[We started by reading The Matchbox Diary by Paul Fleischman] When we study the history of our family, we are learning about our genealogy.

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1 TELL A FAMILY STORY A project organized by writer/artist Anne-Catherine Fallen (info@annecatherinefallen.com) [We started by reading The Matchbox Diary by Paul Fleischman] When we study the history of our family, we are learning about our genealogy. Genealogy is a big word that comes from long ago Greece. It means generations. Do you know what a generation is? Your grandparents Your parents You and your brothers and sisters Each of these is a generation. The Family Story Book You are going to write a story about one person in your family who is still living and who belongs to an older generation. You can write about one of your parents or one of your grandparents. You will talk to them and ask them questions about their lives. From the answers you get, you will write a story about them. Each of you will write and design your storybook on an ipad. Then we will get them printed! So you will publish a book about a member of your family. The first thing to do is decide who you want to write about. It should be someone you can talk to easily. You will start with a list of questions to ask them. Then you can find out more about your family history.

2 FAMILY STORIES The Interview Here are the steps to help you tell your family story. 1) Decide who you want to write about. 2) Ask that person to set aside a special time to sit down and talk with you this is called an interview. Maybe you will sit with one of your parents or grandparents. Or maybe you will talk to someone on the phone or skype them on your computer. 3) Put together your questions. Look at the prepared list. Can you think of some different questions? What are you curious to know about your family member? 4) Listen carefully to their answers and write them down. You don t have to write in complete sentences yet. Just make notes so you can remember what they said. Sometimes the answers will lead to another story. Pay attention and ask your own questions. 5) Ask them if they have any photos, documents (like letters and cards), or other mementos they can show you. A memento is something that helps you remember a special event, like the things in the matchboxes that the old man kept in the book we read (The Matchbox Diary). You can use photos and drawings in your book. 6) Bring your notes into school so your teachers can help you write your story. 7) Once you have written your story sentences, we will help you make your drawings and design your books on ipads. 8) You will create your drawings on the ipad, but first we will start with a storyboard. This is a way to make quick sketches of your ideas, so you know how many pictures will fit in your book.

3 FAMILY STORY QUESTIONS Where were you born? Where did you grow up? What did it look like there? Who were your parents? What do you remember about them? Do you have brothers and/or sisters? Were there any special family traditions? Where did you go to school? What was school like? Did you enjoy it? Who was your best friend? What games did you like to play? What was your first job? Did you earn money? What did you buy with your money?

4 What was your favorite song or singer when you were young? Do you have a favorite joke? Is there a special story you remember from growing up? When did you come to the United States? Why? How did you travel here? Was it easy? How did you meet your spouse (the person you married)? What is the most important lesson you've learned in your life?

5 STORYBOARD A storyboard is a sequence of drawings, representing the planned shots for television or movies. Storyboards are also used by comic book illustrators to plan out the sequence of their story. A sequence is a series of events, actions, or things that happen in a particular order. When planning a story, it is very helpful to make a storyboard. It will let you organize your thoughts so you know what is important at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of the story. It will also help you decide what kind of drawings will work best to tell the story. When you make your storyboard, you work fast and only sketch your ideas. This means you don t have to do finished drawings. Use the storyboard form on the next page to start organizing your story.

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