Kidlink's "What Are My Roots" lesson plan: "Looking Back in Time"

Do you have any old photos of your family? Bring them to school and share them with your class. In this lesson we will step back in time and try to picture what life was like for our relatives 100 years ago. Think about who the oldest living relative is for your family on your dad's and mom's side of the family. Maybe this person is your grandmother or grandfather. Perhaps it is a great aunt or uncle. Do they live near you? Can you visit them or send them a letter? Gather a notepad and pencil...

During the weeks we spend on this lesson we hope you will have an opportunity to talk to some of the oldest living relatives you have. We want you to ask them some questions about what their life was like when they were growing up.

Discussion Questions

Who are the oldest living relatives in your family on your dad's side and on your mom's side of the family? Where do they live? Can you make contact with them in person, by postal mail, e-mail or by telephone? Tell us a little about these people. Where were they born? What language do they speak?
Ask these relatives what their neighborhood looked like when they were your age. Share the description with all of us. If you cannot find a relative who remembers what life was like many years ago perhaps there are others in your community who can talk to you about life in years past.
How many people lived in your area 50-100 years ago? Ask your relatives or a librarian to help you find this information. Search the web to find countries ranked by population, population growth, and projected growth . How has the population of your country grown since 1950? How is it projected to grow for the next 25 to 50 years?
Find pictures in books or from family photo albums that show what your area looked like 50-100 years ago. How has it changed? What buildings are there now that weren't years ago? Do you like the changes?
What historical events were taking place in your area and in the world 100 years ago? How did these change the course of your life today? Are there are some famous events from your country that are world famous?
What natural events such as floods, famines or wars changed the course of the history of your area? What strong figures in your country emerged as leaders in time of crisis? How did they help shape the lives of the people of your country?
Tell about outstanding individuals who have helped make our countries what they are today.
What kinds of jobs were available in your area 50 years ago? Ask your relatives to describe some of them. What new technologies have developed in recent years that were not around when your oldest living relatives were seeking jobs?
Ask your mom, dad or older relatives to describe a typical school day when they were younger. How is it different from your school day? Which would you prefer?
What household appliances that we take for granted today were not around when your grandparents were young? How did they manage to do without them? What alternative means did they use?
Ask your parents or grandparents if they remember when the TV and radio came. How did it change their lives? How do you think they lived without these inventions? Share your feelings on this topic with your online friends.
How does the clothing that your grandparents wore when they were young differ from the clothes you wear today? Are hair styles the same?
How has music changed over the past 50 years? What type of music was not around when your grandparents were young?
How has the value of your money changed in the past 50 years? How much did it cost to send a letter through the post 20 years ago? How much does it cost now? How much did it cost your grandmother to buy a loaf of bread 25 years ago? How much does a loaf of bread cost today?

Classroom Activities

Write a letter to a relative far back in your history. In this letter tell them how your area has changed over the years. If you can, describe the places where they lived as they look today.
Make a graph of the population growth of your area since 1950. Write an analysis of this graph. What do the figures show? How has this effected your country? Discuss the changes in your cities and the environment because of it.
Make a scrapbook called "Then and Now" and include pictures of old buildings and older appliances in your area as well as pictures of newer buildings and appliances. Include photos from any older clothing catalogs and the pictures of newer styles of clothing. Show older and newer hair styles. Draw pictures if you cannot find any real ones.
Make a timeline and show the natural happenings of the past 100 years that made an impact on your area such as drought, floods or earthquakes, etc.
Make a timeline and show the historical events of the past 100 years that changed the course of history where you live. What might you expect to see in the next 100 years of that timeline?
Make a personal family timeline and show the important events in your immediate family.
Try to gather a coin (of the smallest value) for each year since you were born. Under the coin record a special event in your life. This might include, your birth, when you walked, when you spoke your first word, when you entered school, when you rode your first bike, when you won a spelling bee at school, when you were team captain, etc.
If possible, arrange a family trip to visit a place where your ancestors lived, a graveyard or a house where you lived at one time. Take a camera and share the pictures with your classmates.
Before the days when everyone was taught to read and write people needed signs to help them identify things. A dressmaker might have had a sign with a needle and thread on the door of the building where he or she worked. Think about some occupations that we can choose today. Draw a sign to signify that occupation or career.
Create a family coat of arms for your family that has symbols that are meaningful for the people in your family and the place where they live. Write a paragraph explaining the symbols in the coat of arms and why you chose them.