| School:
West Iron County Elementary School-81 Students |
| Teachers:
Malissa Eagloski, Brenda Grubbs, Debbie
Premo |
| Theme
for the Lesson Week: "Family Trees" |
| Big
Culture Lesson Description: The students study colonization
and learn how different ethnic groups immigrated and settled in
Iron County, Michigan. From a class-developed set of questions,
the students interview family members. Each student creates an individualized
family tree on a large sheet of posterboard. The posters include
data on genealogy, ethnic heritage (flags and/or county(s), and
other information (i.e. jobs, businesses, professions). |
Essential
Questions:
|
Is there a connection to history and my life? |
| Did
immigration to Iron County affect my ethnic background? |
| How
can I make a poster that pictorially presents my heritage? |
|
| Initiating
Activities: The students learn about different European groups
through textbook activities. The activities include class discussion
about the students' ethnic backgrounds. Also, library and internet
research of different countries generate written reports that tie
into the ethnicity of each student. |
| Student
Activities: The students draft questions and interview family
members-especially parents and grandparents. A docent from the Iron
County Museum presents an outline of a famly tree (very basic format
and vocabulary). The children organize the family data and plan
their posters. Each poster is a work of art-unique just as each
child is special/different. The students present their family tree
to the class, and describe one interesting fact learned. |
| Culminating
Activities: The posters are displayed on the hallway walls
of the school and as part of the WIC Student Art Show at the Museum.
Students participate in four sectionals at the Museum: Genealogy-examining
museum records;Catalog shopping-compare/contrast 1900's/2000's;
Victorian life-making and using Calling Cards; and visiting the
Carrie Jacobs-Bond House for a lesson in Dining Etiquette and Parlor
Music. For a final celebration the students create and share recipes
and dishes from one of their ethnic cultures. This project helps
students understand the "American Melting Pot," how cultures
have blended together. |
| Assessment:
Students hand in the interview of a family member and the outline
of their family tree. Students, school personnel, and attendees
view/evaluate the Family Tree posters. Also, the presentation of
the ethnic recipe and dish is graded. |
| Criteria
for evaluating student projects/performances: The different
tasks require students to use methods of inquiry, research,and communication
to accomplish the various levels of learning in this unit. A rubric
has been designed to accommodate the areas which are assessed. |
Community
Resource Contact Information: Contact Person:
Audrey
Ridolphi, Project Director
1001 Seldon Road Apartment #E
Iron River, MI 49935
906-265-2707 audreyr@up.net |
|
Recommended
Resources :
Social
Studies textbook and School Library
Genealogical and Country Research on the Internet
Family Members
Museum docents, records, artifacts
Recipe books |
|
Connection
to Social Studies Content Strands:
Strand
I, Content standard 3, benchmark 1
Strand II, Content standard 1, benchmark 3
Strand V, Content standard 1, benchmark 1 |
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