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Using The Family Tree Diagram In The Classroom: A Lesson In Heritage

Determining where the branches of a family tree stem from can be a great opportunity for elementary and junior high students to see where they come from. In addition, using a family tree diagram can give older students different creative ideas for writing assignments.

Lesson Idea # 1: A Pictorial Family Tree

This lesson plan is a great way for younger students to start making the connections between the relatives that they know and see every day with the family members that they know through stories from their parents. The first step, of course, is to get a blank family tree diagram for each student. A simple search online should allow you to obtain a few examples that can be easily copied and expanded as necessary. In preparation for the lesson, have your students bring in extra pictures of their parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, and even great-grandparents, if available. Make sure they know that the pictures need to be extras, since they will become part of their very own family tree design.

Now, with a little glue, some crayons, and other craft materials, have each student decorate their very own family tree, placing each photograph on each of the designated spots. Students, if you are so inclined, can also write a short essay on their family tree diagram, and how they feel about their family.

A More In-Depth Family Tree

For older students, a family tree diagram can be used as a type of competition to see who can trace their family tree back the most generations. Make sure that they understand the available resources to find their in search for family information. Possible sources for information include interviews from family members, the local library, or various internet sources, such as www.genealogy.com and www.rootsweb.com. While younger students can focus on the immediate family and names, older students can supply more detail to their family tree diagram including birthdates, maiden names, and branches that might have died out before the present generation.

A Fictional Family Tree Diagram

In today's classroom, there will be instances where a student might not want to search out their family tree, either because of being adopted, in foster care, or other sensitive issues. Instead of giving that particular student an entirely different assignment, there is the option to allow them to create a fictional family tree based on a neighbor, or even an historical figure, such as Abraham Lincoln or Martin Luther King. It will take a bit of research on their part, but by having them design a fictional or historical family tree diagram, you'll be having them integrate a number of different aspects of their scholastic life.