Lesson on family heritage

1. Technology Integration Plan Family Heritage By Stephen Cook

2. Phase I: Relative Advantage I would like my students to investigate their family’s history in an effort to create a deeper appreciation of their own unique cultural background. Using the internet, students will have access to materials that can help them accomplish that goal.

4. During this series of lessons, students will:

5. Create a family tree

6. Research their family’s country(s) of origin using mapping and timeline applications.

7. Make a sketch of their family crest

8. Write descriptions of celebrations and traditions with their families that link to their family’s history.

10. Throughout the unit, the student should have:

11. Interviewed family members and utilized online research materials to gather important information.

12. Made meaningful connections to the material through reflective written passages.

13. Kept on task within the unit and met assigned deadlines.

14. Formal Assessments

15. Family Tree

16. Art Sketch

18. Technology can support this method by allowing students the options to explore the material and gather the information in whichever way they choose.

19. Online resources open an entire world of possibilities to discover family history, from ancestry to geographical chronology.

20. To prepare students to use these technologies, everything has to be thoroughly checked for authenticity and appropriate content. It is the teacher’s responsibility to fact check and make every effort to guide their students through a safe and productive online environment.

22. Students are then told that they will be making their own family trees and can view the WebQuest provided to get some ideas as to how to gather and organize their information.

23. Once students have completed their research, they will then go to www.familyecho.com and use the online template to create their tree.

24. Print trees and decorate

26. How to Trace Your Coat of Arms Video

27. Ehow.com article on family crests

28. Then students will have the opportunity to find their own family’s coat of arms.

29. House of Names

31. All research will be conducted online with some of the following resources

32. New World Encyclopedia

33. Encyclopedia.com

34. Google Maps

35. Students will then organize the information into a short presentation using either PowerPoint or Windows Movie Maker

37. Computer with internet connection and printer

38. Unit packet outlining the three activities, expectations and deadlines. Packet also includes all online resources and instructions on how to use said resources

39. Drawing program

40. Writers notebook for reflections

41. Pencil

42. Access to family members to gather information

44. A packet would be made for the entire unit with each of the lessons detailed and the resources available to complete the task.

45. Not only would the links to the sites be given, but explicit instructions as to how to use the site.

46. In some instances, the teacher may even model how to use the site in order for each student to understand the layout of the site and not be confused as to how to navigate.

48. How well they utilize class time to complete assignments

49. How well they utilize their resources outside of class to gather information and conduct research

50. Thoughtful reflections in written assignments

51. Completion of three major assignments by their deadlines

52. A clear understanding of the material they present

55. A family tree is a unique look into your family’s history. A timeline of people and places that tell the story of how you came to be. It gives a glimpse of the past of those who came before us, some of whom you may never have met. In this activity, you will create your family tree and retrace your family’s place in history.

56. The Task

58. After we read the book Me and My Family Tree in class, you will go home and interview your family members, gathering information on the structure of your family. Make a rough sketch of your tree and fill in the information as you find it. Interview as many family members as you can. I would suggest trying to interview

59. Parents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, etc.

61. Once you have gathered your information, bring it to class. We will be using the computer lab to go online at www.familyecho.com to make our trees.

62. At the beginning of class, I will go through the steps with the entire class to ensure we understand how to navigate through the site. I will walk around and help you throughout the process.

65. You will hand in the following items during the course of the assignment

66. Your interviews with family members and research gathered at home

67. Your family tree rough draft sketch

68. Your finished family tree printed in the computer lab

69. Your completed family tree

70. The following things will also be factored into your grade

71. Meeting the assigned deadlines

72. How well you utilize your time in and out of the classroom

73. Behavior in the computer lab

74. Presentation