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Are you a rooster ?

Summary I will use this project in my family unit. Normally making a family tree is not an exciting thing to do. I hope the incorporation of Chinese Zodiac will make this activity fun. Teachers may find this project suitatble to introduce time line or animal. At the end, students will create a family tree with relevant information written on it. They will also use tangram pieces to make animal figures. This is an integration of math concepts that needs to be introduced at lower grades. This individual project will capture the students' interest because it is about their own personal life.

Links to the Curriculum
According to the state framework, the year theme for first grade is "my family". this project fits perfectly into the curriculum. There are stories on the Chinese Zodiac. They are really wonderful source for literature study. The manipulation of tangram pieces trains problem solving skills. The study of family tree is a Social Studies curriculum. Teacher can use this project as an expansion of their multicultural family learning unit.

Classroom Strategies & Time Allocation
I would introduce family members in a family first. Then I would read to them stories on the Chinese Zodiac. Ask them to think why only twelve animals were included. Why cat was not one of them,etc. They need to learn some basic computer skills like using the mouse and keyboard. Then they will learn to use Hyperstudio to create their family tree. Since this is an individual project, classrooms with only one computer can still carry this out. But of course, they can work in small group of 2's or 3's to find information. It will only take them a few minutes to finish reading the stories. Searching for the years and the year of animals will take longer. The biggest part will be time spent on creating their own family tree. The last part-using tangram to create animals of the family members will be fun. It will take some time but the students can take that home as homework.

Technology Use
Teachers do not need to be a very experienced user of the internet. The links will automatically take them to the pages. However, the teachers do need to know how to use Hyperstudio to be able to teach students on that. When teachers click on the HyperStudio link, a HyperStudio stack will be downloaded on the desktop. However, the teachers need to have HyperStudio installed in their computer in order to proceed. Teachers who do not know to use Hyperstudio or do not have that software, any program that enables drawing of pictures and add text will do. Creating the family tree on paper is also an alternative. It will be fun if the teachers can help putting pictures of the family members up onto the family tree. This can be done through the use of scanner, digital camera, or by developing the photos onto disks.