Historical and cultural thinking, identity and belonging
Oral communication, vocabulary development
Begin by explaining what a family tree is and why families are important. Show examples of different family trees, emphasizing that all families are unique and special.
Discussion Questions: "What is a family?" "Who are the people in your family?" "How are family members related to each other?"
Show students various examples of family trees, including different family structures (nuclear, extended, blended families). Discuss how families can look different but are all special.
Key Point: Emphasize that families come in many forms and all are valuable.
Give each student a family tree template handout along with colored pencils and other decorating materials. Explain how to fill in the template with family members' names.
Support: Provide assistance for students who may need help with spelling names.
Allow students time to fill in their family members' names and add any additional family members as needed. Encourage them to include pets or other important family figures.
Flexibility: Allow students to adapt the template to fit their unique family structure.
Provide time for students to decorate their family trees with colors, drawings, or family photos if available. Encourage creativity and personal expression.
Extension: Students can add symbols or drawings that represent their family's interests.
Have students share their family trees with the class, telling about their family members and any special traditions or stories. Create a classroom display of all family trees.
Celebration: Emphasize the diversity and uniqueness of each family.
Duration
45 minutes
Group Size
Individual work
Difficulty
Beginner
Acknowledge different family structures: single parents, grandparents as guardians, blended families, adoptive families, and families with same-gender parents.
Be aware that some students may not know information about all family members or may have complex family situations.
Provide alternative options like "important people in my life" for students who may not have traditional family structures.
