Content Area: Language Arts
Grade(s): 4, 5

Invitation
Who are you? What makes you you? How can a teacher make her students aware that their own families are a rich and fascinating source of history? How can the students use this history as a context for writing about themselves? This unit guides fourth and fifth graders to interview family members, write a summary of their family’s history, create a family tree, and write a reflective essay about themselves.

Tools
Computers, printer, word processing software, scanner; Template: Who Am I?; family photos, genealogy software such as Family Tree Maker

Situations
This unit occurs in the classroom and at home. Students may interview family members personally, or by letter, cassette, or e-mail. The unit requires six weeks to complete.

Interactions
The teacher teaches two students how to scan photos and use Family Tree Maker. These students teach the other students. The teacher meets with the students once a week to check on progress. The teacher offers support, makes suggestions, and assists as needed.

Standards (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills)
The student writes to express and reflect on ideas. The student uses voice appropriate to purpose.

Tasks
The students interview family members and use the interview to write a family history. The students create a family tree using the genealogy software. The students write a reflective essay using the Who Am I? template. The students summarize their family history in a slide show.

Assessment
The teacher evaluates the projects based on he following criteria: Family History Summaries are 3-5 typed pages with 4-8 scanned pictures. Student interviews at least two people and provides some documentation (e.g. video, cassette tapes, notes). Students follow the project timeline.