Do you remember completing a family tree in elementary or middle school? Family trees never go out of style...in fact they get better--and more dynamic--with time! With new technology and multimedia options readily accessible, there are now so many exciting ways to investigate and create your own vibrant and interactive family tree. You can bring it to life with photos, audio, television clips, and more in this family tree exploration.
In this activity you and your child will explore your family history and build a family tree together!
1) A printout of the LRA Parent Activity Family Tree Worksheet
2) Lost Rolls America Parent Activities Journal for both parent and child or loved one
Optional Materials
3) If you have completed the Tracing our Roots Activity you can also refer to your World Map Worksheet as you build your family tree.
Step One
● Sit with your child or loved one and fill in the family tree. Please remember that in both the discussion areas and the worksheets in this activity you can change any titles that are not appropriate for your family. For example, maybe “parent” is “guardian.”
● As your child or loved one writes the names of relatives onto the Family Tree Worksheet, share stories about those relatives that they may not have heard about before. For instance:
○ I remember when Uncle Avishai taught me how to use the swing set…
○ Believe it or not, your Great-Aunt Tasha used to organize marches for women’s rights in her small town!
● There are simple things you can do to make history come alive as you share stories with your child or loved one. For example, maybe you have a photo album that you can take out and look at photos in while you share stories. You can assign “investigator tasks” to your child or loved one as you look through the albums. For instance:
○ Ask them how many people listed in the family tree they can find photos of.
○ You can ask them to write a quick reflection in their LRA Parent Activity journal and ask them the following questions:
■ Do these photos resonate with the stories and anecdotes you have heard?
■ Do these photos inspire new questions? If so, write down those questions.
You may have family heirlooms in your home such as a medal that someone in your family received, or possibly a quilt that someone created that has been passed down. Or maybe there is an audio or television clip that was recorded about a project in which a relative was involved. You may be surrounded by more family history than you had realized! As you share family stories with your child or loved one, you can bring the artifacts into the conversation. It can be in show & tell style! For example, as you are showing a photo of Aunt Rosalia you can bring out her quilt and talk about how it was passed down to you. And maybe now your child or loved one uses that quilt and they may have their own stories about it. Artifacts can become intergenerational gems!
● Possibly you don’t remember a certain part of a story, but another relative, such as your cousin, might. You can always contact your cousin and find out if they can fill in the missing details of the story.
○ Your child or loved one may have been present in some of the memories you share. Ask what they remember. Many different perspectives of one story can be included.
Step Two
● Having shared family background and information, it is a good time for each participant in the activity to take a moment to write a reflection in their journal. If your child or loved one is not yet able to write a reflection, they can create a drawing. Some lead-in questions for the reflection may include:
○ What new things have I learned?
○ What has surprised me?
Step Three:
To support future investigations, this is a good time to write down some ideas!
● Take out your Lost Rolls America Parent Activities Journals and write on top of the page: "Investigative Tasks for the Future!” This task is for both parents and children alike. Write down a list of any ideas that come to you; this can also be done in drawings. Some lead-in questions to inspire you and your child or loved one can include:
○ Which anecdotes/histories/stories do I want to investigate and learn more about?
○ What new things have I learned? What do I want to learn more about now?
○ What photo or artifact do I want to investigate?
Step Four
● Color in your family tree! It can be seen as a document of family history and even an art piece or new artifact for the family. And, don’t forget to include a little picture of any pets you may have put on your family tree!
● Together, find a special place in your home to hang your family tree!
● Have a wrap-up dialogue with your child or loved one. Share your written reflections and drawings. You can also talk about next steps, such as more LRA Parent Activities you plan to do, as you both continue to learn about and document your family history.