According to Benjamin Franklin, in his autobiography, "The next thing most like living one's life over again seems to be a recollection of that life and to make that recollection as durable as possible by putting it down in writing." Curt B. Witcher of the Historical Genealogy Department at the Allen County Library in Indiana believes that, "Genealogy/Family History in the classroom provides young people with a sense if identity and self, (...) makes history come alive and meaningful, (...) enhances research skills, and critical thinking skills."
The curriculum takes the student through America as it becomes a nation, the Revolution, Native Americans, surveying of the new land, farming and storekeeping, slaves and the Civil War, diplomacy, World War II and the Korean Conflict, Hawaii becoming a state, the Senate, and teaching both in America and abroad. This is done by following the members of one immigrant family from Scotland up to today and makes the history of this country personal in a new way
There is a map activity, a board game, a sealing wax activity, a word puzzle, a research report, document reading of a will, Bible pages, land deed, and census record, a census activity, a describing of he dress of the 1890's, a writing activity making the student's own family tree. Students find information in a letter, a book, on grave markers, a revolutionary war record, a pedigree chart, and make a tombstone rubbing and an ancestor photo journal. There is even an ancestor appreciation show and tell In the process, the student will practice problem solving and research skills.
I enjoyed writing this curriculum and I hope you enjoy using it It is a way of sparking freshinterest in your student's study of American history