Family History/Genealogy
Young Women Mutual Activity
or Family Home Evening Activity
We set up 10 stations each with a different Family History Activity for the Young Women. Each girl received a folder, pencil and a novelty pen that looked like a plant. Needed information and worksheets were in a folder at each station.
After working on each station each girl made a “Family Tree Charm Bracelet!”
For refreshments we had a
Family History Candy Tree and
Cinnamon Rolls from an old, old family recipe.
The Ten Family History Stations were:
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Station One: What’s In A Name?
- Discover the meaning of your name.
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Station Two: Family Crest
- Discover or design your family coat of arms.
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Station Three: Let’s Have Fun
- A fun family history/genealogy themed coloring sheet.
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Station Four: Let’s Get To Work
- Questions to answer concerning Family History Work.
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Station Five: It’s My Life
- Writing a personal history.
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Station Six: Histories Mysteries
- Dating a photo by looking at the clothing in the photograph.
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Station Seven: Consensus of the Census
- An exercise in reading a census to find answers.
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Station Eight: Is That Contagious?
- What do those old medical terms mean?
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Station Nine: Transcribing Old Documents
- Try your hand at transcribing an old document.
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Station Ten: Symbols in the Cemetery
- What do those symbols on tombstones mean?
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STATION ONE:
What’s In A Name?
Instructions were mounted and displayed:
Station One instructions:
[download instructions for Station One: 01 What’s in A Name (.pdf) or 01 What’s in A Name (.doc)]
At Station One we had a couple of laptop computers and a folder with the worksheet.
Worksheet for Station One: (placed in folder by Station One):

[download worksheet for Station One Meaning of your name .pdf or 01 What’s in A Name .doc]
We used the websites www.name.org and www.behindthename.com for the given name. We used the websites: http://ancestry.com/learn/fact/ and http://forebears.io.surnames for the surname. There are many more websites that are out there. Find the ones that work for you.
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STATION TWO:
Family Crest
Station Two instructions:
[download Instructions for Station Two: 02 Family Crest (.pdf) or 02 Family Crest (.doc)]
At Station Two we placed some gel pens so the YW could work on their family crest.
We used the websites (for no particular reason) www.allfamilycrest.com and www.heraldyandcrests.com and www.houseofnames.com. There are lots of websites so you can use any that will work for you.
Worksheet for Station Two: (placed in folder by Station Two)
[download worksheet for Station Two Family Crest .pdf Family Crest .doc]
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STATION THREE:
Let’s Have Fun!
Instructions were mounted and displayed:
Station Three instructions:
[download instructions for Station Three: 03 Let’s Have Fun (.pdf) or 03 Let’s Have Fun (.doc)]
At Station Three we had a big box of colored pencils and a folder with genealogy coloring sheet.
Genealogy Coloring sheet for Station Three: (placed in folder by Station Three)
[download Genealogy Coloring Sheet for Station Three genealogy coloring .pdf ]
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STATION FOUR:
Let’s Go To Work!
Instructions were mounted and displayed:
Station Four instructions:
[download instructions for Station Four: 04 Let’s Go To Work(.pdf) or 04 Let’s Go To Work (.doc)]
At Station Four we had a set of scriptures and the folder with the worksheet.
[download worksheet for Station Four Genealogy Questions .pdf or Genealogy Questions .doc]
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STATION FIVE:
It’s My Life! Writing A Personal History.
Instructions were mounted and displayed:
Station Five instructions:
[download Instructions for Station Five: 05 It’s My Life (.pdf) or 05 It’s My LIfe (.doc)]
At Station Five each YW received a Personal History Booklet to help them start writing their personal history.
Family History Booklet for Station Five: (placed in folder by Station Five)
(This booklet has 26 pages total, only the first few pages are shown.)
Page 2 Personal History Booklet
Page 3 Personal History Booklet
[download Family History Booklet (26 pages) for Station Five MY PERSONAL HISTORY.pdf or MY PERSONAL HISTORY .doc] (The Personal History Booklet has 26 pages.)
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STATION SIX:
Histories Mysteries. Using clues in a photo to date the photo. Can you date that dress?
Instructions were mounted and displayed:
Station Six instructions:
[download instructions for Station Six: 06 Histories Mysteries (.pdf) or 06 Histories Mysteries (.doc)]
At Station Six we had 16 pictures of a different dresses each from a particular decade. The pictures were lettered randomly. The YW were to match the dress to a decade and using the worksheet given to them and they were to place the letter identifying the picture next to the proper decade. An answer sheet was provided when they had finished guessing.
Dresses for Station Six:
- 1840
- 1850
- 1860
- 1870
- 1880
- 1890
- 1900
- 1910
- 1920
- 1930
- 1940
- 1950
- 1960
- 1970
- 1980
- 1990
[download dress pictures for Station Six:
Answer Sheet for Station Six:
[download Answer Sheet for Station Six Answer sheet .pdf or Answer sheet .doc]
Letters to place on each dress for matching to it’s decade:
[download ABC’s to place with dress for Station Six A B C .pdf or A B C .doc]
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STATION SEVEN:
Consensus of the Census.
Look at a census and answer questions.
Instructions were mounted and displayed:
Station Seven instructions:
[download instructions for Station Seven: Consensus of the Census (.pdf) or Consensus of the Census (.doc)]
At Station Seven we had an old census and a set of questions to be answered from looking at the census.
Census Station Seven
[download Census of England and Wales 1911 for Station Seven: Census of England and Wales 1911 (.pdf)]
QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED FROM
STUDYING THE CENSUS OF
ENGLAND AND WALES 1911
[download Census Questions Station Seven: Census questions (.pdf)] or Census questions (.doc)]
Answers to Census Questions
[download Answers to Census Questions Station Seven:Answers to Census Questions (.pdf)] or Answers to Census Questions (.doc)
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STATION EIGHT:
Is That Contagious?
