Welcome! The West Florida Genealogical Society prepared a few activities to get children started with genealogy and cultural history. Please help yourself to any that seem suited to your students; and let us know if you have any feedback. There is a brief description of each Project Sheet; the links are below.
Projects for Students 8 and up
Introduction
This gives an overview of what genealogy is and a summary of the project sheets available.
Interview an Elder
Project Sheet: Interview an Elder. This can be someone who is related to you, or it can be a neighbor or a friend. Ask the oldest person you know to help you with your project.
Culture & Traditions
Project Sheet: Culture and Traditions. What are some favorite foods at your house? What holidays do you like to celebrate? What language do you speak at home? All of these things are aspects of your culture, which is often shaped by where you have lived for a long time. When you move somewhere else, you take your culture with you.
Tell Your Own Story
Project Sheet: Tell Your Own Story. Imagine it’s many years from now, and you are talking to your grandchild. What will you tell them about you?
Family Tree
Project Sheet: Family Tree. If you are able to ask your parents about themselves and their parents, and you would like to know more about the ancestors that came before you, a family tree project is right for you.
Names
Project Sheet: Names. Finding out the names of people who lived long ago is a big part of genealogy. What is your name? Do you know how you got it? Ask some other people you know about their names.
Projects for Students age 12 and up
Using Primary Sources
Lesson 1: The U.S. Census
This lesson will introduce the student to the U.S. Census and use a short exercise to understand the information available in census records.
Lesson 1: The U.S. Census TEACHER
This document contains the answers for the questions in Lesson 1.
Lesson 2: Vital Records
This lesson will introduce the student to various kinds of vital records. A short exercise involving primary sources will ensure the student understands how to use vital records for genealogical or historical research.
Lesson 2: Vital Records TEACHER
This document contains the answers for the questions in Lesson 2.
Lesson 3: A Case Study
This lesson will introduce the student to various other kinds of source available for genealogical and historical research. The lesson combines skills learned in Lessons 1 and 2 with new types of records. The exercise will build a biography using records provided in Lesson 3: A Case Study RECORDS and will be a bit more challenging than previous records. Students unfamiliar with cursive handwriting may require assistance.
Lesson 3: A Case Study RECORDS
This contains fifteen documents needed to answer the questions in Lesson 3: A Case Study. It is highly recommended that the student not print out the documents, as the quality of the images is much higher on a screen. Viewing on a desktop, laptop, or tablet is encouraged.
Lesson 3: A Case Study TEACHER
This document contains the answers for the questions in Lesson 3.