[Genealib] Genealogy for Children

[Susan Scouras]

There are several ways to make genealogy inclusive of all children.  You
can briefly discuss the fact that in addition to genetics we are all
influenced by the family culture in which we are raised, so
adopted/foster children can trace the ancestry of their adoptive/foster
families as people who influenced their adoptive/foster parents and
their siblings, and therefore the life of the adopted/foster child.  

Another alternative for children for whom researching their own families
would be problematic is to identify some well known people in your area
or state whose ancestry can be easily researched with available records
and biographies.  In West Virginia kids have chosen to research Mary Lou
Retton, the Olympic gymnast, and Don Knotts, the actor, or a current
governor or senator, for example.  Children whose families are not
natives and come from states or countries for which your library has no
or few resources can pursue this line of research instead of their own
families, so that the kids from "non-traditional" families wouldn't be
the only ones researching a non-family member.  

Check the GenLib Archives for July 2004 for some suggested genealogy
books for children.  There are a number of Web sites for juvenile
genealogists as well, as this sampling shows:
http://www.genwriters.com/children.html
http://www.familytreemagazine.com/articles/oct01/kids.html (this also
has a list of links to other kid genealogy sites and a list of books)
http://genealogy.about.com/od/children/a/detective.htm

Susan Scouras
Librarian
WV Archives and History Library
The Cultural Center
1900 Kanawha Blvd. East
Charleston, WV  25305-0300
(304) 558-0230, Ext. 742
 


-----Original Message-----
From: genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
[mailto:genealib-bounces at mailman.acomp.usf.edu] On Behalf Of janet
tomkins
Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2008 2:22 PM
To: genealib at mailman.acomp.usf.edu
Subject: [Genealib] Genealogy for Children



The Canadian Genealogy Centre's "Youth Corner" at
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/022-400-e.html has
recommended activities for primary and intermediate students as well as
information about a badge program for Cub Scouts.

There is, however, the question of how to make genealogy activities for
children inclusive, considering the fact that many children are from
broken or non-traditional families where constructing a pedigree,
interviewing family members etc. in the conventional way could be
difficult.

Janet Tomkins
Genealogy librarian
Vancouver Public Library
British Columbia, Canada _______________________________________________
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