PERSONALISING HISTORYSONIA SLONIMLEIBLER YAVNEH COLLEGECREATING A ‘ROOTS PROJECT’ WITH YOUR STUDENTS

SUITABLE FOR YEARS 7-9

UNIT SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND

Every family has stories, pictures, documents, rituals, heirlooms – all of which form parts of the master historical stories of our nation.In this unit students together with their families, explore how they stand witness to Australian history, using artifacts and family documents.

WHAT ENDURING UNDERSTANDING WILL THE STUDENTS ATTAIN?

Australian families stand witness to Australian history, transmitting memories through ritual, artifacts and stories.

WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS?

How do individual family stories fit into the larger historical picture?How do family nuances, collections of artifacts and stories reflect the experience of that family within Australian history?

What can we learn about Australian history from family stories, how do our families stand witness to Australian history?

PREPARING THE PARENTS

Parents should be given the questions students will be asking in advance so that they have an opportunity to prepare their answers.

Have a discussion on what it means to “stand witness to history”?

http://splash.abc.net.au/media/-/m/29115/italian-migrants-and-a-home-of-their-own

Start a conversation about each family came to Australia. With the exception of Indigenous Australians we all have a story on how we got here.

INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS What is your Dream Time story? Who are your people, where is your country? Why did you move to where you are now? Etc.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIESARTIFACTS

Bring a range of artifacts to the classroom such as birth/death/marriage certificates; family heirlooms such as silverware, photos of special occasions such as graduations, marriages.

Ask students to group them and explain the grouping. There may be more than one way for the groupings. Ask students to explain.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIESSTORIES

Give the students different migration stories.

http://www.immigrationplace.com.au/read-all-stories/w4/i1001210/

Ask the students what they learn frome ach story about the person’s country of origin, reason for immigration and first stages in Australia.

When did they come? What was happening back in their countries?

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIESWHAT’S IN A NAME?

Everyone has a namegiven to him by Godand given to him by his parents

Everyone has a namegiven to him by his stature and the way he smilesand given to him by his clothing

Everyone has a namegiven to him by the mountainsand given to him by his walls

Everyone has a namegiven to him by the starsand given to him by his neighbors

Everyone has a namegiven to him by his sinsand given to him by his longing

Everyone has a namegiven to him by his enemiesand given to him by his love

Everyone has a namegiven to him by his feastsand given to him by his work

Everyone has a name given to him by the seasonsand given to him by his blindness

Everyone has a namegiven to him by the sea andgiven to himby his death.

Poem by Zelda

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Discuss the poem with the students. Which section do they think describes their

names? Why do our parents give us certain names? Get students to put down their names and

names of previous generations on a sheet of paper.

What is common to the names in the class? Can they be grouped according to country of origin? How have names changed over the generations of living in Australia?

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIESFAMILY RITUALS

Family customs can tell us a lot about the background of the family.

What are some family rituals? Worship? Festive customs etc?

Customs unique to the family whether ritual or food.

SAMPLE INTRODUCTION

THE PROCEDURE Do some of the introductory activities Give students questionnaire with out line of

what they need including sample questions. Give students about a term to work on the

project. Organise a Roots Project evening, invite

families All projects are on display for about half an

hour While marking projects look for some

anecdotes to share with the audience, make sure these families are happy to go public.

FEEL FREE TO TAKE SOME SAMPLE QUESTIONNAIRES.THEY WILL NEED TO BE ADAPTED.