. Both explanations will provide an understanding of Hmong kinship and how stories are used to explain the familial connection between people. 
4. Preview: Hmong kinship chart - Show the Hmong kinship chart (found in videos) and ask students to compare and contrast between the tree and the kinship chart. 
   1. For translation and pronunciation guide on Identity and Belonging: Kinship Paternal Chart (1:18 minutes),  click here for the video link resource https://youtu.be/nZpxdKZRwHg.
   2. For translation and pronunciation guide on Identity and Belonging: Kinship Maternal Chart (1:11 minutes),  click here for the video link resource https://youtu.be/VjG9Kw-JDi4.
5. Reflect: Students will share with one of their peers about what they learned today. 

Day Three: (30–35 minutes)

1. Introduction - Begin the lesson by reviewing the Hmong kinship chart with students.
2. Brainstorm: Teacher will give students time in class to begin thinking about their own family tree and kinship. 
   • If the teacher wants to utilize this lesson to write a three to five sentence narrative or presentation, this class period can be utilized to brainstorm and draft the sentences. 
   • Students can sketch out their family tree and kinship prior to creating.
   • Some students may need deadline extensions to create their family tree with support of family members. Allow for flexibility in case students need to ask family members questions.
3. Cultural Production: Students will be able to begin creating their family tree. This can be done on paper or on a digital application. 
   • It would be nice if the teacher had one completed of their personal family tree to serve as an additional model scaffold. If not, teachers can display other examples from the web.
4. Presentation: Students will present their project and also be asked to pick one of their family members (other than their parents) and tell a story about how they are connected to each other.
   • Presentations can take the form of: video recording, whole class presentation, Give One/Get One, Lines of Communication, or written reflection.
5. Close-out: Have students reflect on the process of creating their family tree. 
   • Then, teacher will recap the takeaways from this lesson: 
     • We can learn and remember family’s lives by telling and retelling their stories to ourselves and others. 
     • Some families are large and can include individuals other than our parents and siblings. 
     • Hmong family structures help us understand human and family diversity.