Embedded Files
Roots to Rise
Roots to Rise
Winter 2022
Winter 2022
Project Purpose:
Students will dig into their roots to learn more about their ancestors, family traditions, San Diego community, language, food, music and interests. Through exploring their roots students will learn the power of their stories and the importance of sharing their stories with others. Part of exploring our roots is connecting to the land we are on, what we love about nature and how to honor the story of the Kumeyaay Nation.
Essential Question:
How does exploring our roots and sharing our stories empower us?
How does my story connect to the land I am on?
Project Launch:
Identi-TREE
Students were required to make a paper bag tree by cutting the top of the bag into strips and twisting them to replicate branches. They then twisted the bottom to replicate a trunk. We glued on different colored tissue paper to replicate leaves. The purpose of the Identi-TREE is to serve as a analogy for them as individuals. Starting at their roots, they'll write down their family, ancestors, culture and life experiences. Moving up toward their trunk, would represent them in the present, including what they love about themselves right now. And the branches represent their future, what hopes, learning goals and what change they want to create in the world.
Materials:
Paper bag
Plastic cup
Tissue paper
Cardstock paper
Hot glue
Chalk Talk
Chalk Talk
The students went around the classroom and responded to the question on the poster paper. Questions included those that connect directly to our project, for instance, "what is one thing you want to change in the world?" prompts students to think about what they value as an individual in society.
Heart Maps
Heart Maps
The students were able to write down different areas that make up their heart and their stories. Some examples of what students included to be apart of their heart was; family members, foods, their religion, their culture, friends, what languages they speak, Important places to them, and what they enjoy to do on their free time.
Watercolor Exploration
Watercolor Exploration
Students had the opportunity to water paint different blank pages to make up each letter of their name. After watercoloring each page for each letter of their name they let them dry. Once dry, they wrote out each letter of their name for each page they water colored. Then they wrote an entire acrostic poem for each letter of their name along with a simile that resonated with that letter.
Pillar Stories Exhibition
Pillar Stories Exhibition
Students had the opportunity to exhibit their work at Chicano Park in San Diego, California. The students made their own mini pillars like the ones in Chicano Park. They filled one side with an "I am..." poem of who they are as individuals. Starting from the bottom of their pillar, they included where their "roots" came from (ancestors, family members, important places). Moving up toward the "trunk" of their pillar they included them in the present (family traditions, how they see themselves, what they enjoy). At the top or "branches" of their pillar they included what they love about themselves and what hopes they have for the future (future plans, careers, passions). On the back of their pillar the students included pictures that connected directly to their "I am..." poem.
Many read aloud books were done to help students begin to imagine the land that were on, where they came from, and who they are as individuals. Some books read aloud were: "I am me", "The spirit of Chicano Park", and "Dreamers". The purpose of the roots to rise pillar exhibition is to help students develop a sense of themselves as individuals in society and how their roots, help shape them into who they are today and what they want to overcome or achieve in the future.
Materials that were used to make the exhibition possible was different colored tissue paper to paper mache the pillar, foam boards to make the pillar, google to search up pictures, mod podge to glue the pictures and tissue paper and many volunteers to shape and set up the pillars.
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