Mining the Riches of History
Lay the Groundwork
• Decide who might be good candidates for interviewees (parents, family members of several generations, community members, senior citizens at a local senior center,etc.). Decide whether the interviews will be individual, small group, or whole-class. Make arrangements for the interviews—day, time, place, etc.
• Be clear about the purpose of your interviews, and be sure students can articulate that to the interviewee.
• Line up necessary equipment (digital devices like tablets, iPads, iPods, smart phones, etc.) and permission forms.
• Prepare any supporting documents or templates for student use.
• Plan what you will do with the information students gather (A local history fair? Presentation? Displays? Role play or creative drama? As a springboard for movement or dance?). Plan for the assessment of student work and share your expectations with them.