Personal History Project

4 May 2014

Dear Parents,

Thus far in our Unit of Inquiry on personal histories we have focused mainly on our own personal histories. We have spent time discussing the words “document” and “evidence” and have created scrapbooks of our recent vacations/holidays.

We are now moving in a bit of a different direction as we begin looking at how we can document the personal history of someone else. Each child has chosen a loved one and will work to document his/her life. We will need your help with this as many of the children have chosen YOU! This is how we will begin gathering and documenting information:

·      Each day your child will come home with a few new questions to ask. Please help your child collect the necessary information. We have discussed that photographs are not enough evidence to be able to tell about someone’s life, so she needs to record information to accompany the photos.

·      You can help your child record this data by:
-   answering the questions and having your child write down the answers
-  listening to your child’s questions and then writing your answers down on individual pieces of paper that she can then glue into her book
-  allowing your child to audibly record your answers with an electronic device (best for those children who have chosen to make iMovies)

We are gathering bits of information at a time to help make it manageable. We would appreciate you taking the time to sit with your child for a few minutes each afternoon/evening to answer the questions she brings home. She will bring the information to school the following morning to add to her book/iMovie.

Thank you in advance for your support and please let me know if you have any questions.