Old Mill Second Graders Dig Into Their Roots

Dozens of parents crammed into the auditorium Thursday night to learn about the journey that brought their family to America.

In a cross-generational twist, that story was told and dramatized by their children as part of a second grade class project that delved into ancestry and generational similarities and differences.

In a project spearheaded by Old Mill second grade teachers Laura Shearer, Sara Fortine and Graham Davis, each of the 52 second graders dove into his or her family’s history, starting with their own personal history and then using interviews and letters with their parents and grandparents to piece together the narrative that preceded them.

The personal history allowed students to see how they have changed over their short lives, while interviews with their parents and grandparents helped them see how the world has changed over the past several decades.

The culmination of the project was a play in which students depicted their ancestors who came to this country. The five-act play incorporated everything from preparing for the daunting journey, the marathon boat trip and the arrival at Ellis Island in New York. The play was capped by the Pledge of Allegiance.

“It brings in all the different little pieces into it in a fun and interesting way,” Shearer said.

The students performed for the Mill Valley School District Board of Trustees Wednesday afternoon, and for parents Thursday evening. Here are some photos and a short video of the project.