Roots in the Classroom: Ignite Student Learning with Ontario Genealogy

Empower students to discover their stories, connect with curriculum, and make history come alive in your Ontario classroom!

Why Teach Family History & Genealogy?
  • Connects Learning to Students’ Lives: Students investigate and share their own histories, making learning authentic and meaningful.
  • Builds Critical Thinking: Activities use primary sources and inquiry, supporting revised Social Studies and History curriculum goals.
  • Encourages Inclusion & Empathy: Lessons are designed for diverse families, honouring all backgrounds and supporting Truth and Reconciliation calls to action.
  • Supports Cross-Curricular Learning: Engage Literacy, Social Studies, History, Arts, and Technology.
Ontario Ancestors Sample Lesson Plans

Each lesson below aligns with the revised Ontario Curriculum and supports inclusive, student-centered pedagogy. Click on each title for the full lesson plan.

Kindergarten - Family Stories Circle (New)

Expectation: “Demonstrate an awareness of personal and family history” and “communicate what they know about their own family and traditions” (Ontario Early Years Pedagogy)

Goal: Students develop awareness of personal and family history by sharing stories and objects from home.

Classroom Activity: Students share in large or small groups, and create a drawing representing their family or tradition.

Sample Assessment: A drawing showing a family celebrating a birthday with a dictated sentence: “We bake a cake for Grandpa.”

Grade 1 – Family Trees: Knowing Our Families

Expectation: “Describe some of the ways in which their families and communities are unique and the ways in which they might be similar to others.”

Goal: Students recognize diverse family structures and create their own symbolic family trees.

Classroom Activity: Draw or collage family trees, discuss what “family” means. Identify heirlooms and their stories.

Sample Assessment: Labeled tree with brief oral presentation.

Grade 2 – Time Capsule

Expectation: “Identify and describe some significant aspects of their family or community’s past.”

Goal: Students reflect on what is significant in their family history by designing a “time capsule.”

Classroom Activity: Gather keepsakes, photos, or homemade artifacts, share their meaning, and combine into a class “museum.”

Sample Assessment: Written or drawn explanations of chosen items.

Grade 4 – Family Interview

Expectation: “Use the social studies inquiry process to investigate some major changes in their family and community over time.”

Goal: Develop oral inquiry skills and compare generational experiences.

Classroom Activity: Prepare questions, interview a relative or community member about family origins, migration, or traditions.

Sample Assessment: Written summary or audio recording, plus a reflection.

Grade 5 - Tracing Roots: Personal Heritage Map (New)

Expectation: “Describe significant events and developments in Canadian history and explain their impact on present-day Canada and personal identity.”

Goal: Students connect personal family migration stories with Canadian historical migration.

Classroom Activity: Students map out their ancestry alongside Indigenous and settler migrations studied in curriculum. They will compare their stories with those from Canada’s broader history, discussing identity, movement, and community.

Sample Assessment: Map tracing an ancestor’s move from Scotland, labeled: “My great-grandparents arrived at Pier 21 in 1925. We still cook Scottish shortbread at Christmas.”

Grade 6 – Identity Mapping

Expectation: “Describe traditions and celebrations of their families and communities, and explain their significance for Canadian identity.”

Goal: Explore identity through traditional foods and mapping family origins.

Classroom Activity: Collect family recipes or stories; plot cultural origins on a map. Participate in gallery walks, sharing how foods express history and identity.

Sample Assessment: Illustrated map with origin stories and recipes.

Grade 7 – People Profiles

Expectation: “Use the historical inquiry process to investigate perspectives of various groups on key events or developments in Canadian history.”

Goal: Research and share the biography of a family or community member, using primary sources to link to larger Canadian themes.

Classroom Activity: Research, write, and present a cultural biography; use social media platforms or classroom displays.

Sample Assessment: Digital or poster presentation, annotated with primary sources.

Grade 10 – WWI Canadian History with Hashtags

Expectation: “Analyse the impact of significant national and global events on people in Canada, including family and cultural histories.”

Goal: Connect personal, family, or local stories to major Canadian historical events.

Classroom Activity: Investigate a WWI–era topic, analyze primary sources (photos, letters), create and share “hashtags” summarizing findings.

Sample Assessment: Hashtag summaries and reflections, peer presentations.

Grade 12 – Critical Challenge: Museum Exhibit

Expectation: “Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of family, culture, and community on identity, and critically analyse primary and secondary sources to reconstruct family or cultural histories.”

