Monday, November 13, 2006

A Bright Idea for Genealogy for Kids

There is an interesting article in the Charlotte (NC) Eagle World News newspaper today - titled "Carolina Panthers Award Genealogy Grant to Elementary School.". The idea:

On Tuesday, November 14, Union Power Cooperative, who sponsors the Bright Ideas education grant program, three Carolina Panther players and Sir Purr, the Panther’s mascots, will pay a surprise visit to Idlewild Elementary in Charlotte, NC, to kickoff Bright Ideas Month and present a $824 Bright Ideas grant for the project “Hunting for Family Treasures.”

The grant will introduce genealogy to second and third graders, and allow students to research information about their family history and present that information to their fellow students. Students will then create their own unique family treasures.

It is a yearlong project that will enable students to engage in a discovery of their family’s history and heritage through such methods as the creation of family trees and the learning and sharing of family stories.

Read the whole article.

There may be grant opportunities in many cities and states to do this. It only takes an interested teacher to make it happen, hopefully supported by a local genealogy society.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

As the parent of an adopted child, I would advise that teachers consider just how they will adjust their teaching so that it will fit kids from all backgrounds (single parents, blended families, etc)

I think the introduction of genealogy to kids is a good thing. The earlier the better. By the time I got started, many of the people I COULD have interviewed were already dead.