Sandy Bahan, Norman Central Middle/High School, Norman, OK
EXPLORING OUR ROOTS
Appropriate for grades 7-12.
OVERVIEW: How many of us have a Thomas Jefferson, a Queen
Elizabeth, or a Sacajawea in our family's past that we were never
aware of? Imagine the deep emotion of finding your great-
grandfather's baptism record in an old rural church, after months
of searching and much frustration. Or consider the feelings
experienced when you see your great-great-grandmother's name on a
passenger log of ships bringing immigrants to America in the
1830's.
Each of these experiences binds us to our history and to the
history of our nation. Sometimes the more personal the moment the
more meaningful it becomes when inserted into the larger history
of an area, a state, or a country. Answers to the historical
why's, who's and when's can be seen in the personal histories of
families. As students of history share their family stories there
is an awareness created of how interconnected many of us are, and
of how the history of a nation and of its people is reflected in
their stories.
Family trees are not only excellent opportunities for students to
learn their personal histories and to use some of the
investigative tools of the historian. Family trees can also be
valuable resources in teaching mini-history lessons in the
classroom and for helping students to make broader generalizations
about the history of their community, their state and their
country.
PURPOSE: The purpose of this package is to provide sample lessons
that incorporate personal family trees into the larger context of
community, state, and national histories.
OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to:
1. Locate on a map of the appropriate continents the
country(ies), and where possible the region or city, from
which their family originated before coming to the United
States.
2. Describe in oral presentation their family's history leading
to their settlement in their present community and state.
3. Locate on a map of the United States those primary states and
communities in which their families settled upon first
arriving in the United States and major family moves since
that arrival.
4. Using appropriate information, identify the primary time
frames in which families settled in a particular state or
community.
5. Using appropriate information, identify the primary social
and economic forces that motivated settlement of a particular
state or community.
6. Identify local, state, and national organizations (a minimum
of one resource for each) that are available to help persons
interested in developing a more complete family history.
ACTIVITIES:
1. Each student should bring to class as complete a family
history as possible which includes the following information:
Name (maiden), date of birth, place of birth, year in which
earliest known family member came to the United States,
purpose of immigration, year earliest known family member
relocated into current community and state, reason for
relocation, and any major relocations by previous generation
within the U.S. and the reasons for these relocations. (Keep
in mind some students will have more complete histories than
others. Timing for these assignments is critical. Best
results come if made during family times, such as Christmas,
Thanksgiving, or Easter when there are increased
opportunities for contact with grandparents and other family
"elders".)
2. Have students "interview" one of their grandparents,
greatgrandparents, aunts, or uncles, or if none of these are
possible, one of their parents. Their purpose in the
interview should be to obtain an oral history of that family
member's family with particular attention to the information
noted in #1, above. The interviewer should also ask if there
were any "colorful" or perhaps famous people in the family's
past. Sometimes these talks open up communication lines
never before explored within the family. Often students
learn about famous and infamous people in their family's
past. These are the stories students love to tell when
sharing their family history with their classmates, and it's
often these stories that light a fire under the student and
make them "want" to continue with and be more thorough in
assignment #1.
3. Have each student give an oral presentation of their family
tree. It helps if the teacher goes first, thus establishing
a more non-threatening situation. It is important to stress
that this is a sharing time, not just an assignment for a
grade. Some students will be reluctant to give an oral
presentation. Don't pressure them. Often they will "come
around" as their classmates participate. Always start with
volunteers and then select randomly when the volunteers are
finished.
4. Some students will want to know how they can learn more about
their families. Have them write letters to the organizations
listed under resources. If you live in metropolitan centers
with access to large university or research libraries or to
federal repositories encourage them to visit these and use
their materials.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS NEEDED: Mormon Family History Library
Genealogical Department
Dept P
35 N. West Temple St.
Salt Lake City, UT 84150-0001
The National Genealogical Society
Education Division
4527 Seventeenth St. North
Arlington, VA 22207-2399
The National Archives
Reference Service Branch
Washington, DC 20408-0001
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER: This particular exercise can be used at
several points in the school year. The family tree could be an
introductory exercise in a unit on American immigration, showing
where most immigrants came from, and the primary immigration
periods in American history. It can also be an exercise in state
history showing when and by whom the state or the immediate region
was settled. The family tree can be used as part of an exercise
in doing oral history.
Regardless of when the exercise is incorporated into the
classroom, the students will benefit in many ways. Not only will
they have an opportunity to personalize their nation's history,
but they will often find commonalities among their classmates that
allow a greater appreciation of others. I am constantly surprised
at how discussion of family histories becomes a sharing time
between students who don't always have that much contact. And
almost every year some of us in the class learn we share
ancestors, birthplaces, or that we have people in our past of whom
we can be proud.
Perhaps the most telling moment comes each year when a student, in
studying the history of their state, or in studying a particular
event in American history, says "Now I know why my grandfather
came to -------. I never realized that. I didn't understand what
he was talking about." Or when someone says, "My grandmother had
so much fun showing me her Bible. She talked to me more than she
ever has. It was great..."
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John Kurilecjmk@ofcn.org