Family Tree Explorer

Historical and Cultural Thinking45 minutesModerate

Overview

In this activity, students will create a family tree to understand family relationships and explore their cultural heritage. This activity connects to the Historical and Cultural Thinking strand of the curriculum, helping students appreciate how their past and present shape their identity.

Students will interview family members, gather information about their relatives, and create a visual representation of their family tree. This activity promotes research skills, cultural awareness, and an understanding of family relationships.

Learning Objectives

Describe relationships to other family members
Represent family relations using a family tree
Know that family relationships can be represented on a family tree
Appreciate that our family tree is made up of a diverse range of people who share a common heritage

Materials

Large drawing paper or construction paper
Colored markers, crayons, or pencils
Scissors and glue
Family photographs (optional)
Sample family tree templates
Interview question sheet

Preparation

Prepare sample family tree templates for students to reference
Create a simple interview question sheet for students to take home
Send a note to parents/guardians explaining the activity and requesting their assistance
Gather examples of family trees from different cultures to show diversity
Prepare your own family tree as an example to share with students

Steps

Introduction (10 minutes):
- Begin by playing the "Baby Shark" song, which mentions different family members
- Discuss the different family relationships mentioned in the song
- Show examples of family trees and explain how they represent family relationships
Interview Preparation (5 minutes):
- Distribute the interview question sheets
- Review the questions with students and explain how to conduct a respectful interview
- Assign students to interview family members at home about their family relationships
Family Tree Creation (25 minutes):
- Using the information gathered from interviews, guide students in creating their family trees
- Demonstrate how to organize family members by generation (grandparents, parents, siblings)
- Encourage students to add names, relationships, and drawings or photos if available
- Help students understand that their family tree should reflect either their maternal or paternal side
Sharing and Reflection (5 minutes):
- Have students share their family trees with a partner or small group
- Guide students to discuss similarities and differences in their family structures
- Lead a class discussion about what students learned about their families

Differentiation

For Students Who Need Additional Support:

Provide a pre-drawn family tree template with spaces to fill in names
Offer one-on-one assistance during the creation process
Allow students to create a smaller family tree focusing only on immediate family
Provide picture supports for family relationship terms

For Students Who Need Additional Challenge:

Encourage students to extend their family tree to include more generations
Ask students to add information about where family members were born or lived
Have students research and include cultural traditions associated with their family heritage
Challenge students to create a digital family tree using appropriate technology

Assessment

Observation:

Monitor students' understanding of family relationships during discussions
Observe students' ability to organize family members in a logical structure

Conversation:

Ask students to explain their family relationships using their family tree
Have students reflect on what they learned about their family through this activity

Product:

Evaluate the completed family tree for accuracy in representing relationships
Check that students have correctly labeled family members and their relationships

Extensions

Create a class book of family trees to celebrate the diversity of family structures
Have students write stories about a special family member from their family tree
Explore family traditions and celebrations connected to students' cultural heritage
Create a "Family Bracelet" with letter beads representing different family members
Develop a "Family Train" where each car represents a different family member

Curriculum Connections

Historical and Cultural Thinking

This activity directly supports the "Our Families" section of the Historical and Cultural Thinking strand, helping students understand family relationships and appreciate their cultural heritage.

Specific Curriculum Outcomes

Know that family relationships can be represented on a family tree
Represent relationships of families on a simple family tree
Appreciate that our family tree is made up of a diverse range of people who share a common heritage

Cross-Curricular Integration

Language Arts: Writing about family members, interviewing skills
Art: Creating visual representations, design skills
Mathematics: Organizing information in a hierarchical structure
Technology: Using digital tools to create family trees (extension)

Teacher Tips

Be sensitive to diverse family structures and use inclusive language
Provide alternative options for students who may be adopted or in foster care
Have extra materials available for students who may not have access to family photos
Consider creating a digital template for students who prefer using technology
Prepare for emotional responses as students discuss their families

Additional Resources

Sample family tree templates
Children's books about families and family trees
Videos explaining family relationships
Digital family tree creation tools
Cultural heritage exploration resources