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Contextual Learning Portal


Family Engagement


List of Projects Highlighting Family Engagement


Contextual Learning Projects provide an opportunity to create family connections and increase family engagement in classroom and out-of-school programs. The Contextual Learning Portal added a question about family engagement to the project template in 2013 and since then, have been gathering examples of family engagement. Students invite parents, guardians and other family members to project exhibitions. Students interview family members for projects involving local history, family trees, career exploration, family recipes, cultural background and other areas of family knowledge. Family members volunteer as chaperones, project mentors and reading partners. Projects about health, nutrition and exercise draw family members into an exploration of healthy lifestyles. "Family Nights" on themes of the arts, math, science and more bring students and families together to try out new projects and get ideas that they might explore more together at home.

Resources:
Family & Community Connections - From the Guide to Contextual Learning

Here are examples from projects:


Identity: Sense of Self/Sense of Place
Sense of Family (1-3 days)Interviewing Family Members; creating a family tree; "How many generations ago did your family come to North Adams?"
IS183`s Fluidity: An Arts Focused Service Learning Program
Art Show and Family Presentation.Students curate and prepare a show of their work. Parents, friends, faculty, staff, and community members are invited.
Crime Scene Investigation
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?At the end of each day all enrichment activities come together for sharing time. Each enrichment activity shares what they have been working on. Parents and families are invited to sharing time.
Music and Drumming Exploration
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?At the end of day we have all of the activity groups share during parent pick up time. This is where parents can ask questions and see the growth in their child. We also offer a family drumming day.
Eat Safe
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students kept an `Eat Safe` checklist, for home use.
Synesthesia
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students brought the synesthesia survey home, to share with their families.
College and Career Exploration
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Parents/guardians were invited to a Service Fair and celebration where they were able to see work completed by students and their projects within the community.
Fitness and Movement Concepts using Technology
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Yes, the skills they learned can be applied outside the school day with family and friends. All they simply need is a compass.
Going Beyond your Culture
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?The students were told to talk to their families about background information about their cultures
Reuse, Recycle, Respect
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students made pamphlet to bring home to their families
S.T.E.P.S. (Summer Transitional Education Program for Success) A STEM/Service Learning Program
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Family members were invited to attend the STEPS Celebration which took place on the last day of class. This celebration is meant to honor and award students for their hard work and achievement. Parent outreach is a crucial element of the program in order to motivate students to attend school, enga[...]
Future Quest Island - Future Forecasting Activity
Interviewing Students and Family MembersStudents interview family members about his/her careers and the path they took since childhood to get where they are today.
Future Quest Island - Future Forecasting Activity
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Discussions of careers and future with family members. Sharing of materials with family members. Take home questions for students to use with family member (favorite subjects, best jobs in 20 years, most interesting jobs, etc.). Video interviews with family members.
Tick, tick, tick
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?There are many online resources in regard to tick awareness. We printed and discussed these items with our students for them to take home and share with their families.
Construction careers
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Any student that had any relative in the construction field was asked to speak to them about the nature of their job, working conditions and salary.
Life Time Fitness
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?At the end of the 8-week session, students received certificates of achievement at our Family Night event. Students were encouraged to create their next Wellness Goal to include a family member or friend. The After School Program offered a Family Fitness event, in which students in the Life Time Fit[...]
Teacher Appreciation Club
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Family members were invited to the assemblies. In the last two weeks of this activity, students were encouraged to show their appreciation to other people in their lives and many of them chose family members. Students participated in a card-making activity so they could create thank-you cards for th[...]
Inventor`s Club
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?For students creating a commercial, they might want to include family members as past of their cast or marketing materials.
Introduction to College and Career Awareness
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Families were invited to the end of the program celebration to view student accomplishments.
Drury High School STEPS Program
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Family connection via regular phone contact from Lead Teacher. Families were recruited to help maintain the community garden. A parent visited the class to provide context about early childhood education for the students designing K-1 lessons. All families were invited to attend the celebration.
The Student Design Institute
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?For our Pilot, we reached out to parents of every student in the class to discuss how students will be involved in the class. We also did a mid-pilot check-in, reiterating our instructional goals and outcomes and encouraging families to discuss the concepts being used in the class at home. We are[...]
Hip Hop Nation: US History (PROJECT DESCRIPTION)