Goal: Synthesize historical research and curation skills using family or community artifacts.

Classroom Activity: Create a mini digital or live museum exhibit, advertising the exhibit creatively on social media.

Sample Assessment: Curation portfolio and digital campaign.

Grade 12 – R.A.F.T. (Role, Audience, Format, Topic)

Expectation: “Demonstrate an understanding of the impact of family, culture, and community on identity, and critically analyse primary and secondary sources to reconstruct family or cultural histories.”

Goal: Demonstrate creative communication of research through assumed roles and diverse media.

Classroom Activity: Choose a perspective (e.g., ancestor, immigration officer), select a communication format (letter, speech, blog), and present learnings to a target audience.

Sample Assessment: Creative submission accompanied by a rationale linking it to primary and secondary sources.

Teaching Tips
  • Model steps: Show how to do interviews, tell stories, or use digital tools.
  • Sensitive approach: Provide opt-outs and alternatives; not everyone will want to share personal history.
  • Celebrate all families: Use inclusive language and representation.
  • Support diverse learners: Accept photos, audio, visuals, partner work, home-language interviews, or creative products.
  • Easy digital integration: Try Book Creator, digital maps, or simple video storytelling apps.
  • Consent: Always collect written parent/guardian consent for sharing/publishing any personal family info.
    • Consent forms must describe what’s collected, how it’s shared/stored, opt-out, options, and contacts for questions.
  • Student choice: Let students select what to share, or use alternatives (symbols, fiction, pets, notable community figures).
  • Data security: Lock digital/physical records; comply with school board guidelines.
  • Cultural care: Use inclusive language: “special people” or “important connections” (not just “parents/family”).
  • Support diverse experiences: Honor adoptees, foster, Indigenous, and newcomer students’ wishes and contexts.
  • Prep students: Discuss possible emotional effects; outline available supports.
  • Alternate activities: Always allow easy opt-outs without explanation; provide creative or non-personal options.
  • Respect boundaries: Use check-ins and reinforce that sharing is voluntary.
  • Aftercare: Schedule debrief or check-in after projects; connect students with help if needed.
  • Essay Prize: Grade 11/12 students can win $500 with the Dr. Don Brearley Essay Competition.
  • Family & community engagement: Host guest elders, family days, or intergenerational projects.
  • Connect cross-curricularly: Try math (data graphs), arts (memory quilts), drama, geography (mapping migration), or history events (Remembrance Day).
  • Explore local: Use local archives, museums, and libraries for hands-on inspiration.
  • French/Multilingual: Offer resources, templates, and guides in students’ home languages.
  • Vary how students demonstrate learning:
  • Oral storytelling, audio/video, art, collages, digital slideshows.
  • Bilingual prompts, partner activities, and home-language interviews for ELLs.
  • Flexible goals—meet IEP needs and support creativity.
  • Assistive tech: Let students use speech-to-text, recorders, or visual supports as needed.
  • Assess flexibly: Value effort, growth, and creativity as much as documented ancestry.
Bibliography of Genealogy-Themed Books for the Classroom

Explore this curated bibliography of engaging fiction and non-fiction books for teaching genealogy, sorted by grade division.

Each entry includes complete citation information and a classroom-focused summary.

Digital Media & Online Resources for Teaching Genealogy

Explore this educator-tested directory of online videos, interactive websites, and digital tools to support genealogy lessons. All resources are sorted by division: Primary (K–Grade 3), Junior (Grades 4–8), and Secondary (Grades 9–12). Visit Ontario Ancestor’s page for genealogy activity ideas for kids ages up to 14. 

Primary (K–Grade 3)
Junior (Grades 4–8)
Secondary (Grades 9–12)
  • AncestryClassroom®: Apply for free institutional access (including Fold3 and Newspapers.com) and explore in-depth digital lesson plans and educator supports.
  • FamilySearch.org: Extensive record and tree-building online platform; includes unique guides and digital resources tailored for high school research projects.
  • Cyndi’s List: Comprehensive genealogy directory for topic-specific sites, reference guides, and global records.
  • Digital Media Literacy Framework – Grades 9–12 (MediaSmarts): Teaches information evaluation and digital genealogy skills—essential for contemporary research projects.
  • The Family History Guide (Advanced Projects): Robust pathway for teens to complete in-depth projects, utilizing technology, collaboration, and digital storytelling tools.
  • NGS’s 17 Important Free Websites: Recommended database and research links, including original records, census data, and research guides.
Additional Noteworthy Resources