Classroom Documents
Genealogy How-to Series
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Week 1: What You Need to Start
- Ancestor chart
- Family group sheets
- Sharpened pencils
- Pencil sharpener
- Good eraser
- Highlighter
- Sticky notes
- Paper
- External storage device
- Notebook/3-ring binder
- File folders
- Change for copier and/or microfilm readers
- To-do list
- Common sense
Week 2: Ancestor Charts and Family Group Sheets
- Ancestor Chart
- Comes in 3, 4, 5, 8+ generations
- Provides biological lineage
- Start with yourself as Number 1
- Top part is for the paternal lineage; bottom part is for the maternal lineage
- Even numbers on traditional ancestor charts are for males and odd numbers are for females
- Family Group Sheet
- Shows a family unit, including Father, Mother, and Children
- All children born to the father and mother should be shown. List from the oldest to the youngest child.
- Has an area to expand on the known information -- such as occupation, military, religion.
- Websites with forms
- Use all uppercase for SURNAMES. This helps to distinguish a surname from a middle name. It is not uncommon for surnames from previous generations to be used as middle names for more recent generations.
- Example: Joseph Arnold vs. Joseph ARNOLD
- Genealogy dates should be written in a dd-mmm-yyyy format.
- Example: 06-11-20
- Is this June 11, 1920?
- Is this November 6, 1820?
- Preferable format is 11 Jun 1920.
- Example: 06-11-20
Gallery
Fredricka GOELTZ (m1) Baltzer BEIERLA
Family Group Sheet
Fredricka GOELTZ BEIERLA (m2) Joseph FISCHER, Sr.
Family Group Sheet
Elizabeth FISCHER
Ancestor Chart
Week 3: The Research Plan
What is a research plan?
- To-do list
- Could be simple to more complicated
- Usually includes a summary of what is known, what are you seeking, and possible resources that may provide answers or additional clues
- May include a list of repositories or individuals to contact
- Usually we have many smaller research plans within the larger research project