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students invited their families to attend Symposium night. We are having portfolio reviews at the end of this trimester and students will be able to share the projects and assignments they are most proud of from our class with their families and educational advocates.
Discover, Design and Build
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Family members working in engineering, design, construction, and local industry will be engaged as guest speakers and mentors to illustrate to students the ways in which the processes and tools used in this class are part of business and industry standards.
Students as Teachers: Reaching Our Community through Public Arts Installation
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?All installations will be free, open to the public exhibits. All community members will be able to view and interact with the art work. There will also be an opportunity for family members to assist with the implementation of the installation and/or the documentation of the process.
Projectile Physics
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?When students present and defend their research to their classmates and various community partners, parents and family members will be invited as well.
Exploring My Career with Real World Math
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?The Drury Showcase, which was an evening of academic, career and college presentations,was offered to parents and community members. A career fair, created by Academic Success students, was shared with the school population.
Hummingbirds
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students were given the option to bring their feeders home or place them in the school memorial garden; they were also provided with a printout of the feeder instructions to take home.
Rethinking Legos: Robotics Space Challenge
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Parents/guardians have an opportunity to participate in these efforts by volunteering in the classrooms to act as a facilitator for student learning. Parents will be informed of these opportunities through the use of a dedicated website for the grant project.
Feels Like Home
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students engaged in conversations with family members, involving them in the inquiry and information compilation, as needed.
Robotics and the 4Cs: Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Creativity
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Family members will be invited to be assistant coaches to the students as they design and refine their robots and participate in the National Robotics League challenges.
Putt Putt
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Families are able to come participate in the playing of the mini-golf course. Many parents will have the opportunity to sponsor a hole.
Interactive Ecosystems
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?While the project is completed during the school day, families are welcome to attend a project showcase where students give families and community members opportunities to interact with their finished ecosystems web and Scratch project.
Lift Every Voice
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students‘ families were invited to view and respond to the films and writing students created during our school‘s annual Symposium night.
Murals for Morale
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?No.
Kids With Books
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Yes, the students went home and spoke to their family and friends about donating gently used books. Also spoke to family members who have students at the elementary level.
"His-Story / Her-Story"
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?The timing of the first trimester of the course allowed for those students to share their final assessments in a portfolio review with their families and educational advocates. The Advanced Literature "herstory" piece, explored through Project Month, culminated in a presentation (a Mash up perf[...]
Production of Streptomycin
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?At the end of a project we typically have a student exhibition of learning. This is an opportunity for students to showcase their learning to the public. In the past we have invited parents, teachers and students, members of our advisory board and even politicians. Students help with the planning[...]
Personal Branding
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students can practice pitching their introductory statement to family members.
The Importance of Quality in Product Development
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Homework: Students ask a family member what Quality means to them and for an example of a time when they did NOT get the quality they expected. This will then be discussed as an activator over the next couple of days. The purpose of this is to show students that the quality of a product transcends[...]
Wood Lamination
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?At the beginning of any workshop class, the instructor should send home a sheet on workshop expectations and power tool safety and usage for students and parents to sign. The instructor should also devote ample time to demonstrating how to effectively and safely behave in a workshop and use the equ[...]
Workplace Etiquette Primer
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Could plan end of lesson presentations to include outside guests including family members
Introduction to 3 Certification Programs for Sustainable Buildings
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Talk with parents / guardians about how to lower utility bills at home (energy efficient light bulbs, etc) Take photos of Light bulbs, etc. and real implemented changes around the house / apartment, or possible changes that may save energy... This could be a fun / enlightening Homework assignment...[...]
Employ-ability Lesson Plan
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Ask your mother, father, or any other family member about their job, and report back to the class.
Save Your Sanity: Generate ideas and problem solve
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?The culminating project will be showcased for local partners and families.
Home Health Aide Crossover Unit Lesson 1 - Safety & Emergencies in the Home
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Journal entry 1 - home safety guidelines. Students will be noting any possible home safety issues.
Team Norms and Gantt Chart
