Vocabulary and Expressions
 To trace your roots
 To set down roots
 A family tree
 To give your children both roots and wings
 To root for someone
 To root around for something
 The roots of a problem
 To get to the root of something
Roots and You
 Do you have a “family tree”? How many
generations back can you trace your family?
 In what ways are you proud of your roots?
 In what ways have you “set down roots” in
Canada?
 In what ways have you yet to set down roots in
Canada?
 Do you have roots in several different countries
or cultures? If so, which ones?
The Roots of A Problem
 How could “getting to the roots of a problem”
help you fix it?
 In what ways can knowing the roots of a
problem NOT fix it? (i.e. what else must you
do to fix the problem?)
 Give an example of a time when you solved a
problem first by finding out its roots, then
fixing it.
Children and Roots
 What kinds of roots would you like to give your
children?
 In what ways do you “root for” – or cheer on,
or encourage your children, if you have them?
Who are some other people in your life you are
“rooting for”?
 In what ways have you, or will you, give your
children “wings”? If you don’t have children,
are there other people in your life you are
encouraging, thereby giving those people
wings?
Kinds of Roots
 Name some different kinds of plants with roots.
 What kinds of roots can you eat?
 What kinds of roots can destroy things?
 In what ways can roots help living things – and in what ways can they help the surrounding
environment?
 What is your favorite kind of root?
 What is the most expensive kind of edible root you can think of?
Copyright Kristin Chong, 2011. www.eslsheets.com.
Explanations
To trace your roots – to look at previous generations in your family and discover where they came from,
what their lives were like, etc. “When Lana learned that her family was very multicultural, she decided to
trace her roots. She found out that her grandfather had been Filipino, her grandmother had been Jamaican,
and her great-grandparents had been Chinese.”
To set down roots – To do things like buy a house or put your children in a specific school that show your
intention to stay in a particular area or place for a good amount of time. “When Tim bought a house and
started to barbecue together with his neighbours, he knew he was setting down roots.”
A family tree – a chart showing your family history. Such a chart often looks like a tree, because it spreads
out like the branches of a tree. “The paternal side of my family tree is large, while the maternal side of my
family tree is small.”
To give your children both roots and wings – to give your children a family history and a sense of security
on which to rely (roots), and teach them how to live in the world as adults (wings). “Christian parents
believe that teaching their children to love Jesus Christ gives them both roots and wings – a sense of
security and a foundation on which to build their futures.”
To root for someone – to cheer for or encourage someone. “