Using family history as a basis for a non-fiction or fictional manuscript might just be the thing to jumpstart the creative juices to flowing! I know that when I read through journals, diaries, and histories pertaining to my family or my husband’s family, I get all kinds of ideas for stories. I always think to myself, “Wow, that would make a great storyline!” But where do I start?

Many beginning writers need a bit of guidance in this potentially rich area, so it’s always nice to discover a resource that will help the faltering wannabe or student gain confidence and find a starting point. The following article/review is about one such resource. So read on. . .

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Family Tree: Writing Historical Fiction Based on Family History

Tools for Young Historians Series

By Jennifer Johnson Garrity

BrimWood Press

1941 Larsen Drive

Camino, CA 95709

(530) 644-7538

www.brimwoodpress.com

Historical research plus writing is an exciting and inspirational concept in our homeschool! And since we have a rich family heritage complete with lots of stories, photos, and documents that have been passed down through the generations, there is much ‘grist’ for the creative ‘mill’ around here. So I was thrilled to review  Family Tree: Writing Historical Fiction Based on Family History written by Jennifer Johnson Garrity and published by BrimWood Press as part of their ‘Tools for Young Historians’series.

In a nutshell, Family Tree is a 76 page, soft-cover consumable writing guide to help children (ages 10 and up) learn how to create stories, novellas, or even books based on their own unique family histories. Both student and instructor are gently led “through the process of gathering historical information, weaving fact and fiction together to create a plot, and then refining both content and style to fashion a unique and exciting work of fiction.” Also, the primary focus of this writing guide is for “developing content and providing techniques for maturing a student’s writing style.”

The guide is divided into different sections/assignments that cover the research, writing, and editing phases. These divisions include:

*Introduction

*General Research

Interview – Phase One

Family Tree Chart

Interview – Phase Two

Interview Questions

*Specific Research

Choose Your Branch

Blending Fact and Fiction

Make Your Best Guess

Anachronism

Historical Photographs

Historical Research Notes

*Writing Your Story

The Plot

Fact or Fiction?

Write a Story, Not a Report

Creating a Roadmap

Beginnings

*Editing Your Story

Adjectives

Adverbs

Passive Language

Sentence Starters

Completing the Project

Student Checklist

*Instructor’s Notes

With Answer Key and Instructor’s Checklist

*Andrea’s Homeschool Tips (Written by homeschool veteran, Andrea Newitt)

An Introduction

Schedule for Younger Students

Grading Guide

If you visit the BrimWood Press website, you can download samples from this guide and also check out the other available resources from the ‘Tools for Young Historians’ series.

Family Tree is designed to be a supplement to any writing curriculum, and the project (from beginning to end) will vary anywhere from four to ten weeks. But the result is sure to be a family heirloom. However, I think it would be great to repeat this fascinating project every two to three years as the students mature and their writing skills and interests change. Think of the collection of family stories that can be harvested from the children’s imaginations! In addition, this guide is self-directed for the high school student or natural writer, so the possibilities are endless! However, it is assumed that the student has a basic grasp of sentence and paragraph construction in order to use the guide independently. Also, permission is granted to the purchasing family to make copies of the assignments, charts, and pages for multiple children and multiple projects.

I really like how the author stresses writing a story, not a report, and how to add historical facts and tidbits without overwhelming the reading audience. She gives the following advice:

You want your reader, first of all, to enjoy the story. Secondly, you want him to learn a little about its historical setting as he reads. Just as you wouldn’t dump a mound of salt onto a plate of food, you don’t want to dump a mound of historical information into one paragraph and serve it to your reader. You sprinkle salt lightly over your food, and want to sprinkle factual information lightly throughout the story. (page 39)

In my opinion, Family Tree is an excellent resource, and I plan on using it with my own children in a few weeks to create our own special stories. (As an extra note, I can see myself using this outstanding and comprehensive guide with my *own* writing.) I will allow my high school aged twin daughters to follow the guide and work independently, but I will probably use the suggestions in Mrs. Newitt’s homeschool section with my younger students. The result…they will all get to create a story, regardless of age or skill! And new ‘literary heirlooms’ will be added to our rich family heritage collection to be enjoyed for years to come.

