Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Family Tee Project (4th and 5th grade)

Family Tree Project




DUE DATE: Wednesday, December 3rd



In order to start your research, you should begin with yourself. Once you have all of that information recorded, you can move onto your parents and siblings. The facts that they give you can help you to expand from there into your extended family (grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, nieces/nephews). You are only required to go back 4 generations, or to your great-grandparents, including all of the relatives (aunts, uncles, and cousins) that come between. Anything else will be considered extra effort and may earn you extra credit. The information that you are looking for would include:

a. Full Names (First and Last)

b. Year/Date of Birth – Year/Date of Death

c. Country of Birth

d. Marriage(s)

e. Children



The home can be a good starting point for most people who are interested in understanding the origins of their family. Items of genealogical interest or value that can be found in the home include:

a. Photographs

b. Documents (letters and newspaper clippings)

c. Family Bibles/Religious texts

e. Heirlooms, especially those passed down through generations



You must create a neat, organized visual presentation of your family tree. You should include as much of the required information as possible, though we do understand that the farther back you go, the harder it is to find some specifics.





Family Tree Project



Information cards- By giving each person an individual card/square with his or her information, you can move them around on the paper, trying out different ways to organize your “tree”. Each card should be fairly small, and the information should be written or typed neatly. (Full Name, Date of Birth- Date of Death, Place of Birth)



Family branches- To show the different branches of your family (mom’s side vs. dad’s side), some people find it helpful to use different colors, such as with the paper for their info cards, or the lines connecting each member. You can also use varying shapes or ink colors- whatever works best for you!



Connecting- One way to show how people are connected in the family is to draw lines. The line between two married people should be doubled, like an equals sign. If they are divorced, the relationship is otherwise over, or one is deceased and the other remarried, draw a diagonal line through the equal sign. For children, draw a straight line coming down from the equals sign, branching if there is more than one child.



Neatness- The most important thing is to make sure that you are neat and organized while setting this project up. Neatness helps to prevent confusion and may help you when I assign grades!



Non-conventional families- Anyone who finds any problems with setting up their families, such as adoptions, estranged parents/spouses, large numbers of siblings, or other such issues, please let me know so that I can help you! If you do not see me before the due date and your project is handed in incomplete, then you will lose credit!!









Writing/Projects—You must choose any four of the eight provided writing/projects. Be sure to read and follow the instructions carefully so that you can receive full credit. All writings need to be a minimum of three paragraphs (approximately 15+ sentences), typed, Times-New Roman font, and double-spaced. The finished assignments must somehow be included in, on or with your family tree (secured to the poster board, in a special binder/folder, etc.).



A. Anecdote: Write down a story that has been passed down through your family about a person, an object, or an event. There should be a clear beginning, middle, and end to the story, possibly with an introduction about when or how you first heard it. Be sure to include all of the features that need to be in a story (characters, setting, exposition, climax, etc.).



B. Family Recipe: Include a copy of a recipe that has been passed down through at least two generations, and then explain why it is important, and when/why the family usually makes it. This should be a full explanation of the significance of the recipe, as well as the history behind it. You could even cook the recipe and bring it in for possible extra credit!





C. Holiday Tradition: Describe a holiday or family tradition that is unique to your family. Examples could include a game played on a holiday, a place that you always go to, a special gift given on a birthday, etc. Include a description of how it started, how often it occurs, who participates in it, and why it is important to you.



D. Portrait: Include a picture (no originals please) of one or more people from your family. The essay should be a short biography of this person, who they are in relation to you, and why they have had an influence on your life. You don’t have to meet someone in order for him or her to have importance!





E. Coat of Arms: It may either be a copy of the official one (searches available online) from one of the main branches of your family or you can use samples to create your own. Be aware that ever shape, symbol, and color use has a special significance. The essay should include the meaning of the symbols and how your family came to get its coat of arms.



F. Family song: Is there a song that is special to the members of your family, maybe sang at special gatherings or one that recalls a specific memory? Include the lyrics of the song, a brief description of its history/creation, and an explanation of its significance to you.





G. Family poem: Maybe there is a poem that somehow connects to your family, either written originally by one of them or with a topic/theme that relates. In this case, the essay should be similar to the song option, with a brief description of its history/creation, and an explanation of its significance to you. Another possibility is to create a poem of at least 4 stanzas (use quatrains with at least 4 lines per stanza) about your family. If you choose this option, make sure to include a paragraph explaining its meaning.



H. Heirloom: Some families have an object or collection of things that are so important; they have been passed down through the generations, such as a book, blanket, medal/award, etc. Be sure to a picture of the heirloom, along with what it is, whom it came from, whom it has been passed to, and why it is important.





I. Other: Every family is different in the ways in which they interact and what they feel is important. It is more than possible that you have something to share that s not on this list. If you have another idea, please see me to see if it would qualify! If it does, I will be more than happy to let you use it as one of your choices!