Family History Project
“My Canadian Roots: My family Identity”
Social Studies 10F
Total possible marks:
Due Date:
This is a major project that will take you considerable time in terms of
management and effort. There are varying components to this assignment with
each needing focus and attention to detail. You will need to ask many people
questions, and you may need to make a trip to a family member’s home or go to
the library to research varying elements of your history. Putting together the
project will also take considerable time, so pace your work carefully. Start asking
questions and recording answers to be included in your final product.
Project Outline
 Before you begin this project please answer the following questions:
1. What Canadian stereotypes can you think of? Please list and be
thorough. (think back to what we discussed in class)
2. Is location the greatest factor in determining ones identity (being
Canadian)?
3. In your opinion; who are Canadians? Please describe what we
look like? What we act like? What we believe? What do we love?
What we eat? How do dress? And whatever else you can think to
describe. Fully explain each; be thorough!
 Create a family tree from both sides of your family. Go as far back as
possible, but at least as far back as your great-grandparents. Please include
dates of birth and place of birth where ever possible (family and guardians
will be a wealth of information). Please display your family tree in a
creative manner that includes considerable artistic/creative design. (15
marks)
 Do a timeline for one of your deceased ancestors. Include events (with
dates) such as birth, marriage, origin (where in the world or in Canada),
important personal events, Canadian/world events during their lifetime and
death. Please write descriptors for each. (25 marks)
 Take pictures of or bring in (place in a shoe box?) 6 examples of “Identity”
artifacts of people on your family tree. These may include photos,
documents, articles of clothing, items handed down from one generation to
the next, recipes or anything else of significance. Make sure you indicate to
whom the item belongs/belonged and why it is of significance to your
family’s identity. Be creative in your selection and presentation. Please
write descriptors for each. (25 marks)
 Once your project is complete please create a reflective piece of writing
that speaks to all of what you have discovered about the identity of your
family. Being mindful of stereotypes placed on Canadians (think about your
answers to the first three questions of this project), please comment on all
of the ways your family can be considered Canadian but also the instances
in which your family does not fit the “Canadian” stereotype. Overall, do
you and your ancestors fit the Canadian identity mold? If not can you still
be considered Canadian, why? or why not? This component is VERY
important, please be thorough!! (30 marks)
Duo-tang
Please include:




Title page
The present date
The origin of your last name. (2 marks)
A paragraph after whom you are named and the story behind your
name. (5 marks)
 Map(s) of the area that your ancestors came from. (5 marks)
 Interviews with two of your ancestors. Find out places of birth, what
kind of homes they lived in, schooling, where they shopped,
recreational activities, jobs, marriage, significant events/memories,
likes/dislikes etc. How was their life growing up different from your
life? Who has lived the more “Canadian” life? Try to audio record or
video tape the interview. You must include a summary of the
interviews in your duo-tang. (try not to interview members of the
same immediate family. Eg. Mom and her brother or sister erc.) (25
marks)
Checklist
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Questions Answered
Family tree
Timeline
Artifacts and descriptors
Map(s)
Origin of last name
The story behind your name
Interviews (summary with audio or video recording if possible)
I’ve labeled pictures, and named the people in them, from left to
right
I’ve written my reflective piece
If I was able to do any formal research on my family I have included
the sources
I’ve numbered the pages
I’ve edited my writing for spelling and grammar
Suggestions for goal setting:
Week 1:
Gather information for your family tree. Inquire about your name’s
story. Begin to think about who you’d like to interview. Begin
collecting artifacts.
Week 2:
Arrange to interview your relatives. Carry out the interviews and
begin to summarize them. Continue artifact collection.
Week 3:
Inquire about the origin of your ancestors. Find maps (photocopy or
recreate). Finish summarizing your interviews.
Week 4:
Begin your timeline. Begin to design your family tree. Continue
collecting artifacts
]
Week 5:
Inquire about or research the origin of your last name. Continue to
work on the timeline. Continue to work on your family tree.
Week 6:
Begin working on the good copy of your project. (edit for sentence
structure, spelling, punctuation etc.)
Week 7:
Continue working on your good copy. Sort through your artifacts and
select six of them. Label and prepare the artifacts for display.
Week 8:
Finish and polish your good copy.
Note:
Your project may be on display to your parents and will show the
effort that you put into your assignment.
Interview suggestions
1. Where were you born?
2. What was your birth date?
3. How many children were there in your family?
4. What did your childhood home look like?
5. What language was spoken at home?
6. What kind of education do you have?
7. What did you do in your spare time?
8. What did you play with as a kid/growing up?
9. How far did you go in school?
10. How old were you when you started work?
11. Where did you work?
12. If you moved to Canada, how old were you when you moved? (if yes then
continue with questions 13, 14, 15
13. Explain what push and pull factors are to the interviewee and then ask;
why did you or your family move to Canada?
14. What was your life like when you first moved to Canada?
15. Before moving, when you thought of Canada, what came to mind?
16. Are Canadian stereotypes fare?
17. Do you speak the two official languages of Canada?
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
Do you like poutine?
Did you play hockey or lacrosse?
Are you usually polite to strangers?
Do you think of yourself as funny or have a good sense of humour?
Make up some of your own Canadian stereotype questions?
Who is a Canadian?
Do you consider yourself to be a Canadian? Why? or why not?
Are you proud to be a Canadian? Why? or why not?