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students bring home engineering notebooks to sign each page as the witness. The completion of the project students will present to parents, local community, and teacher during an evening session.
Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPV4) Address Structure
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?None
Understanding Data for Decision Making
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?When searching for ideas to do (school store sale, promotion for the bank etc) will remind students to ask friends, family, teachers, co-workers or even reach out to the network of advisory board members and industry contacts they have to ask advice.
Wireless Technologies
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Have students discuss findings of home Wi-Fi network with someone at home and make recommendations to improve coverage, speed of devices, and security.
Quality Control/Customer Service In the Diesel Repair Industry
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Parents/Guardians will be notify by email/phone call that the students work will be available for review during open house.
Infection Control
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students would have time to practice their presentation with their families
A Day in the Life of a Game Company - Unit Overview
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Family members can be invited to the presenations
Risk Management in Cyber-security: Running a Vulnerability Scan
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students can run the vulnerability scan on their family computer(s) to educate family members.
Conduct on the Job
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Have parents fill out a questionnaire on their child`s characteristics they may be beneficial to the to working as a team on a job-site.
What is ISO (International Standardization Organization) Certification and why is it important?
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Student mission statement will be on display in classroom as well forwarded to all parents. As well as attached to all correspondence with parents for remainder of school year.
Exponential Functions Meet Excel
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students will have access to look at excel spreadsheets posted on teachers website. This will be one way for the students to share with their families.
Caring & Purposeful Rounding
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students are able to practice their introductions and patient interaction scripts at home with their family members.
Window Film Installation Project
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Research (Frosted Vinyl Lettering) online and find examples of this graphic material used in commercial or residential industry‘s.
Insurance Industry Opportunities/Let‘s Think Outside Of The Box
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students will share guest speaker takeaways with a parent or family member and ask for 1+ comment(s) to share with the class and in their takeaway/recap homework assignment.
Programming Lab: Commercial Loan Approval Program
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?This lab may open up opportunity for students to discuss concepts of loans with their parents
Home Health Aide Crossover Unit - Lesson 2: Nutrition for the Home Care Client
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Block 1 - Journal entry involves writing about meals with family. Independent practice/worksheets may involve educating family re: myplate recommendations and tips.
Preparing for a Job Shadow Experience Beginning with the Naviance Career Cluster Finder
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Families will be notified of the 10th grade career exploratory unit, the use of Naviance, and the subsequent job shadow experience, for which they will have to sign a permission slip.
Event Planning
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students will take home Event Planning Family Survey to complete for homework after class two.
Career Exploration
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?This year I received e-mails from my children and their physics class, either describing what was ahead, like preparing for midterms or what things they were going to go over in the up coming weeks. They got extra points at from thier teacher if I responded to their e-mail. I love this idea. I cou[...]
Unlocking Opportunity Within the Banking Industry
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students will show their completed resume to their parent/guardian and explain to them that the have or are working on the qualifications to be a bank teller.They can further explain the opportunities that they will have as career pathways from working in a bank.
Project Management and Using Technology for Research, Critical Thinking, Problem Solving
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Families will be invited into the classroom on days of presentation of businesses.
Aquaponic Systems
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Have students take home some of the leafy greens grown in class in the aquaponic systems and incorporate in a meal with family
Introduction to Programming and Physical Computing
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Projects could be brought home and tested out on family members or set up in public where family or other community members can interact with them
Entrepreneurship - Do You Have What It Takes?
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students can watch an episode of Shark Tank with their family and discuss what they each think the entrepreneurs did well. Students can show their vision boards to their families and explain the goals they have set for themselves. Families can help students put an action plan together to reach t[...]
Personal Financial Literacy - Credit
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students can read and share the article below with their families. Students can ask what their family members think and if they have another guideline that they follow.
Percentages - A real-life approach
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Percentages can create great conversations with students and family. One thing that you can do to help bridge the gap between home and school is a percentage interview. This will allow us to bring back the information and have a conversation as a collective group. Potential Questions: 1. What does[...]
Food Service Industry "New Normal"
Covid-19 Family Style To Go Menu

