Past, Present and the Future -You, Me and My Family Tree

My class is a 3rd and 4th grade, multi-age classroom in which 90% of my students are African, Asian, Hispanic or Afro-American. Many are first generation Americans. I utilize interpreters speaking three different languages to communicate with their parents. All of my students are considered high risk, living below the poverty level. And all of my students are being given an opportunity to develop their own skills and talents in the way and at the pace that is best for them.

Because I have such a multicultural group of students it is important to help each one learn about and retain their heritage as well as learn about the great history behind American culture. Our theme for the 2009/2010 school year is "It's a Small World". All year long we will share individuals culture and heritage with our class, parents and the school through various projects, programs and activities. We will see that different cultures have different traditions and a specific cultural identity but that we basically share the same dreams for our children and our future. Many of my students were involved in a "Read Aloud" activity in which the book, "Freedom Wings, Corey's Underground Railroad Diary" was read to them. They were intrigued by Corey's daily entries in his diary and how each entry gave us some insight into Corey's life. They have become interested in recording their lives for future generations. My students can't afford a hard-covered version of a diary, but that is the only type of book that will last- with the potential of being available for their children to read.

We would like five copies of the book "Freedom Wings, Corey's Underground Railroad Diary" so that each reading group will be able to take turns reading the book and getting some understanding of the format of a diary. This book is also an excellent reference to use for modeling the type of information one would record in a diary - from listing daily events to how one might feel emotionally about something that took place. We would also like hardcovered journals for the students to record their family tree ( a sticker page will be added to the front of each journal) and begin to keep a daily record of this school year and the events that are significant in their lives. This will be their own personal record - it will not be looked at, graded or critiqued in any way.

This project will give students an opportunity to read about part of America's history - the story of the Underground Railroad. Also to learn about creating a diary and recording their "history" and eventually being able to pass this piece of history to their own children. Hopefully it will also foster an interest in writing everyday and developing the sense that what each child has to say is important. By having a beautiful book to write in, the goal is also to nurture an interest in producing something of quality - that will last a lifetime.