-Originally a product review at The Old Schoolhouse website  in 2007.

Every family has a story, and children are naturally curious about their heritage. They like to hear about the ‘olden days’ when their parents or grandparents were little boys and girls. In fact, they are usually amazed that there was actually a time when there were no cell phones, microwave ovens, televisions, or even indoor plumbing.

But more than that, learning about their own special lineage, culture, and heritage gives children a connection to the past, a foundation, and a stronger sense of belonging as they pursue their futures. It also creates a fun opportunity to delve into history while providing a glimpse into the lives of their ancestors. This makes history seem real or come alive for them.

Here are a few ideas to help spark some interest in learning about your family’s special story:

1. Create a family tree to give the child a visual aid. If possible, use photos along with names and dates. Help the child distinguish his relationship with each person. Can the child find any similar physical characteristics between himself and his ancestors?

2. Create an oral history resource. This can be done using audio or video, but let the child interview family members (grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.) about when they were young, what they remember about their ancestors, what was happening in the world at the time, or any special memories. Encourage the child to make a list of questions and give them to the interviewee beforehand so that they can think on their answers. The audio interviews can always be transcribed and put into a special book.

3. Create a family photo album or scrapbook. Many times, older relatives will have lots of photographs that have been passed down through the years. Try to borrow as many of the pictures as you can, make copies, then help your child create a family album or scrapbook. Create captions telling who, what, when, and where. You could also insert other pages to correspond with the photos (if you have enough information about dates) telling what was happening in the world or nation at the time. You could even include newspaper clippings if you have them. Put history in its proper place!

Note: This would be a great time to discuss good photo preservation techniques, taking special care of items that belong to others, and responsibility to return what is borrowed.

4. Create and label a family map. Display a world/country map and use little flags or stickers to label each country, state, or town where ancestors lived. If your family came from a distant place, study the area, the culture, the food, and the language. Check out travel videos, books, and cookbooks to learn more about the special ‘flavor’ of the homeland.

5. Create a family cookbook. Many families have special or secret recipes that are handed down through the generations. Why not create a family cookbook to keep these recipes in one place? Have relatives contribute their favorites, but also include information about where the recipe originated, who taught them how to prepare it, or any special story associated with it. Add an ancestry tree page in the front of the book, and you have a great family heirloom. This would be a wonderful summer project to do with your child, and it would also make a thoughtful gift for each individual family who contributes!

6. Introduce your older child to genealogical research. There are many online websites and databases where you can access records and information. Some are subscription based, but there is also a lot of free information out there as well, if you know where to look and enjoy digging for nuggets. An older child might be bitten by the ‘genealogy bug’ and discover an enjoyable lifetime hobby. A good starting place is www.cyndislist.com where you’ll find lots of lists and links to genealogy sites on the internet.

7. Encourage your child to keep a journal. After delving into his family history, your child will see the importance of recording things that are happening in his world, the weather, special memories, or even just the little details of daily life. Who knows—one day his descendants may decide to research their family history and they’ll already have a fantastic resource right at their fingertips. A priceless gift for future generations!

Check out these resources for more information about researching family history:

· The Great Ancestor Hunt: The Fun of Finding Out Who You Are by
Lila Perl Yerkow

· Me and My Family Tree by Joan Sweeney

· Family Tree: Writing Historical Fiction Based on Family History by
Jennifer Johnson Garrity

· Climbing Your Family Tree by Ira Wolfman

· Who’s Who in My Family? By Loreen Leedy

· Through the Eyes of Your Ancestors: A Step-by-Step Guide to
Uncovering Your Family’s History by Maureen Taylor

· Roots for Kids: A Genealogy Guide for Young People by Susan
Provost Beller

· Creating Jr. Genealogists: Tips and Activities for Family History Fun
by Karen Frisch Dennen

· My Family Tree Workbook by Rosemary Chorzempa