Simple Family Tree

What You Need: A copy of the simple family tree below; pen/pencil.

Doing It:

This activity introduces genealogy. Children can better understand their place in their family by doing a family tree with the help of a parent or grandparent.

Genealogy is the record of a family's history. Every family, no matter where it comes from, has its own long and fascinating story -- just like Alex Haley's famous family story Roots. Exploring your family history is an adventure. But it isn't just about ancestors. It's about you. It's about how you've been influenced by what's come before you, and about how you will influence what comes after you.

You might initially think you have only one family. But that's not true. You actually have many families. You start, of course, with your immediate family -- your parents and you. But then you'll be thinking about your four grandparents. Each of them came from a different family. You'll start including your mom's mother's family, your mom's father's family, your dad's mother's family, and your dad's father's family. Very soon, your family tree will grow and grow and grow.

You can view and print the sheet below in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). If you don't already have it, you'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. Acrobat Reader is available free of charge from the Adobe Website. Click on the link below to download and install your free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Once Acrobat Reader is installed on your computer, just click on the sheet below. Allow up to 2 minutes for the sheet to download and appear on your screen. Note: If you're using Netscape 6, you may not be able to view the page automatically. Call 1-800-772-7765 for more information.