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Materials Needed:

Simplistic family tree drawing or one on blackboard chalk for all students

Pencil and scrap paper.

Objectives:

To understand how to diagram an accurate family history to develop vocabulary for family trees: siblings, maternal/ paternal, spouse, maiden name, ego

Activity Description:

Ask students what they think a family "tree" depicts (parents the trunk, previous generations the roots, and children as the branches or fruit). Note that trying to fit a complex, multi-generation family into one tree symbol is difficult, so as a class they will explore ways to create an ACCURATE diagram of their family.

Have students come to the chalkboard and explain that they will be trying out some logical symbols used in diagramming families. Introduce vocabulary as relevant and then try to diagram mini-fictional families, as presented in "Growing a Family Tree" sheets that follow. Monitor students' work as they proceed step-by-step through the fictional families. The objective is to encourage them to figure out logical symbols rather than just tell them what to do.

A family tree is actually a picture record or diagram of a family's history. A simple family tree records the following information:

First and last names of people (wife's maiden name) unions, including marriage and re-marriage dissolved unions, generally divorce or death children bom to the union (sex, name and birth order) children adopted or added by another marriage/union

A more complex family tree could include any of the additional information:

MALE/FEMALE:
What symbols could be used to distinguish male from female? (Students can draw their suggestions on the chalkboard.) Discuss conunon symbols that we already know: male/female biological pictograms and those used on restroom doors. Then explain that family tree diagrams generally use a triangle to represent all males and a circle to represent females. Have students draw their symbol on the board and quickly check for accuracy.

EGO:
Ego means yourself and shows who diagrammed the family tree. Some diagrams use a square for ego; others use the appropriate triangle or circle with a star inside. The class can decide what they want to use:

MARRIAGE/DIVORCE:
How do you "draw" a marriage or union? (We use the term union since not all babies are born to a married couple.) Get suggestions for a union symbol from students. Family tree diagrams use = to indicate union/marriage.

Ask students to diagram a male and female marrying. Check that each person has drawn either:

(Note that it makes no difference which symbol, male or female, comes first.)

Now ask students how they would draw that marriage ending in a divorce or breakup. Explain that a dissolved union is generally shown as a diagonal slash through the equal sign:

DEATH:
Note that the letter "d" is not used for divorce because it might be confused with death, which is sometimes written as "d" followed by the date: d. 1932. Other ways of indicating death are to put a cross inside the circle or triangle, or by putting an X through the symbol:

There is no right way; just decide on which you will use and stick to it.

CHILDREN/SIBLINGS:
Ensure that everyone knows the term "sibling." Ask if each student is, or is not, a sibling. If so, how many siblings do they have? How do we diagram siblings? How will we draw brothers? (as triangles) Sisters? (as circles) Ask students to diagram themselves and their siblings (if any). They should draw themselves as "ego" and the appropriate number of triangles and circles.

How could we show on a diagram that a man and woman have had a child or children? (Have students draw their suggestions on the chalkboard.) Show how a vertical line is used to indicate "descent" in a family tree diagram. (Note this is an appropriate term because children come from, or descend from, their parents.) A horizontal line is used to indicate siblings or more than one child.

Ask students if they feel siblings should be listed in any particular order and why? (Generally a family tree shows siblings in order of birth, but ego -- the person doing the diagram - can also be put at the center.)

 TRY THESE FAMILIES ON FOR SIZE!

Describe each of these "sample families" out loud; then have students diagram them on the chalkboard. Check the results to ensure everyone understands the proper use of the symbols.

 2) A man and woman marry and have two daughters. Those daughters grow up and marry and each have two daughters.