Family
Heritage
Project
Name:________________________
Fourth graders study the history of New Mexico and the people who make
up our state, including our ancestors and our present day family. It’s more
interesting to learn about history by looking at primary sources (first hand
sources), so that is the purpose of this project.
Your assignment is to learn about your family by using primary sources.
Primary sources may include (but do not have to include):
Photographs
Journals, diaries
Letters, postcards
Artifacts
Newspaper articles
Copies of Old Legal documents (birth, death, marriage, religious
certificates …)
Military documents
Citizenship documents
Education documents (report cards, diplomas…)
Interviews
Family tree
Personal timeline
Special recipes
The project is open-ended to fit each student’s family situation (1 side of
the family or both sides). The project also is one to be creative! It’s a time
when parents and child need to work together to come up with a family
heritage document that will be treasured for years to come. Hopefully as
life goes on, your child will add to the project.
Here are a few suggestions:
Use a 3 ring binder
The plastic page holders work well for holding documents/photos
Make a divider for the 3 sections (see next page)
Please scan or make copies of important documents, newspapers and
photos to keep the originals safe.
Label photos or documents so you remember the information
Set up a schedule. Don’t wait until the last minute. Start talking with
family members so they can try to find treasures in their attics, drawers or
photo albums. If your family lives far away, set up a Skype date!
Family Heritage Project
The project has 4 parts. Make dividers for the 3 sections.
1. Cover or inside first page
Name, date, fourth grade
Title: My Family Heritage Book
Picture or design
2. My Ancestors (section 1)
Family tree with names, dates (use a template or be creative)
Info sheets on parents and grandparents (templates)
Photographs of ancestors labeled
Paper documents of ancestors (see cover page for types)
Flags & maps of your heritage (Use template or create it on the computer)
3. The Interview (section 2)
Try to find the oldest or most interesting relative you can
Use the interview questions to find out information. Have your parents take
notes for you as you ask the person questions, or tape record the session or
better yet, videotape the session. Turn the questions into a mini-biography
essay of the person and include this in the project (may be typed or
handwritten).
Include photos and other documents about the person.
4. All about Me (section 3)
My Beginning page (template)
Origin of your name page (template)
My Favorite Things page (template)
My Special Page (template)
Timeline- at least 1 event for every year of life. Be creative!
Rubric
Section
Cover
Family Tree
Info Sheet
Ancestor
Photographs
Ancestor
Documents
Flag and Country
Maps
Possible Points
5
5
20
5
Points Earned
Interview
Biography
Photo Interviewee
Interview
Documents
My Beginning
Page
My Name Page
My Favorite
Things Page
My Special Page
Timeline—At least
one event for
each year of life
Neatness
Total Score
20
20
15
10
100
My Father
Name: ____________________
Date of birth: _______________
Place of birth: _______________
His father’s name:
___________________________
His mother’s name:
___________________________
Photo
Here
Whom he was named after:
________________________________________________
Occupation and place of employment:
________________________________________________
Color of Eyes: _____________ Color of Hair:____________
Hobbies:
________________________________________________
Interesting facts about him:
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
My Mother
Name: ____________________
Date of birth: _______________
Place of birth: _______________
Her father’s name:
___________________________
Her mother’s name:
___________________________
Photo
Here
Whom she was named after:
________________________________________________
Occupation and place of employment:
________________________________________________
Color of Eyes: _____________ Color of Hair:____________
Hobbies:
_______________________________________________
Interesting facts about her:
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
My Maternal Grandfather
Name: _____________________
Date of birth: _______________
Place of birth: _______________
His father’s name:
___________________________
His mother’s name:
___________________________
Photo
Here
Whom he was named after:
________________________________________________
Occupation and place of employment:
________________________________________________
Color of Eyes: _____________ Color of Hair:____________
Hobbies:
________________________________________________
Interesting facts about him:
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
My Maternal Grandmother
Name: ____________________
Date of birth: _______________
Place of birth: _______________
Her father’s name:
___________________________
Her mother’s name:
___________________________
Photo
Here
Whom she was named after:
________________________________________________
Occupation and place of employment:
________________________________________________
Color of Eyes: _____________ Color of Hair:____________
Hobbies:
________________________________________________
Interesting facts about her:
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
My Paternal Grandfather
Name: _____________________
Date of birth: _______________
Place of birth: _______________
His father’s name:
___________________________
His mother’s name:
___________________________
Photo
Here
Whom he was named after:
________________________________________________
Occupation and place of employment:
________________________________________________
Color of Eyes: _____________ Color of Hair:____________
Hobbies:
________________________________________________
Interesting facts about him:
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
My Paternal Grandmother
Name: _____________________
Date of birth: _______________
Place of birth: _______________
Her father’s name:
___________________________
Her mother’s name:
___________________________
Photo
Here
Whom she was named after:
________________________________________________
Occupation and place of employment:
________________________________________________
Color of Eyes: _____________ Color of Hair:____________
Hobbies:
________________________________________________
Interesting facts about her:
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
My Heritage Nationality
I am part (nationality)_________________
Flag
Map (highlight the country your family is from
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS - Introduction
Include the following information on your interviewee in
your introductory paragraph of your biography.
Interviewee:_____________________________________
Relationship to you:_____________________ age:______
Birthdate:_______________________________________
Birthplace:_______________________________________
Location of interview:______________________________
Date of interview:_________________________________
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS — paragraph (section) 2
Your second paragraph (section) should be about your
person’s childhood. Ask the following questions, write
your answers below, and include the information in your
second paragraph.
1. What was your childhood home like?
2. Did you have to do chores around your house? If so,
what were they?
3. What was elementary school like?
4. What did you do in your free time?
5. What clubs or athletic groups did you belong to?
6. What jobs did your parents have?
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS — paragraph (section) 3
Your third paragraph (section) should be about your
person’s life as a young adult. Ask the following questions,
write your answers below, and include the information in
your third paragraph.
1. Did you get any education after high school? Explain.
2. What was your job?
3. How did you meet your spouse?
4. Did you, your spouse, or your siblings join the military?
Tell more.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS — paragraph (section) 4
Your fourth paragraph (section) should be about
your person’s memories over the years. Ask the
following questions, write your answers below, and
include the information in your fourth paragraph.
1. Tell me about the day your remember best in history.
2. What is your favorite invention and why?
3. Who was your role model? Why?
4. What was your favorite holiday? Describe it.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS — paragraph 5
Your fifth paragraph should be about memories your
person has with you. Ask the following questions, write
your answers below, and include the information in your
fifth paragraph (section).
1. What is the best time we’ve spent together?
2. What words of wisdom do you have for me?
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS — paragraph 6
Come up with two or three interview questions of your
own to include in the final paragraph of your biography.
1.
2.
3.
My Beginning
Date of birth: _____________ Time of birth:__________
Place of birth
Name of hospital: _________________________________
City, State, & Zip: _________________________________
Weight at birth: __________ Length at birth: __________
Whom I was named after:__________________________
Paste a picture of yourself as a baby here:
My Name Page
My full name is ______________________ .
My first name means
________________________________________________
_______________________________________________.
and my parents picked my name because
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
_______________________________________________.
I got my middle name because
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
_______________________________________________.
My last name is___________________________________
and it’s nationality is______________________________ .
These are some of the nationalities of my ancestors:
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
_______________________________________________.
My Favorite Things
Write about, draw, or paste in photos of toys, pets, books, stories,
movies, sports, hobbies, clubs, and activities.
My Special Pages
Attach newspaper articles and photos of yourself and your family.
Note dates, names and events.