Materials Needed:
- A few pieces of sturdy paper or cardboard
- Markers, crayons, colored pencils – whatever colors you want to use
- Pair of scissors
- Pictures from old magazines or catalogs, or pictures you find online
- Tape or glue stick
- And of course, creativity and imagination!
Activity:
Start your Investigation: Ask as many members of your family as you can these questions. Suggestions for people to ask include: parents, guardians, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins.
- What is one of your favorite foods you eat with your family?
- Why is it your favorite? Did someone special make it for you, or is it a family recipe, or is there another reason?
Note Your Findings: Write (or draw) each food people tell you. Compare their answers. Did some family members say the same things, or are they all different? How do their favorite foods compare to yours?
Search for Pictures: Find pictures online or in old magazines of the foods people mentioned. How many of them can you find?
Create Your Food Family Tree: Once you find matching food pictures, cut them out. Draw a tree base and put the pictures on. Decorate the tree or the area around it any way you want to. What should a background of your family tree look like?
Share Your Work: Make sure to take a picture of your food family tree when it is finished. Share it with the family members you talked to!
Questions to Think About: How important is food in our family history? What can our favorite foods help tell us about our family and culture?
Congratulations – you now have your food family tree!
You can save and print any of the family tree images below:
