Introduction

Introduction
In 2002, The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute conducted a national survey examining public attitudes toward adoption. The Institute found that 63% of Americans had very favorable opinions about adoptions and 64% of the people surveyed have had personal experiences with adoption, meaning they, a family member, or a close friend was adopted, had adopted a child, or had placed a child for adoption (The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, 2002).

Children are growing up in many different kinds of families today. Race, religion and sexual orientation are all blending together and changing the "traditional" family structure. There are stepparent families, single-parent families, kinship families—children being raised by a grandparent, aunt/uncle or other extended family member, and adoptive families. (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2001)

Adoption is an issue of extreme importance to the persons most directly involved in the adoption triad—the child, the adoptive parents, and the birth parents. However, there are the siblings, extended family members, neighbors, teachers and doctors who are indirectly touched. As the number of families created by adoption continues to increase and change the view of the "traditional" family, explanations to children, family and friends become more complex and even more significant. Early childhood programs must begin to educate teachers about adoption issues not only to raise their awareness but so they can educate their students with understanding and sensitivity to all families (Stroud, Stroud, & Staley, 1999).

Teachers can help young children develop an awareness of and appreciation for the many ways a family is formed. Teachers should provide experiences that celebrate diversity and emphasize belonging to family rather than focus on the circumstances surrounding a child's birth (Stroud, Stroud, & Staley, 1999).

Families is a topic that is taught in the early childhood curriculum so I developed a unit plan that uses picture books with adoption themes to celebrate our individual and family diversity. Picture books are beneficial in helping students to become knowledgeable about cultural and diversity issues and in allowing them to make the personal connections that lead to empathetic behavior. (Miller, H.M., 2000).

Primary Learning Outcomes
What is a family? What are some different kinds of families? Who is in my family?

Additional Learning Outcomes
Can I share some of my experiences with the rest of the class? Can I listen to others as they share information about their family?