                                                                            Watch City Cafe

Food Service Industry "New Normal"
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Practice proper Covid-19 safety and sanitation techniques while helping prepare a family meal. Discuss the importance of proper handwashing, mask usage and social distancing with members of your family.
Crafting an editorial piece of writing
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students can discuss hardships in education and reflect with their families on the general topic of education in America.
Business Practices
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Lesson 1- Include in your priority list a task or activity you are responsible for completing at home Lesson 2- Interview parents or other family members asking what their work dress code is and what would not be in the exact dress code but still considered acceptable attire. Lesson 3- Intervi[...]
Working for a Web Development Company
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Student`s website address can be sent to parents for review.
Preparation for Patient Care during COVID-19 (Interim)
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project? Remote StrategiesUsing google classroom or the app Remind Encouraging the use of the schools portal Remote Strategies/Instruction: Create an online google classroom Provide ongoing feedback Post screencasts that you create Use a Google doc to allow students to collaboratively construct and share know[...]
Essentials of Financial Concepts and Practices - My First Job
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Parents/guardians can assist students with opening a checking or banking account
Learning about Home Care
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Have parents join google classroom. Send class email to all parents when starting a new unit. If a parent has a career that relates to the topics, they could visit as a speaker.
Analyzing and Presenting Big Data with SQL
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Possibly, if a student would like the final project to reflect a question that is related to their family or household situation and how data can inform them on a particular subject. It can also be used to discuss the project and its outcomes. Lastly, if a student uses this information and uses th[...]
Soft Skills For Success
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?The student should share their personality results with their family and reflect with them on how well they describe the student and what steps can be taken to help the student grow based on this results. It would be great if the whole family would participate in the personality survey and reflecti[...]
Social Media for Businesses - Expanding Your Reach with Twitter and LinkedIn
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students can show their family members their school‘s Twitter account and ask them to follow it for important updates. Students can show family members with business accounts the importance of linking their Twitter and LinkedIn accounts for posting.
Small Restaurant/Cafe Basic Front of the House Service
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students will have the opportunity to invite their family members to the public restaurant located within the school to perform the duties of service learned in the lessons.
Choosing a career in Manufacturing
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Opportunities for guest speakers.
Infection Control
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students will present the information learned to their family.
Game Development Planning and Methodology
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Peer and family feedback on pitch quality and interest
Introduction to Classic Eyelash Extensions
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students can be encouraged to evaluate family members` eyelashes and face shapes in order to practice identifying face features.
Employability Skills Awareness
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students are asked to question parents/families about different aspects of the employability topics.
Introduction to the Manufacturing Industry
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students are given homework assignment in which the query friends family and siblings regarding job skills and
3D Design CAD
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?In lesson one, there was discussion of students relatives in the manufacturing industry. When possible I will reach out to the relative to gain any insight possible. The goal is to make the technology program connected to local families and companies by promoting the companies mission statement, pro[...]
Civic Engagement- Focus on Veterans
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?The culminating project will be in the community and its members are encouraged to join in. Additionally, the t-shirt fundraiser will involve the community as well.
BUILD, WIRE, AND CODE ARDUINO ROBOT
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?This project costs about $30 without rechargeable batteries. If the holes are pre-drilled, students could take the robot home to build if they are attending in a hybrid model. Arduino and Fritzing will run on older low RAM systems. The project takes a lot of videos and photos which are easy to s[...]
3d printed model car transmissions
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?I would encourage parents to help with the projects if they feel comfortable with this. In addition, I encourage instructors to survey the class for students who have parents that work with transmissions and if possible have a parent come to give a presentation on the topic or arrange for a field tr[...]
1918 Mill Strike Video Project
Open Response 2: Family/Worker History

Find out about your own family history, whether in Easthampton or not. Do you/did you have any family members, or ancestors who were mill workers? If not, how about friends of the fa[...]

1918 Mill Strike Video Project
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?This is a large-scale collaborative project that will involve other classes, family and other community members through school/student connections and Easthampton Media, a public-access community media organization. Our great hope is that people will become inspired to dig into their family archives[...]
Explore and analyze the stock market from a quantitative and qualitative perspective considering all things macroeconomics.
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students will be encouraged to talk with their family and or guardians. Students also highly encouraged to speak with their other teachers to begin a dialogue and build continuous interest in their learning.
Graphic Communications Safety & History
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Will will heavily discuss Covid-19 and how safe we need to be regarding that as well. I will let students know family comes first and if you or anyone in your family feels sick or is uncomfortable please let me know.
Sundials
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?bb
Pilotage and Dead Reckoning
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?At some point during the school year, we will plan a field trip to the airport. There will be opportunities for parents to meet their children at the airport and experience a discounted “Discovery Flight”. There will also be a “Young Eagles” day at Plymouth Airport where children ages 10-17 can [...]
OSHA Safety Training
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students discuss with family members the rationale behind OSHA and the case study in the following video “No Escape: Dangers of Confined Spaces Video” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeaX0IRjyd8
Infection Control and Respiratory Protocol
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Students can practice several skills at home Unit lesson plan provides useful information that students can teach family members Hand washing,Cough etiquette, How to properly wear your mask
Testing of biological and chemical substances using Polyermase Chain Reaction.
Family: Any opportunities to involve parent/guardians and other family members in this project?Teacher can send students home with some extra pieces of PTC paper to have their parents taste it to determine what their genotype is. As part of the career lesson students could be given homework that asks them to talk with their parents about the careers they learned about and get feedback.