Case 01 · Start with your story

What Is Family History?

I can introduce myself as a family-history learner and turn an unknown into a respectful question.

◷ 35–50 minutes online and on paper⌁ 10–15 active minutes⌂ Work stays offline
Begin the case

Your assignment

Begin with what you know, welcome what you do not know yet, and leave a small record for your future self.

Warm up the detective brain

  • Name one story you know about yourself.
  • What is something you would like to ask an older relative?

No answer box by design. Say it, jot it in the workbook, or keep it in your head. This site does not collect the answer.

Granny turns an unknown into a clue

A fictional learner named Alex knows that a great-grandparent moved to a new town, but not why.

  1. Known: the move happened before Alex’s grandparent was born.
  2. Story heard: the family may have moved for work.
  3. Question: “What records or family stories could tell me why they moved?”

Case note: A good family-history question separates what is known from what has only been heard—and makes room for “I don’t know yet.”

Practice on fictional evidence

Choose the best-supported answer. Feedback explains the evidence; nothing is scored or sent anywhere.

1. “Grandpa was born in 1948.” What kind of clue is this if you saw it on his birth record?
2. You have heard that a relative once owned a bakery, but you have not seen evidence. How should you label it?
3. Which is the strongest research question?

Take the case off-screen

Complete all workbook activities over time, or choose one doorway for today. The authentic evidence belongs in your family-controlled archive.

Story starter

Complete “Who Am I?” and one family story starter in the workbook.

Mystery maker

Write one family mystery and mark what you know, heard, and still need to investigate.

Future-you capsule

Build and date the Family Time Capsule. Keep it somewhere your family controls.

Workbook activity trail

  • Who Am I?
  • My Family Story Starters
  • My Family Mystery (optional)
  • Family Time Capsule

Is the case ready to file?

Use this as a learner self-check or a short family conversation. Support, dictation, drawing, and the fictional path all count when they preserve the same skill.

  • I completed an identity or story starter.
  • I wrote one respectful research question.
  • I dated and stored my time capsule.
  • I can explain the difference between a known fact, a story, and a question.

Reflection: What is one family question you hope your future self can answer?

Open portfolio sheet

File this skill, not the curiosity.

For more background, read Identity Confirmed. The mission is optional context; your workbook remains the activity guide.