Branching Out: Genealogy for High School Students is not your standard genealogy primer. While the book is an excellent starter for family history, by its design it reads like a well-organized textbook. Instead of chapters, the book has lesson. Each lesson is laid out is such a way that not only can individuals use it for their own course of study, but a society, club, or school could adopt it as a class coursebook.
Author Jennifer Holik describes the book as a starting point for adults to learn their family history. There are 30 lessons meant to build a foundation of genealogy and beginning research. Each lesson is broken into sections, offering the following to students:
- A Goal—a lesson objective
- New Vocabulary words. For example, the chapter on census records introduces the terms census, enumeration, and enumeration district, with definitions
- Reading Assignments—books and articles the student can find and read for more information. Many of the suggested readings are online
- A Lesson
- Assignment—a practical application of the knowledge gained from reading the chapter, a chance to apply the lesson to the student’s own family history
- Things to Consider, Making it Personal, and Additional Resources—are some of the other headers found sporadically throughout the lessons
Branching Out was published in 2012, and is thus relevant to today’s research. The book, also, does not stand alone but, is actually a series of genealogy text books written for different age groups. This primer is for high school age students. In the coming days, I will also review:
- Branching Out: Genealogy Lessons For Adults
- Branching Out: Genealogy For 4th-8th Grade Students: Lessons 1-30
- Branching Out: Genealogy For 1st-3rd Grade Students: Lessons 1-30
The lessons in each guide are carefully geared for a particular age group. Students at all levels will enjoy an inspiring introduction to the world of genealogical research.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Items Needed
- Required Books
- Additional Resources
Lesson 1: What is Genealogy and Why Should I Care?
Lesson 2: Where Do I Start? What Do I Need?
Lesson 3: Genealogy Databases
Lesson 4: The Family Group Sheet
Review Lessons 1 to 4
Lesson 5: Activity – Interviewing Your Parents
Lesson 6: Write a Story and Biography
Lesson 7: Analyze and Evaluate the Information
Lesson 8: Home Sources
Lesson 9: Hidden Sources
Lesson 10: Primary Sources and Citations
Lesson 11: Secondary Sources
Lesson 12: Direct and Indirect Evidence
Lesson 13: Vital Records
Lesson 14: Census Records
Lesson 15: Activity – Start a Diary
Lesson 16: Health and the Causes of Death
Lesson 17: Occupations
Lesson 18: Probate Records
Lesson 19: Land Records and Maps
Lesson 20: Military Records
Lesson21: Religious and Cemetery Records
Lesson 22: Immigration
Lesson 23: Naturalization Records
Lesson 24: Newspapers
Lesson 25: Research Plans and Logs
Example Research Plan
Example Research Log
Lesson 26: Timelines
Lesson 27: Examine it Once, Twice, and Again
Lesson 28: Travel and Your Family History
Lesson 29: Storing and Organizing Paper and Digital Files
Lesson 30: Putting it all Together
Glossary
Order Branching Out: Genealogy for High School Students, and any others from the series by clicking the title, from Family Roots Publishing, $29.35.