Families of Italy

Gr 2–6—Follow 14-year-old Veronica and 10-year-old Luigi and learn about their typical lifestyles in rural and urban cities in Italy. Veronica lives on a farm south of Naples. She enjoys eating cookies for breakfast and hanging out with her younger siblings. She narrates the action as she goes about her daily tasks of milking the sheep and making butter. This segment concludes with a brief overview of dancing, and a visit to Salerno and Pompeii. Luigi, who lives in what is considered an urban area of Italy, shows viewers his typical school day, his family's olive plantation, and a celebration of the Day of the Dead. American students will relate to popular culture such as using Facebook and watching Pokémon. Occasionally the background noise overshadows the voice-overs, but it is not overly distracting. The teacher's guide contains a script, a glossary, discussion questions, maps, a history of Italy, and recipes. Best used in a lesson on Italy or a general family studies unit.—Amanda Schiavulli, Finger Lakes Library System, NY