What Do Those Old Medical Terms Mean?
Instructions were mounted and displayed:
Station Eight instructions:
[download instructions for Station Eight: 08 Is That Contagious(.pdf) or08 Is That Contagious(.doc)]
At Station Eight we had information sheet with old terms with the modern term and a worksheet made up of actually journal entries using old medical terms…which each YW had to fill in the modern disease.
Worksheet with Journal Entries for Station Eight: (placed in folder by Station One):
[download Station Eight worksheet with journal entries with old medical terms:Can you make the diagnoses? (.pdf)] or Can you make the diagnoses? (.doc)]
Old Medical Terms vs Modern Medical Terms Answers:
[download Station Eight worksheet Answer guide Old Medical Terms vs Modern Terms:Old Diseases vs Modern Terms (.pdf)] or Old Diseases vs Modern Terms(.doc)]
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STATION NINE:
Transcribing Old Documents.
Hear Ye! Hear Ye!
Instructions were mounted and displayed:
Station Nine instructions:
[download instructions for Station Nine: 09 Transcribing old documents (.pdf) or 09 Transcribing old documents (.doc)]
At Station Nine we had a copy of an old document so each YW could try her hand and transcribing the old document. We also had a copy of the translation, both in the folder.
Copy of an old document for Station Nine: (placed in folder by Station Nine):
[download Station Nine old document: Old document (.pdf)]
Translation of Old Document
[download Station Nine translation of an old document: translation translation of old document (.pdf)]
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STATION TEN:
Symbols In The Cemetery
Station Ten Instructions:
[download Instructions for Station Ten: 10 Symbols in the Cemetery (.pdf) or
10 Symbols in the Cemetery (.doc)]
At Station Ten we placed a basket of cards. On the front (top) of the card we had a picture of a symbol found in cemeteries. Inside the card was the meaning of the symbol found on the tombstone. In the folder at the station was a matching worksheet where the girl had to match the symbol found on tombstones to its meaning. These symbols can tell us about the person buried there.
Matching the symbol found on tombstones to its meaning worksheet for Station Ten: (placed in folder by Station Nine):
Worksheet for Station Two: (placed in folder by Station Two)
[download worksheet for Station Ten Matching cemetery symbols to their meaning .pdf Matching cemetery symbols to their meaning .doc]
Answer sheet to worksheet
[download worksheet answer sheet for Station Ten Answer Sheet for Station Ten Matching Worksheet .pdf Answer Sheet for Station Ten Matching Worksheet.doc]
Cemetery symbol pictures:
- Alpha Omega
- American Flag
- Anchor
- Angel
- Book
- Broken Column
- Calla Lily
- Celtic Cross
- Daughters of Rebekah
- Dove
- Eastern Cross
- Elk
- Horseshoe
- Ivy and Vines
- Knights of Pythius
- Laurel Wreath
- Lion
- Oak Leaves
- Olive Branch
- Pointing Finger
- Sleeping Child
- Sphinx
- Square and Compass
- Torch Inverted
- Tree
- Urn
- Wheel
- Woodman of the World
Download Pictures of Cemetery Symbols:
Alpha and Omega: Alpha Omega (.pdf), American Flag: American Flag (.pdf), Anchor: Anchor (.pdf), Angel: Angel (.pdf), Book: Book (.pdf), Broken Column: Broken Column (.pdf), Calla Lily: Calla Lily (.pdf), Celtic Cross: Celtic Cross (.pdf), Daughters of Rebekah Daughters of Rebekah (.pdf), Dove: Dove (.pdf), Eastern Cross: Eastern Cross (.pdf), Elk: Elk (.pdf), Horseshoe: Horseshoe (.pdf), Ivy and Vines: Ivy and Vines (.pdf), Knights of Pythius: Knights of Pythius, Laurel Wreath: Laurel Wreath (.pdf), Lion: Lion (.pdf), Oak Leaves: Oak Leaves (.pdf), Olive Branch: Olive Branch (.pdf), Pointing Finger: Pointing Finger (.pdf), Sleeping Child: Sleeping Child(.pdf), Sphinx: Sphinx (.pdf), Square and Compass: Square and Compass (.pdf), Torch inverted: Torch Inverted(.pdf), Tree: Tree (.pdf), Urn: Urn (.pdf), Wheel: Wheel (.pdf), Woodman of the World: Woodman of the World (.pdf).
These pictures of symbols were used for the cards (top) inside was the meaning of the symbol (two were printed on a sheet of cardstock, cut then folded).
[download symbol meanings for inside of cards Station Ten symbol answers symbol answers.pdf and symbol answers.doc]
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Station Signs:
Download Station Signs:
Family History Station 1 Sign: Family Tree Station 1 Sign (.pdf)
Family History Station 2 Sign: Family Tree Station 2 Sign (.pdf)
Family History Station 3 Sign: Family Tree Station 3 Sign (.pdf)
Family History Station 4 Sign: Family Tree Station 4 Sign (.pdf)
Family History Station 5 Sign: Family Tree Station 5 Sign (.pdf)
Family History Station 6 Sign: Family Tree Station 6 Sign (.pdf)
Family History Station 7 Sign: Family Tree Station 7 Sign (.pdf)
Family History Station 8 Sign: Family Tree Station 8 Sign (.pdf)
Family History Station 9 Sign: Family Tree Station 9 Sign (.pdf)
Family History Station 1o Sign: Family Tree Station 10 Sign (.pdf)