Case 04 · Build the tree

Draw Your Family Tree

I can place people on a four-generation pedigree and turn a blank into a researchable question.

◷ 50–80 minutes⌁ 10–20 active minutes⌂ Work stays offline

Your assignment

Make relationships visible, use blanks honestly, and see how quickly a family tree branches.

Warm up the detective brain

How many parents does one person usually show on a pedigree?
What should a researcher do instead of inventing a missing name?

No answer box by design. Say it, jot it in the workbook, or keep it in your head. This site does not collect the answer.

Granny leaves a useful blank

A fictional chart has Maya, her parents, and three known grandparents. One grandparent is unknown.

Place Maya at the starting position.
Add relationships only when evidence supports them.
Mark the blank “unknown” and write a next-source question beside it.

Case note: A blank is not a failure. It shows exactly where the next investigation begins.

Practice on fictional evidence

Choose the best-supported answer. Feedback explains the evidence; nothing is scored or sent anywhere.

Fictional pedigree docket · no real family data

Map Maya Rivera’s evidence

Place one relationship, inspect the chart convention, count the branches, and leave one honest research question.

Evidence note: Maya is the focus person. Elena Rivera and Jordan Lee are Maya’s parents. Rosa Rivera is Elena’s mother. Sam Rivera is Elena’s father. Avery Lee is Jordan’s father. Jordan’s mother is not yet supported by evidence.

Pedigree convention: one row per generation; connecting branches show relationships to Maya.

Grandparent row: Rosa Rivera and Sam Rivera are Elena’s parents; Jordan’s mother is unknown; Avery Lee is Jordan’s father.
Parent row: Elena Rivera and Jordan Lee are Maya’s parents.
Focus row: Maya Rivera is the person whose ancestry is being charted.

1 Relationship placement

Rosa is Elena’s mother, and Elena is Maya’s parent. Which position describes Rosa?

Choose a relationship position.

2 Convention check

Which chart choice makes generations understandable?

Put every known person on Maya’s rowKeep each generation on its own row and connect the relationshipsArrange everyone alphabetically

3 Branching math

A four-generation pedigree has one focus-person position. If every position is known, how many positions come next?

1 focus2 parents4 grandparents? great-grandparents

Choose the next number in the 1–2–4 pattern.

These are chart positions, not always unique people; family structures and repeated ancestral lines can make real trees more complex.

4 Honest unknown

No source in the fictional case names Jordan’s mother. What is the strongest chart-and-research decision?

Enter “Taylor Lee” because it sounds likelyErase the position so nobody notices the gapMark “Unknown” and ask: Who was Jordan Lee’s mother? Next, check Jordan’s birth or marriage record.

Paper case note

Draw four generation rows. Put Maya on the first, her two parents on the second, four grandparent positions on the third, and eight great-grandparent positions on the fourth. Mark unsupported positions “Unknown,” then write one specific question and one next source.

No-JavaScript path: Rosa is Maya’s grandparent on Elena’s branch. Keep each generation on its own row. The position count is 1, 2, 4, 8. Jordan’s mother stays “Unknown”; the next question is who she was, and a birth or marriage record is a reasonable next source.

1. A four-generation pedigree starts with one learner. How many parent positions are in the next generation? 1 2 4

2. You do not know one great-grandparent’s name. What belongs in that box? Your best guess Unknown, plus a question for later Nothing, and never mention it

3. Two records spell a surname differently. What should the chart do? Hide the difference Choose whichever spelling is shorter Use the best-supported form and note the variation

Take the case off-screen

Complete all workbook activities over time, or choose one doorway for today. The authentic evidence belongs in your family-controlled archive.

Pedigree mapper

Complete the four-generation chart as far as evidence allows.

Brick-wall planner

Turn three blanks or contradictions into Known / Unknown / Next source cards.

Tree designer

Create a display tree by hand, poster, or an adult-approved digital tool.

Workbook activity trail

4-Generation Pedigree Chart
Family Tree Math
Brick Walls
Break a Brick Wall (optional)
Display Tree

Is the case ready to file?

Use this as a learner self-check or a short family conversation. Support, dictation, drawing, and the fictional path all count when they preserve the same skill.

I used standard relationships on a four-generation chart.
I left unsupported details unknown.
I wrote three brick-wall questions with next steps.
I explained one choice in my display tree.

Reflection: Which blank now feels most like an invitation to investigate?

Open portfolio sheet

File this skill, not the curiosity.

For more background, read Branch Mapper – Initiate Tree Growth. The mission is optional context; your workbook remains the activity guide.