Genealogy and the Genealogy and the School Research School Research

AssignmentAssignmentDonna Kearley, Denton ISDDonna Kearley, Denton ISD

AndAnd

Lynette Jones, Carrollton Lynette Jones, Carrollton Public LibraryPublic Library

http://www.owsleyfamily.org

TEKSTEKS

Look at the TEKS to see what is Look at the TEKS to see what is actually required.actually required.Most grade levels look at Culture, not an Most grade levels look at Culture, not an

actual genealogy project.actual genealogy project.The only grade that mentions a family The only grade that mentions a family

tree is first grade. A simple tree is tree is first grade. A simple tree is sufficient.sufficient.

Look at Social Studies and Language Arts Look at Social Studies and Language Arts TEKS. Both mention cultural aspects of TEKS. Both mention cultural aspects of learning.learning.

Social Studies TEKS K-1Social Studies TEKS K-1K- The student understands how K- The student understands how

people learn about themselves through people learn about themselves through family customs and traditions.family customs and traditions.

K- The student understands similarities K- The student understands similarities and differences among people.and differences among people.

1- The student understands the 1- The student understands the importance of family beliefs, customs, importance of family beliefs, customs, language, and traditions.language, and traditions.

1- The student understands how 1- The student understands how families meet basic human needs.families meet basic human needs.

TEK Grade 1TEK Grade 1

The only TEK that directly relates to The only TEK that directly relates to genealogy is this one:genealogy is this one:

SS1.02 The student will (TSW) SS1.02 The student will (TSW) investigate aspects of one’s past investigate aspects of one’s past by creating a family treeby creating a family tree..

LA TEKS Grade K-3LA TEKS Grade K-3 English, Spanish, and English as a Second English, Spanish, and English as a Second

Language K-3 – Listening, Speaking, Language K-3 – Listening, Speaking, Culture.Culture.

The student listens and speaks to gain The student listens and speaks to gain knowledge of his/her own culture, the knowledge of his/her own culture, the culture of others, and the common culture of others, and the common elements of cultures.elements of cultures.

The student is expected to connect The student is expected to connect experiences and ideas with those of others experiences and ideas with those of others through speaking and listening (k-3) and through speaking and listening (k-3) and compare language and traditions (family compare language and traditions (family stories) that reflect customs, regions, and stories) that reflect customs, regions, and cultures (K-3).cultures (K-3).

SS TEKS 2-3 GradeSS TEKS 2-3 Grade 2- The student understands the 2- The student understands the

significance of works of art in the local significance of works of art in the local community.community.

3- The student understands ethnic and/or 3- The student understands ethnic and/or cultural celebrations of the US and other cultural celebrations of the US and other nations.nations.

3- The student understands the role of real 3- The student understands the role of real and mythical heroes in shaping the culture and mythical heroes in shaping the culture of communities, the state, and the nation.of communities, the state, and the nation.

3- The student understands the 3- The student understands the importance of writers and artists to the importance of writers and artists to the cultural heritage of communities.cultural heritage of communities.

Reading/CultureReading/CultureThe student reads or listens to The student reads or listens to

increase knowledge of his/her own increase knowledge of his/her own culture, the culture of others, and the culture, the culture of others, and the common elements of cultures.common elements of cultures.

English, Spanish, or ESLEnglish, Spanish, or ESLThe student is expected to connect The student is expected to connect

his/her own experiences with life his/her own experiences with life experiences, language, customs, and experiences, language, customs, and culture of others (k-3) andculture of others (k-3) and

Compare experiences of characters Compare experiences of characters across cultures (K-3).across cultures (K-3).

SS TEKS Grades 4-5SS TEKS Grades 4-5

4- The student understands the 4- The student understands the contributions of people of various contributions of people of various racial, ethnic, and religious groups to racial, ethnic, and religious groups to Texas.Texas.

5- The student understands the 5- The student understands the relationship between the arts and the relationship between the arts and the times during which they were created.times during which they were created.

5- The student understands the 5- The student understands the contributions of people of various contributions of people of various racial, ethnic, and religious groups to racial, ethnic, and religious groups to the United States.the United States.

LA TEKS Grade 4-8LA TEKS Grade 4-8

Listening/Speaking/Culture.Listening/Speaking/Culture.The student listens and speaks both to The student listens and speaks both to

gain and share knowledge of his/her gain and share knowledge of his/her own culture, the culture of others, and own culture, the culture of others, and the common elements of cultures.the common elements of cultures.

The student is expected to connect The student is expected to connect his/her own experiences, information, his/her own experiences, information, insights, and ideas with those of insights, and ideas with those of others through speaking and listening. others through speaking and listening. (Grades 4-8)(Grades 4-8)

LA TEKS Grade 4-8LA TEKS Grade 4-8

Listening/Speaking/Culture Listening/Speaking/Culture continued.continued.

