I've been reading this discussion with some interest. I participated in
a slightly different approach to family history last year. One class at
my daughter's school studied immigration for several weeks. During that
time I came in to give an hour's talk on my daughter's immigrant
ancestors (some from early Schenectady), connecting a child just like
them to people with varied and interesting backgrounds. Some points
described for each immigrant were where they came from, what their new
home was like, how they lived, and why they might have come. The kids
especially liked the old documents like deeds, censuses and
naturalization papers that proved these people existed.

This seemed to me a great way to pique their curiosity about family
history without getting hung up on potentially thorny issues. I agree
with other writers that getting kids interested in history through
personal or neighborhood connections is good, but projects have to be
structured to guarantee success.

Wes Plouff    [log in to unmask]  Royal Oak, Michigan
-- a lay reader of NYHIST-L