Family History
Teaching Family History
Teaching family history is a terrific way to engage students in the study of history. Learning about an ancestor’s place in history brings meaning and interest to the stories of our community, state, and nation. Special Collections has one of the most extensive genealogy collections in Ohio. Visit our genealogy page to learn more about our resources, including databases that you and your students can access from home and school. Highlights of our collections include:
Akron Beacon Journal and other Summit County newspapers, 1839-present, including indexes
Obituary indexes for the Akron Beacon Journal, 1937 –
Birth, marriage, and death records
Cemetery records
Passenger and immigration information
Resources and Links:
Family Search, maintained by the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day-Saints includes a vast collection of online genealogy records and sources, including Ohio Death Certificates for 1908-1953.
Search and view Summit County Naturalization Records 1850-1991 available through the Summit County Clerk of Courts
Visit USGenweb for resources and links to genealogical information for most counties in all fifty states
Visit our oral history page to learn about using oral history in the classroom
Lesson Plans:
Family History Lesson Plan / History Works
Family History Lesson Plan / Ohio Historical Society
Immigration Lesson Plans / Library of Congress
Family Folklore Lesson Plans / Library of Congress
Family Folkore Lesson Plan / University of Northern Iowa
Family History Resources for Teachers / Our Lady of the Elms Elementary School
The following teacher resources were graciously shared by teachers of Our Lady of the Elms Elementary School in Akron, Ohio. Please feel free to adapt these materials for use in your own classroom.
