Weave several topics into an interdisciplinary unit that is personally relevant for all students. Using worksheets and simulations, students will explore their own family's history, immigration, the role of heredity and biotechnology, and how their choices will affect future generations.

Using the metaphor of a tapestry to explore family history, students will be able to understand how the experiences and decisions of their ancestors created their present situations.

Projects include a family tree and journal, an immigration timeline, a study of Ellis Island, basic concepts in heredity (dominant and recessive traits), genetically linked diseases, a melting pot quilt, an ethnic food fair, and more. This unit unites social studies, science, and personal values in activities that are sure to spur thinking and debate.