Family History

Description:

This assignment is designed to get students involved in an activity in which they can work closely with their family, identify their ancestors, appreciate their ethnic backgrounds, understand the concept of immigration, connect events in history with the movement of their ancestors, become more cognizant of their own unique individual makeup and its cultural origins, and develop a better understanding of the United States as a melting pot.

Goal:

The overall purpose of this assignment is to develop in the students the understanding that America is politically, ethnically, culturally, and economically a "NATION OF IMMIGRANTS". The emphasis of the assignment will be extensive research by the students and their families into the first Americans (immigrants) in their genealogy. The investigation should focus on the motivations for immigration, the perils of their journey to America, the problems involved in adapting to a new world, and the unique rich cultures they brought to this country.

Objectives: The student will be able to:

1. Interview his or her family.
2. Gather documents and records about their immigrant ancestors. (if applicable) Alternatively, students can gather documents and records about their ancestors that moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. 
3. Research their country of countries of origin and write a brief history of the country. (if applicable) Alternatively, students can research the state their ancestors migrated from. 
4. Write a written report on their family tree. 

Materials:

The main resource will be family documents, records, pictures, and interviews.

Family Tree: (Due April 15)

Students are to trace their family tree as far back as their ancestors who were immigrants to America. Or it can be traced to the ancestors who first moved to the San Francisco Bay Area.  The emphasis will be on these individuals. 

Use the following template. 

 Note* Use the extended family chart as a guide.

Report Will Include:

1. Diagram of Family Tree (Poster Board with as many available pictures) 
2. History of 1st Immigrants
   1. Place of birth
   2. Pictures (if available)
   3. What brought them to the United States or San Francisco Bay Area
   4. Summary of their life in their original country or state and in the U.S. or California
   5. Examples of customs, dress, music, religion they brought to America or San Francisco
3. Short History of the Country or state they Came From (2 pages written)
4. Their Effect on Your Family

This Report Will be Written & Oral (Due to Mr. Uribe May 11, ready to present to school community during the week of May 16) 

1. The Written & Oral are to be Combined for a Short Presentation
2. The Presentation will Hopefully Contain a Lot of Visual Aids. (pictures, items from the "old country", music, posters, etc.)