Core Skills Analysis
History & Social Studies
- Understands the concept of genealogy and how individuals are connected through generations.
- Develops skills to gather and organize personal and family historical information.
- Learns about familial relationships and lineage terminology such as ancestors, descendants, and cousins.
- Begins to appreciate the importance of family stories and heritage in shaping identity.
English & Communication
- Practices interviewing and questioning family members to collect information.
- Enhances writing and recording skills by documenting family names, dates, and stories.
- Improves vocabulary related to family and historical research.
- Develops a narrative understanding as they piece together stories into a coherent family tree.
Tips
Tips: To deepen the learning experience, encourage the student to include historical context about the times their ancestors lived in, researching key events or cultures that influenced their family history. Incorporating creative elements such as drawing the family tree or creating a digital version can cater to different learning styles. To extend language skills, have the student write short biographies or stories based on family anecdotes they’ve collected, fostering empathy and narrative skills. Finally, organizing a family presentation or sharing session can improve communication and confidence.
Book Recommendations
- Who Do You Think You Are? Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Genealogy by Maggie Knapp: An engaging guide for children to explore their ancestry and the basics of genealogical research.
- The Family Tree Toolkit: A Comprehensive Guide to Uncovering Your Ancestry and Researching Genealogy by Angie Bush: Offers practical research strategies and tips useful for older children interested in building their family trees.
- Family Tree Detective: Investigate the Past and Solve the Mystery by Jane E. Smith: A fun and interactive book inviting young readers to think critically about clues and histories within family stories.
Learning Standards
- History (KS2): Pupils should learn about changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age and beyond, which ties to understanding the historical context of ancestors. (History National Curriculum, KS2)
- English (KS2 Writing): Pupils develop narrative and non-fiction writing skills, including sequencing events and structuring information, as seen in family story writing. (English National Curriculum, Writing KS2)
- Computing (KS2): Using digital tools to create and present family trees connects to skills in data organization and presentation. (Computing National Curriculum, KS2)
Try This Next
- Create a blank family tree worksheet for the student to fill in names, relationships, and dates.
- Develop a quiz asking about different family relationships and genealogy terms to reinforce vocabulary.
- Assign a 'story prompt' that encourages writing a short narrative about a chosen ancestor.
- Draw or digitally illustrate the family tree with pictures or symbols.