How did you modify this unit for use in your own classroom?: I used Miss Stephenson's exciting unit on creating a family tree and adapted it to meet the needs of a first grade gifted class. The original unit had been written for a fourth grade so I knew that it needed to be scaled down in scope yet retain the flavor of the original unit. The first thing I did was help the students identify types of community, and from there we narrowed it to a study of family within the community. Next we discussed different types of families from single parents households to families with adopted children etc.. The next link was in connecting it to our class read aloud, LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS, by Laura Ingalls Wilder. We did this by studying "her" family and then taking a close look at her family tree which is available on-line and as the frontispiece to most editions of the book. We explored what a family tree is, and compared it to a real tree with roots and branches. As we read LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS I emphasized family stories within the book and encouraged the students to share their own family stories. The next step of the project was creating their own family tree, which extended back as far as grandparents. The next step was to interview a person on their tree and in narrative form transcribe their story. For this the students practiced writing interview questions. Finally the students interview their family member and from there we used a multi-step writing process to complete our trees. Our trees were decorated with family photographs and the completed project now graces our bulletin board.

List your primary instructional objectives for your students.

What role did technology play in this curriculum unit?: We looked at on-line genealogy web-sites including: http://genealogytoday.com/junior/ Genealogy Today: Junior Edition http://byubroadcasting.org/ancestors/ Ancesters- A companion web site to the PBS family history and genealogy series.

How did you assess and evaluate student performance?: The students were accessed through the quality of their work and how well they understood the concept. To receive the grade of 4 on a rubric, the following criteria would have to be met: The family tree contains 3 generations. First and last names are included All pictures are effective. Spelling and capitalization correct throughout. The poster is exceptionally attractive in terms of lay-out, design and neatness

Please tell us briefly about your background & teaching experience: Ms. Welch has been teaching 10 years, seven of them in the NYC public schools. She earned a BA at Sarah Lawrence College and a Masters degree in Elementary Education at Adelphi University.

What are your recommendations for other teachers interested in adapting this unit?: My students are only first graders so naturally the content in most genealogy sites is beyond them academically. However it was helpful for them to see the scope of a full scale family search and the different ways in which people approach research. With creativity most units can be adapted to meet the needs and levels of any class.

Samples of Student Projects

	All students completed the same project. It is their family stories which are unique.