Our Family Histories

I will present to my students a story that was passed down to me from my elders through the tradition of oral history. I will explain that the stories of our ancestors are passed down in such ways.
Students will read their Social Studies Books about family history. We will discuss important vocabulary words ie: first hand documents, second hand documents, artifacts, etc...
I will then show my students actual items from my own family history. I will show them a scrapbook with pictures, family recipes, certifcates, etc...i will talk about a few family traditions and share a bit of when my family immigrated to the U.S. They will have the opportunity to look at my items.
The students will then be told that they will need to gather information in order to create something that either documents their family history or represents their family history. We will brainstorm ways to present their family histories. (Scrapbooks, video montage, photograph collage, family tree, a painting, drawing, power point presentation, newspaper, quilt, etc...)
The students will then brainstorm in teams inquiry questions that they would like to know about their families. They will set up a plan of action to explore the answers to their questions. I will give them ideas on how to seek answers to their questions. I will need to do a few mini lessons with in this project/ lesson. I would for example show them how to interview family members; journal in writing or pictures stories they are told by family members; finding information on line; gathering photoghraphs, etc...
After a few weeks of gathering information, my students will then put their data together in a creative way. We will go over their first brainstorms and they will decide if they will produce a scrapbook, a power point presentation, a magazine., a painting, or a story. It is my goal to guide my students with this experience, but I would like to allow them them enough room for decision making, creativity and freedom. They will make a list of the materials they have, and then a list of materials they need (this is where I would provide what I can) in order to create their project. During this process, I will meet with each student individually, several times to monitor their progress and to give them my help if they need.
After a few weeks, the students will present their finished products and share their family history with the class. I will give each student a day to present and they will have the opportunity to invite their family members during the day of their presentation. The students can introduce their family members with the class and the other students may ask questions. The presenters and their family members will have the option to bring something from their family culture/ tradition to share with the class.