Just Who Do You Think You Are?
How many of us take the time to ask ourselves this question? In English 11 this semester, the Juniors did more than simply ask the question. They actually found out. As a part of the Enlightenment Period of American literature, students read Jean-Michel Guilliame de Crevecouer’s essay titled “What Is an American?” After completing a small group discussion activity, they were posed with the question—What IS an American? Quite often, individuals don’t understand that although they are American by birth, their roots run much deeper than their native soil.
In order to find out just where they came from, the Juniors completed a mini research project that involved tracing their family’s lineage through the generations. After discussing the guidelines of the project, the students were introduced to proper interview protocol. They then set out to interview extended family members to find out about their backgrounds. Using the information they gathered, they compiled their findings into either a poster, power point, or both. They used these formats to present their lineage to the class.
In addition to tracing their genealogy, students were also encouraged to ferret out other interesting information. Many shared their countries of origin, alternative spellings of surnames, unique first names, how/when their ancestors arrived in America, military involvement, famous relatives, family traditions, etc.
The students did a terrific job of locating and sharing their information, and it was interesting to see just where everyone came from. It was also nice to see so many students take pride in such a significant and personal project. Well done, Juniors!