Genealogy on the Web
Presented by the North Carolina Museum of History
Welcome to the Tar Heel Junior Historian Association’s on-line workshop, Genealogy on the Web! This interactive pilot program provides a teaching tool for guiding club members through initiating, researching, and completing genealogy projects. Preparing a genealogy, whether for entry into a THJHA contest, for personal interest, or for a family gift, is a fascinating but complicated task. From finding records to deciphering documents to piecing information together, your club members will need direction.
Contents
- Workshop Introduction
- Participant Background
- Evaluating and Using On-line Resources In Your THJHA Club
- Genealogy Introduction
- Lesson 1: Genealogy Begins at Home: Sources of Family Information
- Lesson 2: Organizing Your Search
- Lesson 3: Interviewing Relatives
- Lesson 4: Using Vital Records
- Lesson 5: Dotting I's and Crossing T's: Deciphering Handwriting in Manuscripts
- Lesson 6: Using Documents in Archival Collections
- Lesson 7: Spicing it Up!: Adding Flavor with Personal Records and Family Photographs
- Conclusion
- Description of THJHA Web Workshops
- System Requirements
- Navigating the Workshop Web Site
- Bulletin Board
- Registration
- Acknowledgements
Why is THJHA on the Web? The purpose of THJHA is to encourage young people to study local and state history in order to help them better understand and appreciate their place in history. One way to encourage study is to teach young people methods of historical research. To this end, THJHA has offered hands-on history workshops at various sites around the state for the past several years. But more THJHA members can participate in on-line workshops than in on-site workshops. And THJHA wants every junior historian to have the opportunity to participate.
In an effort to bring this information to all members, THJHA offers “Genealogy on the Web,” the first in a series of free Internet-based workshops. The workshops will remain on-line for an extended period, allowing clubs to participate at their own pace. This first Web workshop comprises a series of lesson plans and worksheets, primarily for use by advisers; interactive workshops for students are being planned. THJHA welcomes your comments and suggestions regarding this new venture. Please fill out and return the evaluation.
But wait, there’s more!
Advisers completing THJHA Web-based workshops can earn continuing education credits through the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Requirements for continuing education credits vary among school districts. Call your local education agency to ask if “Genealogy on the Web” fulfills local criteria for general or technology credits.
THJHA offers advisers participating in Web-based workshops two options:
Option 1: After completing a course with your club, submit a report or class project. For example, after completing “Genealogy on the Web,” compile club members’ oral history interviews with their grandparents. You must also fill out the course evaluation to receive credit. Advisers who choose this option will receive 40 contact hours.
Option 2: After completing a course with your club, create a Web page that will be linked to the workshop. For example, create a club genealogy Web page that will be linked to “Genealogy on the Web.” You must also fill out the course evaluation to receive credit. Advisers who choose this option will receive 80 contact hours.
To fully access this workshop, you will need a computer with Internet access, an e-mail address, and Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free software program that you can download from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html. Instructions on viewing and printing the four files that require this software are provided next to their links. Several links to outside Web sites also require Acrobat Reader.
Navigating the Workshop Web Site
Select the eight workshop lessons, participant information, on-line resource tips, and introduction to genealogy by choosing a link under Contents on the introductory page. The Participant Background section offers the following information about workshop participants, as available and appropriate: name, subject/grade taught, school name, brief introduction, and e-mail address. Use this section to learn about and network with fellow THJHA advisers.
Each workshop lesson offers links to Web sites containing additional information about the topic. Because genealogy is the key that unlocks family histories, a key icon will guide you through the workshop. At the end of each workshop section, choose
-
“
Lesson
___” to go to the previous section - “Home” to return to this introductory page
-
“Lesson ___
”
to proceed in order through the workshop
If you have difficulty navigating the workshop Web site, please call Beth Strohben at (919) 715-0200, ext. 314, or e-mail bstrohben@moh.dcr.state.nc.us.
Access the bulletin board by clicking on Go to Message Board! below. The Explore the Web pull-down menu allows you to access education topics via a search engine.
Use the bulletin board anytime to:
- share relevant links and printed sources with other participants
- pose questions about genealogy to North Carolina Museum of History staff
- post the progress of genealogy projects your club members have undertaken
- share ideas and lesson plans that have helped your club members with genealogy projects
“Genealogy on the Web” is a free THJHA workshop, but it requires registration. When you begin the workshop, go to the Bulletin Board and post the following information:
- Name
- Club name
- School or organization address
- Number of members
- Grades represented
- E-mail address (optional)
While you’re registering on the Bulletin Board, feel free to share other information about yourself and your club. It’s a place for participants to interact, both personally and professionally, and an introduction is a great way to start.
“Genealogy on the Web” will be available for an extended time period. Therefore, it is important that you log off when you have completed the workshop. Log off on the Bulletin Board with a simple statement like “logging off” and include your name and club name. Once you have logged off, your club’s information will no longer appear on the Participant Background page.
Use the workshop as often as possible. Each time you use the workshop with a new group of club members (for example, spring of one school year to fall of the next school year), you must reregister, following the process described above.
Special thanks go to Ed Morris, Jason Tomberlin, and Ansley Wegner of the State Archives of North Carolina for their invaluable help in developing THJHA on-site genealogy workshops in fall 1999.
THJHA also thanks the following individuals and organizations for the use of their photographs and graphics:
The North Carolina Archives
Genealogy Graphics by Chris (http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Estates/7923/)
Timberlake Family Geneaology Graphics(http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/7906/freestuff.html)
Graphics by Shawna (http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Coffeehouse/5922/index.html)
Graphics by Vickimouse (http://www.vikimouse.com/)