All things must come to the soul from its roots, from where it is planted. — St. Theresa of Avila

IN TODAY'S SESSION... the children heard about the poet George Ella Lyons who was inspired by a friend's describing a deep sense of place and roots to write the poem "Where I'm From." They explored their own sense of roots and place through writing their own "I am from... ." poems and drawing a plan of their living space, noting special memories that belong to different rooms.

EXPLORE THE TOPIC TOGETHER. Talk about your family roots. This might mean sharing stories about your ancestors or stories of different places you have lived. With children who have been adopted it might also mean talking about their domestic or international place of origin and talking about their birth families, even if it means offering guesses to fill in places where your family lacks information.

FAMILY ADVENTURE. Visit a place you associate with your family's roots. Possibilities include not only places where you have lived previously or where older relatives live, but also stores, restaurants, or cultural events associated with some part of your family's ethnicity or a place where a family member is buried. Online, search a family homeland on Google Maps.

FAMILY RITUAL. At a quiet time, such as before bed, gather in a circle as a family, and take turns around the circle completing the sentence "I am from..."