Pupils bring items to school that represent their ancestry or heritage. Individually, they present this item to the class so that their classmates can discover their unique past. Using the Internet, they research their own family history...

High school pupils research online to complete a family tree and explore their ancestry. They view a sketch of a family tree, and brainstorm questions to ask their parents about their heritage. They also diagram their own family tree. In...

Students create a family tree. For this ancestry lesson, students research a country that one of their ancestors is from. Students interview a grandparent and map out a family tree.

Students examine how African societies view their family and ancestors and settle disputes. They create a spirit doll, and role-play conflict resolution using the ancestor figure dolls.

Here is a nicely designed lesson on ancestry and family history. In it, learners read an article entitled, "Where Were Your Ancestors in 1871?" Then, they make up a series of questions to profile their family and their community 100...

Students recognize that history can be easily altered and changed, and consider ways to prevent deceptions about the Holocaust. They create class quilt that shows how to create harmony, understanding and tolerance of others.

Young scholars break into groups of 4 or 5 and choose an option to demonstrate a different cultural perspective in a fairy tale or other folklore that they are familiar. Possible choices are: PowerPoint presentation, video, digital...

Examine the evolution of various species of hominids from their earliest existence approximately 4.5 million years ago to today. In small groups, learners research one of the ten stages of hominid evolution and then create a poster and...

Fourth graders explore history of Underground Railroad in Indiana and discover how slaves were assisted on their journey using codes displayed in different quilt blocks. Students examine connection quilts have to ancestry and family...

Students research their family heritage and bring in photocopies of items representing their families. They create an attractive, artistic collage using these images.

Students create a graph showing their family roots. They read about how immigrants can develop strong feelings for two countries. They discover the importance of their earliest memories.

Young scholars examine the similarities and differences between modern day immigrants and pilgrims. They listen to stories, discuss their ancestors' origins, and create a native costume for a paper doll for where their ancestor is from.

Students study biomes and ecosystems. They watch videos on rainforests and the food web and select a country of ancestry or interest to research. They write a report on the flora and fauna of their selected country. They present to...

Students research about human migration during a specific time period. In this physical science lesson, students watch a video about human evolution. They prepare a presentation on human migration and share it with the class.

Students analyze the role of masks in African culture. In this African masks lesson, students read about the importance and meaning of imagery of African masks. Students observe animals in local ecosystems and create a mask combining the...

Students explore the evolution of birds. In this biology instructional activity, students research articles that discuss evidence about the ancestry of birds. They discuss their findings with the group and draw a journal magazine cover...

Here is a two-part lesson that introduces learners to genealogy by having them create family trees, and map the movements of their ancestors. While this resource is designed for kids who live in Arkansas, it certainly can be adapted for...

An engaging, and interesting instructional activity of types of bread found around the world awaits your charges. In it, learners compare and contrast manjy types of breads that come from cultures all over the globe. They utilize...

Third graders examine photographs as primary source documents. Students are broken into groups and are given photographs of the See Family.

Using the book Bandits, Bears, and Backaches, learners develop an understanding of the pre-history of Arkansas. They follow the trail ofthe giants mastodons and paleo Indians who lived there long ago. The emphasis on this lesson is on...

Help your class create collective poetry following a simple, engaging model from Teaching Tolerance (tolerance.org). Each young poet writes five things on an index card: sayings from others, favorite sound, favorite place, favorite...

The Civil War is undoubtedly a part of America's history, but could it be part of your pupils' history as well? Middle schoolers conduct research to discover a connection between their ancestors and the American Civil War. Whether...

Students explore history is not as a listing of dates, wars, and leaders but as the story of real people whose lives were impacted by the events of their time. They complete a pedigree chart and tape record a family member.

Explore the concept of beauty as it has been seen through the eyes of various African tribal groups. Learners create masks of beauty as they see it, taking the African concept of inner beauty into consideration. This lesson is great for...