Lesson Plan Title: What is Your Story?
Letter to Parents

Dear Parents,

We will be studying the history of New Jersey this year in social studies. History is a story well told and always begins with individuals and their families. We, too, are beginning by exploring how we know what happened in the past and how much what we know is determined by tales, diaries, journals, photos, letters, and objects that families have kept and passed on to the next generation.

We will begin our social studies with "family stories." The children should interview you or other family members about your family's heritage. This might include the country from which your family came, how members of the family came to the United States, stories concerning any family members and what they did, how they survived, and what they were like. If you have any artifacts, documents, or photos that you can share, we would love to see them.

On <insert date>, the students will share their stories with the class, so that we can appreciate all the wonderful and unique families that have contributed to the making of history.

Thank you for your support of this project.

Sincerely,