Family StoriesMarch 2010

“Family stories were also folktales that created and sustained a collective myth, a structure of meaning reaching beyond the earthly realms of time and place to express something essential about the invisible life of the soul, a highly individualized folktale where Zeus becomes Grandpa Handley and Cinderella Aunt Mabel.”

• Joe McHugh

“Like the DNA signature in each drop of a person’s blood, family stories are unique to the families who tell them. But blood is also universal. It can be given to those who share the same blood type to revive and sustain life. Likewise, family stories are universal in that they touch on those basic themes shared by all families.”

• Joe McHugh

Why Family Stories?

• http://americanfamilystories.org/why_familystoriesfolder/why_stories_cable/c_phillips_essay.html

• http://americanfamilystories.org/why_familystoriesfolder/why_stories_cable/c_seeger_essay.html

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Process• Inform parents at conference about the project• Introduce project to class• Model Draft• Students/family draft• Model Revision• Family revision (lunch revision)• Individual editing• Model publishable copy• Publishable copy with illustrations

Family Stories

Stories about our families with help from our families.

Choose a Story

• Not too big• Not too small• Something you have heard people talk about

often• Could have been a long time ago• Could have been very recently• Needs to involve the family

Narrow down the topic

Family vacations

Trip to Iowa in 1976

Car keys in the restroomEaster Bunny

Cakes shaped like bunnies and crossesSleeping on the floor of the dining room

Organize the DetailsWho:

What:

When:

Where:

Why:

How:

Mom, brother (Jim), me

The rest area was dark, it was an accident

Rest area in Iowa

It was late, she had to go, she had locked the kids in the car, scared of the dark rest area.

Mom lost the keys

Late at night, March, 1976

Draft

Parents HELP Revision