Exploring Family Heritage
Families are unique and families have similarities. This series of articles and lessons explores the ways we can learn about families including our own.
- Grades: PreK–K, 1–2, 3–5, 6–8
One good way for students to learn about the concepts of customs, traditions, oral history, memoirs, diaries and biographies is to have them explore their own families' stories, songs, legends, history, and customs. Here are articles and lessons that will introduce students to the study of family heritage by helping them learn from their own families.
Use these web resources to find information on genealogy and family history, including a research guide, oral history questions, and an example memoir.
Teacher created book list includes tips for classroom use.
Presents a family studies unit developed to encourage students in grades 4-8 to explore different ethnic groups and types of families
Activities, reproducibles, and tips for teaching kids K-1 about families. Includes "Button Broods, "Families on Display," a discussion of animal families, and much more!
How to capture and preserve the memories of the World War II generation while they're still here to tell their stories.
Lesson planning suggestions and other resources for using the "Oral History Writing Workshop" in the classroom
Prompt students to learn about their cultural heritage through interviews with family members. Students present charts, maps, based on their findings, while family members are invited to bring cultural dishes.
Break the ice and let your new students get to know their classmates through oral storytelling of their family histories.
Students interview relatives about their heritage, make a family tree, and map their ancestors' migration in this lesson unit on America's cultural diversity.
Discover the history of immigration in America and take an interactive tour of Ellis Island with this interactive unit. Hear the stories of recent immigrants, explore the interactive historical timeline of immigration, and delve into data about immigration patterns over the last 200 years.