Land of my Father's - First Steps

Land of My Fathers Essay

BIG PICTURE: Write a one page (typed, double-spaced, 12 size font) essay in which you describe the culture of one country – other than the USA - that was the home of an ancestor.  Include the six elements of P.E.R.S.I.A. you have learned in Social Studies.

STEP ONE: Select a relative to interview.  The relative you speak to can be “the ancestor” – or someone who can give you information about “the ancestor”. “The ancestor” can be someone pretty close to you like a parent or grandparent – or someone from long ago in the family tree. Family is who you consider family – they do not have to be genetically related to you. This will likely only include one branch of the family.  You might have many cultures to choose from for this project – or only one – depending on your cultural history.

Have them answer as many of the following questions for you as they can:  Be sure to get their full name.

Ø  What country are you/were they from? 

Ø  How would you describe living in that country? 

Ø  What are some of your favorite memories?

Ø  When and why did you leave that country? Did you come directly to American or go somewhere else first? 

Ø  Does your family still have connections to or relatives in that country?

Ø  What current family traditions, foods, or other cultural aspects have been influenced by this country?

Ø  Political – What kind of political system does the country currently have?  If it had a different system when your ancestor was there?  If so, explain what it was and how it has changed.

Ø  Economic – How did the people make money for things they needed? Where did the food come from?  What were important industries?

Ø  Religious – What religions were practice by the people of the country?  Where and how did people practice their beliefs? 

Ø  Social – How was society set up/divided? What are their beliefs about citizens in their society? How did their laws and legal system protect the citizens?

Ø  Intellectual - What was the educational system like?  Who received an education?  What kind of training was most important in the country?

Ø  Artistic - What kind of artistic and beautiful useful things did the people of the country make?  What do we remember them for?  What kind of events did the people of the country have for entertainment?

For the questions they can’t answer, do a little research in the family or online to get “typical” or “representative” answers from the time and place.

STEP TWO:  Type up the answers you got from the interview and research in complete sentences into a document in your SBISD Google Drive and SHARE it with me (Jennifer.Connor@springbranchsid.com).  Give me editing rights.  Please title the document: Land of My Fathers – FirstName LastName by EOC, Thursday, October 19.  This draft will probably be longer than a page.  Do not worry about that.  Just get it all typed up so we can organize, revise and edit in class.

STEP THREE:  I will guide you through revising and editing this essay in class.  We will do all of this on the Google Doc you have created.  You will not need to print the final copy because I will have access to it. The final copy will be graded on content, organization, editing (spelling, capitalization, and complete sentences)

This essay will have three grades associated with it.  One (1) homework grade – that the information is typed and shared with me by the given date.  One (1) daily grade – the revising and editing process I will guide you through. One (1) quiz grade – the final copy of the essay.