A guide for tracing one's ancestors via various means. An appendix describes how to use a number of available government resources.

I Am the Ancestor is a book written by a 46, 47 or 48-year-old woman who is the genesis, the beginning of her family. Known as Symbolie Monique Smith - sometimes - the author undoubtedly believes that she was abducted around the tender age of two and, as a result, has no accurate records of herself. After 15 years of endlessly searching for answers, Smith decided to tell her story before in an attempt to leave behind a true legacy for her four children. I Am the Ancestor is an inspirational account of the life of one living in a world with no links, no attachments and no real existence. Symbolie Monique Smith said, "This book will not only be a way for me to share with my children the life's identity of their mother, it will make them aware of our unidentifiable past while touching the soul of every possible role player!" Author Monique Smith, or so she is called, recently discovered that the woman she has known to be her mother throughout her life is of no relation to her. On her quest to find answers, Monique found no trace of her biological parents or possible siblings and no concrete leads from police officials.

Help students explore their own identity through fiction, biographies, and autobiographies; examine their most significant relationships (i.e., with family members and friends); and learn about different racial, ethnic, and cultural traditions through contemporary realistic fiction and historical fiction. Brown and Stephens also describe outstanding books and authors that enhance the perspective of diversity, and they address controversial issues related to the use of multicultural literature. Grades 4-8.

What Is Smart? There's evidence of so much more than "reading, writing, and 'rithmetic" in every child -- at least seven distinct intelligences, according to the theory of multiple intelligences, developed by Harvard's Dr. Howard Gardner. In Seven Times Smarter, veteran educator Laurel Schmidt offers a parent-friendly explanation of this theory and of the ways that kids are -- simply put -- word smart, picture smart, music smart, body smart, logic smart, people smart, and self-smart. These intelligences aren't fixed at birth. They can be nurtured and strengthened, meaning that in the right environment, kids get smarter. Seven Times Smarter, an invaluable resource for parents, teachers, and caregivers, provides the perfect way to create this environment. Unlike other craft or activity books that just fill time and keep kids busy, Seven Times Smarter prompts kids aged six to fourteen to work their brains and cultivate new skills using recycled or low-cost materials found in every home -- and enjoy it! It offers an exploration of what it means to be smart, checklists to recognize the seven intelligences in your child, book lists to develop and celebrate all the ways your child is smart, and fifty creative, constructive activities that are good for kids playing alone or in a group, supervised or independently, including: * Memory Tours -- If a memory book is too straightforward for your artistic child, try an un-book, a memory box, or a calendar. * Hanging Gardens -- Indoors or out, even the smallest garden plot can yield a bumper crop of mathematical, linguistic, scientific, and kinesthetic skills. * The Boredom Brigade -- Boredom is a springboard for imagination; imaginary structures, identities, occupations, and friends are just some of the ways kids develop their inter- and intra-personal intelligences. * Junk Yard Genius -- There's an education in junk; in fact, it's easy to turn your broken radio, alarm clock, fan, blow-dryer, or scale into a project that could fascinate kids for days.

Ancestry magazine focuses on genealogy for today’s family historian, with tips for using Ancestry.com, advice from family history experts, and success stories from genealogists across the globe. Regular features include “Found!” by Megan Smolenyak, reader-submitted heritage recipes, Howard Wolinsky’s tech-driven “NextGen,” feature articles, a timeline, how-to tips for Family Tree Maker, and insider insight to new tools and records at Ancestry.com. Ancestry magazine is published 6 times yearly by Ancestry Inc., parent company of Ancestry.com.

Introduce students to some of today's best nonfiction authors and their writing-and promote nonfiction reading to young learners! Engaging biographical sketches of 65 current nonfiction authors (some of them award winners) are accompanied by selective, annotated bibliographies for further reading. In addition, author photos and an author message to students enhance the experience. Biographies outline the childhoods of the authors, how they became writers, and how they go about their work. A detailed subject index allows you to plan thematic units of study and to assist students in finding reading material that matches their interests. A diversity of current authors and subjects are represented in this useful work.