In this lesson
-Explore your roots
-Understand your family history
-Learn about your family members
-Prompt discussion about your culture, religion and family
-Explore your roots
-Understand your family history
-Learn about your family members
-Prompt discussion about your culture, religion and family
Video Resources
Extension activities
-Think about yourself - how do you think you reflect your family values and expectations?
-Create your own family tree. Share it with others in your family.
-Think about yourself - how do you think you reflect your family values and expectations?
-Create your own family tree. Share it with others in your family.
My Family Stories Get Started
Keywords: Family stories, family history, family tree, shared memories, immigration, migration, intergenerational communication, traditions, values, culture, heritage, respect for elders, race, family origin, shared history, multicultural families
Here are some suggestions on how to get started:
- Choose a relative – maybe your grand father, or your grandmother, an uncle Ask them if they would like to tell you their story.
- Decide if you will record an oral history, make a video recording, make a journal or make a time capsule or a scrapbook!
- Ask your relative if they will share photographs and other mementos with you.
- Remember to always be respectful when asking questions
Remember to always respect confidences - Start with basic information about a time line such as when you were born, where, where you went to school and college.
- You could choose to ask about –
- Places to remember
- Events to remember
- Life events such as marriage
- Significant historical events
- People they have met
- Transitions such birth in the family, growing up, first job, going to a new place to live, a marriage in the family
- Some writing prompts: Dada tell me a story about when you were young Dadi when did you and Dadi first meet? Dada tell me about the time that you took part in the march with Gandhiji? Dada/Dadi what was your first job ever? How much did you earn then? Dada/Dadi what did you study in college? Tell me about your favorite teacher? Who was your best friend? Who was your favorite movie hero when you got married? What was your favorite song?
Updated September 2011