How does one complete a major genealogy project without the use of the internet? Well, that is the question of the day! My 8th grade son has been given a huge genealogy project with one week to complete it. There is only one rule... no internet can be used. It's right there in giant bold letters on the top of the page.
So what exactly does this project entail?
1. Complete a five generation worksheet. Dh's family was easy enough for me because I am the family genealogist, I have all that information written down in my desk drawer. I've looked at it so many times, researched it for so long, I can tell you the names right off the top of my head. Coarse, it only consists of six names give or take, so how hard is that to remember? My family was a little harder because while I can remember my grandparents names, I can't off the top of my head remember their parents, nor do I keep a record of it in my back pocket or anywhere else. I figure that's what the internet is for.
2. Draw your families coat of arms. This is supposed to accurately represent your family and should be identical to the real coat of arms that your family has. Apparently I'm supposed to have a copy of this floating around somewhere to since there is no peeking on the internet. And furthermore... I don't have a clue if my family even HAS a coat of arms, mine or dh's. I've never seen one... other than the one that hung on the wall growing up (which is now in my parents garage) that I don't think was actually our real coat of arms, it was just a coat of arms. So anybody who happens to know what my family, or dh's family's coat of arms looks like... let me know... but you'll have to snail mail it since the internet is not to be used.
3. Determine which country your ancestors came from and draw it up in a pie chart. A PIE CHART? Well, that's a tough one. Dh's paternal family came from Canada. Before that... who knows. His maternal family came from England, that I do know. Mine? Hmmm... somewhere across the sea, I'm sure of it. If I recall correctly, some of it only goes back to the east coast to the slavery days. Seems as though someone else came on the Mayflower. Seems like my grandma was Danish? Hansen. Is that Danish? The America's in any way, shape, or form, do not count as a country that your family came from.
4. Write a 300 word story about something interesting that happened in your family history. I've got this one covered. I happen to have a copy of the biography of one of my great grandfathers, Ebenezer Bryce, who founded Bryce Canyon in southern Utah. Now to turn the phrase "it's a hell of a place to lose a cow" into a 300 word story.
Or there was the time when according to my grandfathers missionary journal, his mother died while he was on his mission and they buried her with a glass topped casket so when he came home from his mission, he could dig her up and look at her body if he wanted. He didn't....
5. Write a 300 word story about any family traditions you have. We have none. Once a year we get together for Christmas dinner. Dh's family has even less traditions. Any and all suggestions for this one would be greatly appreciated.
6. Draw a map of your families movement westward from the time they reached America until the time they reached Idaho, include dates and locations, and reasons why they came to Idaho. WHAT?
Extra credit:
*Create a timeline of your families history beginning with your oldest ancestor. Show 5 major events that took place at least 25 years apart, and they must include the declaration of independence, the Oregon Trail, and World War 2.
*Expand the five generation chart to seven or more generations.
Okay, so here in lies my problems with all of this.
The first one being... we have approximately ONE week to have this done.
The second problem being... my husbands family knows nothing about their family history. Nothing. I've asked grandma for information before. She didn't even know her own mothers name until I told her what it was (after researching the internet for hours). When great aunt Patty died recently, they actually called me for information to include in her obituary. I didn't even know great aunt Patty existed! This is how little they know.
That's just my mother in laws family. My father in laws family... well, rumor has it that a few generations ago, some dude fell into an ice pond in Canada and lost his memory or something like that. The family that rescued him let him borrow his last name. Seriously. That would probably make a great story for #4, if we could only research the internet a bit more for the accurate story.
The third problem being... and really, this isn't a problem because my parents are a fountain of knowledge, really. They have stories and tales galore about their family history. Dad's a huge genealogy buff who has thousands and thousands of names on his computer. Mom's been active in the daughters of Utah pioneers organization for as long as I can remember and is always swapping stories. The only problem is getting them to swap stories with my 13 year old son... over the phone... or at all... and making sure he gets exactly what he needs... because my parents are currently 1000 miles away (despite actually owning a home less than four miles away). Or perhaps I could just break into their house and dig through mountains and mountains of genealogical information.
This would be a lot easier if we could use this new fangled invention called "the internet". However, the only excuse allowed for this project has to include actual court documents banning any and all family contact. The point of this project is solely about talking to your relatives. A 13 year old boy? Talk to grandma on the phone? WOW! This ought to be good!
I'm thinking however... it only said the student couldn't use the internet, it didn't say anything about the PARENT... right?
Truth be told, I'm actually looking forward to this project. It's right up my alley. Other than the fact that I am actually not supposed to do it, my son is, who could care less about it.
Did I mention that all of the above has to be neatly placed on a single white poster board? And it's due in exactly ONE week?
4 comments:
That is SOME project. You are right it could be pretty dang interesting (and this coming from a 13 year old at heart who still cringes when her grandparents want to take her by the ear and tell her stories of the olden days.) I loved the snippets of your stories, you have some cool ancestors!
No interent, 25 years, include declaration of Independence, all those countries, coat of arms and no internet? Crazy. Be sure to post the final product!
Only in SE Idaho or Utah would your kid get an assignment like that! That is a doozy.
Here in CO, we don't even know what "genealogy" is, LOL!!! :)
Good Luck!
This just makes me dread my children getting older. Doing projects like this for school. Ugh.
I remember doing a coat of arms. My dad knew all about where his family was from so I just traced an outline and colored it in.
Good luck!
Reasons I think this is the stupidest assignment ever:
1. Most people don't have a coat of arms; this is blatant bigotry against any who came from the peasant class.
2. Some people's ancestors didn't come from outside the Americas. This is blatant bigotry against Native Americans and immigrants from elsewhere in the Americas.
3. Not everyone's ancestors moved west, you know. This is blatant bigotry against people whose ancestors were either rebellious or dyslexic and chose to head east instead.
4. It gives me nightmares. It's a "hey, parent with nothing to do, howzabout a humongous project, using only the resources that would have been available when your ancestors were actually alive? You must correspond with all relatives by Pony Express!"
Okay, but I gotta say, I actually lol'd when I read about your grandfather not wanting to dig up his mom. Good call, grandpa! rofl!
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