Jill, It is easier to give a speech on a limited subject such as: What you can find in the census records? Or wills, etc. But are you giving an overview -- the whole picture? Then the visual aids should certainly be an enlarged pedigree and/or group sheet. You could take "steps" in your speech -- see what family sources you can find, then go to the census or vital records or find a clue in an old Bible or whatever. You could fill in the blanks on the group sheet as you go. This could be a real family or a made up one so your points could be more readily obvious. (Somehow real families don't always look like textbook cases and when you are short of time to expound -- 7 minutes -- you might need to "contrive" some sources.) Anyway, good luck. Let us know what you did and how it was received. Lucy