This project involves students in English I, Biology I, and Algebra/Geometry I. The English classes research their family genealogies by interviewing family members and using the resources of the genealogy department at the public library. After completing this research, students write a short biography about their families based on information that they developed from their research. While they are doing this genealogical research, students study genetics and heredity in Biology I and probability in Algebra/Geometry I. In algebra the students also study quilt making and design a quilt block that depicts something in their lives.
The students will be introduced to their genealogy project with a guest speaker from the Peoria Public Library. During the project, students will learn some genealogical terms. A trip to the Peoria Public Library will be planned to aid in the research.
Students will interview parents, grandparents, and other relatives to discuss important things about their backgrounds. Included should be information regarding careers and life-styles of ancestors, in addition to births, deaths, and marriages of family members. If it is possible, the student should try to determine who married you and why?
After several weeks of note taking, this project will culminate in a written five-paragraph family biography which will be graded according to the Illinois Goal Writing rubric. At the end of the written paper, the resources should be listed which could include: personal interviews (who and when interviewed) tape recordings (who and what accomplished), books used and other sources.
In addition to the family biography paper, the quilt block which was designed in algebra/Geometry I will be described on a 3 x 5 card, telling why the design was significant in the person's life. This description will have its own rubric..
In Biology I, students will study heredity and genetics. As a part of this study, students will work genetics problems involving the Punnett square. This study will include monohybrid crosses, genotypes, and phenotypes. Students will complete a simulation in which they form pairs of make-believe parents and determine what characteristics their offspring would inherit.
Goal: The student will relate the study of genealogy to mathematics by studying the history and geometry of quilt-making and the study of probability.
Setting: Students will be introduced to the history and process of quilting through reading and guest speakers. They will see how quilt patterns related to evens in people's lives and will enlarge scale drawings of quilt designs. After doing this introductory work, they will design a quilt square that depicts an event in their life. Students will also study probability as it relates to genetics.
This project will help satisfy the following Learner Outcomes for Algebra/Geometry I:
The EHS Graduate goals that are practiced in this project are:
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