This project can be useful for ESL or foreign language teachers who want to introduce family-related vocabulary to students in a comprehensible and relevant way. These include, “would you rather have 3 arms, or 1 leg?” or “where do you like to go on vacation?” The former has ableist undertones, while the latter assumes that all children have had the chance to go on vacation.Įducation (vocabulary-building, data organization) Sensitivity Note: The linked list of 50 questions is a good place to start, though some questions may still be inappropriate. Alternatively, you can have students write short answers to the list of questions–allowing them to skip questions they don’t wish to answer, and making sure to tell them ahead of time that anything they write will be shared with the class.) (It’s important to note that this activity provides a way for kids to be insensitive without meaning to, so it may be a good idea to have them choose from a list of appropriate questions instead of thinking of their own. ![]() After “interviewing” each other, have each student write a report introducing the person they’ve just met to the rest of the class. ![]() Have each student pair up with a classmate whom they’ve never met or don’t know very well, then have them ask each other getting-to-know-you questions. This activity is ideal for smaller groups and/or older children. Simply ask students to find pictures of things they like and use paste or tape to affix them to the poster. What is their favorite color or animal? What types of media do they enjoy? What are they best at? What would they like to learn about this year? The project is suitable for any age, but can be easily adapted for very young students or students who have difficulty reading or writing. It’s all in the name: ask students to create a poster that tells everyone a little bit about themselves. This project emphasizes the “getting-to-know-you” aspect of family trees. Introductions/Getting-to-Know-You Activities Luckily, there are alternatives to traditional family tree projects that can fulfill the same goals. Also, many kids enjoy the project and love to share important facts about themselves with peers. The family tree project is not just a research project it facilitates communication, it’s a getting-to-know-you exercise, and it’s a useful tool for self-reflection. As such, many in the adoption and foster community oppose the assignment of family tree projects in school (as well as Mother’s and Father’s Day activities and assignments.) Many fostered and even non-adopted children may not know who one or both of their parents are, and family histories that include abuse or trauma may not be pleasant (or even appropriate) for the adults in a student’s family to discuss with them. In our mutations storyline, Arthur happens to have maintained a relationship with his biological family (called an open adoption ) but this is not the case for many adoptees. ![]() Family trees can only show blood relationships and marriages they may include the names of great-great-great-great grandparents that no one living has ever even met, but have nowhere to place Honorary Aunts and Uncles, guardians and unrelated caretakers, or–as I used to complain about when I was a kid–pets! Creating a typical, symmetrical Family Tree can even cause anxiety or even shame for students with non-traditional family backgrounds, including adoptees. There is a limit to the usefulness of a family tree, however. This can be a fun and interesting assignment that allows students to research their family history and practice data organization, and many students and families enjoy it. The Family Tree research project is a common one in schools. This double family tree was the result! The “Dreaded Family Tree Project” Although only Arthur’s biological family is relevant to the learning objectives of this storyline, we didn’t want to alter Arthur’s backstory just for simplicity’s sake. You may notice that there are actually two family trees in this illustration. To illustrate the inheritance of the sickle cell gene through the generations of Arthur’s family, we created this family tree: Arthur’s Family Tree(s) Our mutations storyline, ‘In Your Blood,’ features Arthur, a boy who looks into his genetic history to see where his gene for sickle cell anemia originated.
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