Learn before you plant
The more you learn about your family, the bigger your tree will grow. Here are some ways to open up family members' memories as you gather information for your family tree:
- Ask about the meaning of your last name. Has the spelling changed over the years?
- Look through old family photos with your parents and grandparents. Ask your parents to tell you about the people in them.
- Ask your parents and grandparents about all the family members they remember.
- Find out where your family members were born. Can you find a time when there were no members of your family in the United States?
- See if someone has a written history of your family.
Plant your tree
Are you trying to find your roots? Visit the Library of Congress' Web site.
Once you know about your family, you can create your own family tree. You can use this activity to help you get started.
Once you get the hang of it, design your own family tree.
If your family likes sports, make a sports design. If all of the female family members are named Rose, make a rose design. Put your own creative touch on it!Try adding birth dates and death dates. How about stepsisters and stepbrothers? Is someone in your family famous? Infamous? Design a family tree around that person!
Where do you fit on your family tree? Grow even more!
Make a bigger tree by taping pieces of paper together side-by-side and top to bottom to create a bigger space.
Now add all of the aunts and uncles who came into your family through marriage, and their children. Those will be your cousins!
Are you lucky enough to have great-grandparents still living? Add them to yourtree! Even if they are no longer living, you probably can find out their names.
You will learn so much about yourself as you research and draw your own family tree. Maybe someday there will be little branches coming off you! 
Click Abe's head for the answer.
