Most of us who live in the United States have ancestors from other countries. Maybe our great-grandparents were immigrants from Europe, or descendants of African slaves, maybe our grandparents moved here from Russia, the Philippines, or Mexico, maybe our parents came from Central America, Vietnam, or Japan. Maybe we came to the U.S. with our parents from El Salvador, Taiwan, or India. Lots of us have one parent whose family comes from one place, and the other who comes from the other side of the world! Maybe your parents met in California and started a family here.

Sometimes a person's kinship history can be drawn like a tree. Try it!
Go to printable activity page: Family Tree . Start with yourself at the bottom of the page. If you are a girl, draw a circle, if you are a boy, draw a square. Write inside the circle or square; your name, and where you live. If you moved from another country, write the first country and then an arrow, and then the US. Draw circles and boxes for any sisters or brothers you have, right next to you, and draw a line connecting you together.

Next draw a line straight up on the page from you, and put symbols for your parents. Since families are made so many different ways, if it's not your parents, draw whomever it is you live with in your home(s). Again, for females draw circles, for males, squares. Write inside their name and the country or countries where they come from, if it is outside the US, and where they live now. If you know they have sisters and brothers, draw symbols next to them and connect them, just like you did for your own siblings.

Keep going back in time, adding your grandparents, great grandparents, etc. If you don't know, ask at home! How many families can be remembered more than three generations? Draw a symbol for everyone you can find out about. Next, take the picture of the world map, and make a mark in every country where your family has had members come from, that you know of.

Family trees are great food for conversation and discussions with your family, and a great way to hear stories from your elders!

Who's Dancing in Your Family Tree?

Carmen Lomas Garza is an artist who lives in San Francisco. Her book "En Mi Familia" is full of memories of her childhood in Texas. In this picture, she shares her favorite way to celebrate the weekend.

"This is a Saturday night at El Jardin, a neighborhood restaurant in my home town. It's the summer, so warm that you can dance outside. A conjunto band is playing -- drums, accordion, guitar, and bass. This is the music I grew up with. Everybody's dancing in a big circle: the young couples, the older couples, and the old folk dancing with the teenagers or children. Even babies get to dance."

"I learned to dance from my father and grandfather. This is where my love of dance started. To me, dance means fiesta, celebration. You have the music, the beautiful clothes, and all the family members dancing together. It's like heaven. It is heaven."

Go to printable activity page: En Mi Familia -- In My Family

Now, you’re not only a dancer, you’re a choreographer!!