Kathy's+Resource+GUide

Genealogy Resources provided by Kathy Parker There is a wealth of genealogy information available, but the links below are designed for elementary and middle school teachers who wish to implement a genealogy unit. You will find information on getting started, templates, lessons and other ideas.

These resources are designed for diverse student bodies who may not be able to trace their roots as easily as Anglo-Americans, the target of much genealogical information. Consequently, you will find materials that rely on first-person contacts, rather than searching of census, immigration or other records. These sorts of activities are also more appropriate to the skill sets of elementary aged children. The end result is that every child will appreciate the special nature of his family.

(Note: I compiled these resources for a family history unit I am doing now, and I can verify that they keep the children engaged and excited.)

[|Children & Genealogy - Teaching Your Children to be Ancestor Detectors] An overview of how to introduce a genealogy lesson to children

[|Genealogy How To - Tutorials, Lessons & Guidance for Tracing Your Family Tree] While this site speaks directly to people interested in conducing their own genealogical research, it has useful links for classroom use, such as how to find the meaning of a surname, or how to conduct research in other countries.

[|Ancestors Teacher's Guide- Introduction] A comprehensive teacher’s guide to accompany a PBS series on researching your ancestors, this site constitutes a unit on genealogy. Unfortunately, links to the episodes are no longer active. That being said, one can still construct a unit based on the resources available here.

[|Family Tree Magazine - Genealogy Activities for Kids] You don’t have to subscribe to take advantage of the ideas and resources available on this magazine’s website. Plus, the searchable archives offer full access. A very comprehensive source that covers almost every aspect of family research for children.

[|The Keeping Quilt] The Keeping Quilt, a picture book by Patricia Polacco, is a wonderful way to set the stage for family research. This lesson tells how to make a classroom quilt, plus other activities.

[|RubiStar Home] How to assess a genealogy unit? Choose from several on this rubric resource.

[|WGW For Kids] A site with an international perspective, WorldGenWeb for kids offers activities that children and adults can do together. This is a good resource for a class made up of children from different countries.

[|Teacher's Idea Bank: Links to Free Lesson Plans on African American History and Cultural Diversity] While this site identifies itself as geared toward African Americans, the materials provided under the “For Kids” section are appropriate for all. The site speaks to adults about how they can engage children in family research and provides lesson plans and

http://www.geocities.com/genealogy4kids/genealogy4kids.html 101 Fun Family History Ideas. If you’re looking for ideas for a unit, look no further. These ideas, not lessons, but they are things kids will love doing: making a family crest, interviewing a family member, capturing a favorite memory, etc.

[|Armorial Gold Professional Heraldry Art] Latin and English translations of hundreds of surnames are available free, and coats-of-arms are available for a fee. can be used

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