The student is expected to compare The student is expected to compare oral traditions across regions and oral traditions across regions and cultures (4-8) andcultures (4-8) and

Identify how language use such as Identify how language use such as labels and sayings reflects regions labels and sayings reflects regions and cultures (4-8)and cultures (4-8)

LA TEKS Grades 4-8LA TEKS Grades 4-8

Reading/culture.Reading/culture.The student reads to increase The student reads to increase

knowledge of his/her own culture, the knowledge of his/her own culture, the culture of others, and the common culture of others, and the common elements of cultures.elements of cultures.

The student is expected to compare The student is expected to compare text events with his/her own and text events with his/her own and other readers’ experiences.other readers’ experiences.

LA TEKS Grades 4-8LA TEKS Grades 4-8

The student will determine distinctive The student will determine distinctive and common characteristics of and common characteristics of cultures through wide reading (4-8) cultures through wide reading (4-8) andand

Articulate and discuss themes and Articulate and discuss themes and connections that cross cultures (4-8).connections that cross cultures (4-8).

SS TEKS Grades 6-8SS TEKS Grades 6-8

6- The student understands the 6- The student understands the smilirities and differences within and smilirities and differences within and among cultures in different societies.among cultures in different societies.

6- The student understands that certain 6- The student understands that certain institutions are basic to all societies, institutions are basic to all societies, but characteristics of these institutions but characteristics of these institutions may vary from one society to another.may vary from one society to another.

6- The student understands 6- The student understands relationships exist among world relationships exist among world cultures.cultures.

SS TEKS Grade 6-7SS TEKS Grade 6-7

The student understands the The student understands the relationship that exists between artistic, relationship that exists between artistic, creative, and literary expressions and creative, and literary expressions and the societies that produce them.the societies that produce them.

6- The student understands the 6- The student understands the relationships among religion relationships among religion philosophy, and culture.philosophy, and culture.

7- The student understands the concept 7- The student understands the concept of diversity within unity in Texas.of diversity within unity in Texas.

SS TEKS Grade 8 SS TEKS Grade 8 8- The student understands the 8- The student understands the

relationships between and among people relationships between and among people from various groups, including racial, from various groups, including racial, ethnic, and religious groups, during the ethnic, and religious groups, during the 1717thth, 18, 18thth, and 19, and 19thth centuries. centuries.

8- The student understands the major 8- The student understands the major reform movements of the 19reform movements of the 19thth century. century.

8- The student understands the impact of 8- The student understands the impact of religion on the American way of life.religion on the American way of life.

8- The student understands the 8- The student understands the relationship between the arts and the relationship between the arts and the times during which they were created.times during which they were created.

What we’ve learned…What we’ve learned…

There is no TEK written which There is no TEK written which requires teachers to trace a family requires teachers to trace a family tree back several generations. This tree back several generations. This is impossible to do in the time frame is impossible to do in the time frame of a school assignment. of a school assignment.

We do teach common characteristics We do teach common characteristics of different cultures and how our own of different cultures and how our own cultural heritage influences our own cultural heritage influences our own beliefs and prior knowledge through beliefs and prior knowledge through speaking or reading about different speaking or reading about different cultures.cultures.

As librarians, we can…As librarians, we can…

Redirect the assignment to Redirect the assignment to the TEKSthe TEKS

Help the teacher adapt the Help the teacher adapt the assignmentassignment

Give ideas of how to meet Give ideas of how to meet the TEKS in other waysthe TEKS in other ways

Be cognizant of…Be cognizant of…

how stressful this assignment how stressful this assignment is to non-traditional familiesis to non-traditional familiesAdoptive familiesAdoptive familiesChildren of divorced parentsChildren of divorced parentsFoster childrenFoster childrenAlternative lifestylesAlternative lifestyles

Help the teacherHelp the teacher

Plan for different ways the Plan for different ways the assignment can be completedassignment can be completed

Be accepting of all resultsBe accepting of all resultsAlternatives can include a Alternatives can include a

“make believe family” based “make believe family” based on some person in historyon some person in history

Useful websites:Useful websites:

30 Genealogy Sites for Young People 30 Genealogy Sites for Young People and Teachers: and Teachers: http://www.newenglandancestors.orghttp://www.newenglandancestors.org/education/articles/research/special_t/education/articles/research/special_topics/computer_genealogist/kids_genopics/computer_genealogist/kids_genealogy_30_genealogy_sites_for_younealogy_30_genealogy_sites_for_young_peopl_659_20103.aspg_peopl_659_20103.asp

Family Tree Lesson Plans Family Tree Lesson Plans http://http://genealogy.about.com/od/lesson_plangenealogy.about.com/od/lesson_planss//

Additional WebsitesAdditional Websites

Family History in the Classroom Family History in the Classroom http://www.genealogy.com/74_taylor.http://www.genealogy.com/74_taylor.htmlhtml

My History is America’s History is My History is America’s History is available on the National Endowment available on the National Endowment for the Humanities Website which for the Humanities Website which includes sample lesson plansincludes sample lesson plans

Adoptive Families Adoptive Families http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/artihttp://www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=1201cles.php?aid=1201