Fly Away Home
Adapted from Counselor Name:  Karen Ward
Title of Lesson:  Fly Away Home
School:  Counseling Department
Quarter:  2nd
Audience:   Classroom   Small Group
Level:    Primary (K-2)   Intermediate (3-5) Target Grade: 4th
 
COUNSELING  STANDARDS
.   
PERSONAL/SOCIAL
 Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others.   

 COUNSELING COMPETENCY(IES)
Use effective ways to deal with a wide variety of feelings  

MATERIALS/RESOURCES: The book , Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting.
Worksheet.  

ACTIVITY: The book, Fly Away Home, is a story about a homeless family.  Find out from students their understanding of homelessness.  Ask, “Can people be homeless and be a family?”  The first line in the story says:  My dad and I live in an airport.  Ask students to predict what effect this would have on the family,  i.e. have students predict if this character goes to school, how they eat, how they bathe, etc.  After a discussion, start reading the story.  There are many places to stop in the story for a discussion.  Spend time discussing the comparison of the bird trapped in the terminal to the family living at the terminal.  I think this lesson can be used to build empathy and acceptance of others who may have differences.  At the end of the story I would make sure to ask students if they think the characters in the story are a family. Why?  Have students think, pair/share the
worksheet.  Have each pair of students share responses with the class.  Allow enough time for students to share about where a homeless family would go for help.  Make sure they understand that schools can really help.  Be prepared to give specific information about the help that is available.  
 
EVALUATION: -Process data       
-Perception data       -Results data       
Pretest/Posttest:  What does it mean to be homeless?  
How did the student change as a result of this lesson?  Student will develop empathy and acceptance of others who may have differences.  
Information/Comments/Follow-up:  This is a sensitive issue and you may have homeless children in your class.  At the beginning of the lesson be clear about disclosure.  Tell the students that you will make an appointment with them to discuss any concerns they may have after hearing
the story.
 







Fly Away Home Worksheet
 
 
 
Names: _________________________and_____________________________________
 
 
 
Name 5 things that are hard for the homeless characters in Fly Away Home.
 
 
 
 
List three ideas or facts that help Andrew to be hopeful that some day he and his father will have
a home.
 
 
 
 
Andrew and his father are homeless, but they are still a family.  Name some ways that you know
they are a family.
 
 
 
 
Why do you think the story is called Fly Away Home?