[sandrus]

Does anyone have any creative ideas/activities for teaching family traditions? Thanks in advance!

[starrysky]

I send home a quilt square pattern that i got on here....dont have a copy though.....they have to draw and color their family tradition in the square and write a couple sentences about it...

I send home a family tree outline, and their parents help them fill it out at home....

then we can make a paperbag family tree

[Weezer]

I do the quilt square too. Then we cut them out and arrange them on bulletin board paper to make a class quilt. Before all of this, I have a local quliter come in and discuss quilting and the stories that quilts tell. We read Patricia Polacco's story, The Keeping Quilt. Also, many of her books are good reads for family traditions.

[grtlaks]

Right around Thanksgiving, I send home a note asking parents to write about their special family traditions. I tell them it can be ethnic in origin or just what their family does. I mention it would be nice to send any ethnic items that show their culture, family photos, and that it would be nice if they could share a holiday food they eat with our class. Not all families participate, but the kids enjoy learning from the ones that do.