Ancestors

CATEGORY: REAL WORLD

Why:

Developing stronger connections to our ancestry helps us feel more rooted, and offers insights into why our family is the way it is.

Warm-Up:

What is one tradition you like in your family, such as a special meal or the way you celebrate a certain holiday?

Exploration:

To understand ourselves, we need to know our roots: our ancestors. Ideas and habits get passed from generation to generation. When you understand your ancestors, your family will make more sense. You might notice the ways you’ve been shaped by them. To learn about past generations, you can ask family members or do research online via websites like ancestry.com. What are you curious to know about? Do you have any stories about your ancestors? For example, where they came from (if not here), or what their lives were like? Is there a particular ancestor you find especially interesting?

Additional Resources

For an extended investigation into this, consider the Argonaut Connect with Your Lineage Challenge, here: https://www.argonaut.school/connect-with-your-lineage

Important Note: If you have students in your group who are adopted or otherwise not in touch with their biological parents, this may be a triggering or isolating topic. If this is the case with your group, wait until you are confident that the group has strong trust and camaraderie, such that students with trauma or sensitivity here can be supported and invited into the conversation through their questions and wondering.