Have you been to Rootstech yet? If so, you understand how powerful the keynote addresses can be. In the past we’ve learned from DNA Detective, CeCe Moore, and historian, Doris Kearns Goodwin. We’ve laughed with Scott Hamilton, Olympic medalist, and cried with LeVar Burton, actor. The speakers connect to their family history and share their stories with us. We never know what we’ll experience, but it’s always amazing. The RootsTech team has been busy getting...
Have you thought about writing a family history story or book to share with your family? Maybe you have a famous ancestor who has grown larger than life with each subsequent generation and you’d like to find out the the real story. You might want to discover more about the bits and pieces of an ancestor’s life that have been passed down. If so, the Research Like a Pro process can give you an...
With the holiday season in full swing, you may be planning a family get-together. Besides the eating and visiting, have you thought of creating a fun family history experience for all ages? Today I’m sharing a fabulous activity created by Lynnette, one of our FamilyLocket subscribers. Although Lynnette did this activity for Thanksgiving, the ideas could be adapted for any season or family gathering. Lynnette has three married daughters and twelve grandchildren age 2-17 and...
Do you need to escape into the pages of a good old-fashioned mystery with a genealogical twist? Then let me introduce you to author, Nathan Dylan Goodwin, and the fictional Morton Farrier, forensic genealogist. Hiding the Past: A Genealogical Crime Mystery I’d been hearing about Nathan’s books for some time, but missed meeting him at RootsTech 2018 when he made the journey across the pond to hob nob with fellow genealogists. I decided the first...
Today I had the pleasure of teaching three classes of Pre-AP 8th graders about beginning genealogy research. They are embarking on a yearlong project to discover their ancestors and create a display for their annual family history showcase in the spring. All of this is coordinated by an incredible teacher at Emily Gray Junior High, Chris Voutsas, who I wrote about here: 8th Grade Family History Project: My Story in American History. I want to...
Joseph P. Price, a professor of economics at BYU, presented at Education Week about his innovative Record Linking Lab. Summarizing from their website, the purpose of the Record Linking Lab is to improve the quality and coverage of the FamilySearch Family Tree by developing tools that link families and individuals across records. Those assisting in this effort include BYU students and academic researchers; yet the Record Linking Lab also works with FamilySearch.org. Their big ideas include...
What life lessons have you learned from a beloved ancestor? Have you recorded them or even thought about them? Reading bestselling author Adriana Trigiani’s book Don’t Sing at the Table: Life Lessons from My Grandmothers might be just the inspiration you need to get started. In the introduction, Trigiani writes: My grandmothers bestowed on me, through their example, the importance of developing character, rooted in kindness; and a spirit that might negotiate loss and rebound from...
This post is part of the #FHforChildren Linkup, “Learning Family History Through Play.” My children love to dress up and pretend, so I’ve been brainstorming ways to teach them about the past as they pretend. Role playing is a fun way to learn how people work. From doctors to train conductors, kids love imitating the occupations of grown ups. I thought this would be a good way to teach them about our farming ancestors. Were...
FamilySearch.org offers many ways to discover ancestors. Below is a list of the email campaigns and discovery activities that FamilySearch has created to help users discover interesting facts about ancestors, including their occupations, obituaries, headstones, and how much we look like our ancestors. Many of these activities are perfect for youth activities or for helping children become acquainted with ancestors for the first time. How does it work? If you have an account with FamilySearch...
Family History is for Everyone: Becky Villareal, Teacher and Children’s Book Author When should a child start to learn about their family’s history? Nicole and I believe it’s never too early. We are passionate about sharing family history with children and love to meet other’s who share our sentiments. We recently connected with retired elementary school teacher and author, Becky Villareal, who has written a series of children’s books aimed at interesting them in learning...
