Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Passing Down Family History Through Oral Tradition: Corridos

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students create and perform Corridos which are oral tradition ballads. In this Passing Down Family History Through Oral Tradition instructional activity, students interview family members using a predetermined list of questions. In...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cultural Comparisons Interview

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students interview a family member and give an oral report. In this oral history lesson, students create interview questions relevant to an American historical period. Students interview a family member and present an oral report to the...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Questions for Dancers- Interviewing

For Students 7th - 8th
In this interview worksheet, students locate someone in their community who does traditional dances. They interview dancers using the questions listed.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Harvesting the River Lesson Plan: Taking an Oral History

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Students practice researching history through oral traditions.  In this U.S. History lesson, students examine an online exhibit titled Harvesting the River, in which students interview someone from the story.  Students utilize...
Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

The Freedom Riders and the Popular Music of the Civil Rights Movement

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s marched to its own beat—literally. Using songs from the era, as well as other primary sources such as King's "I Have a Dream" speech, class members analyze lyrics to discover how music and protest...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Growing up in Las Vegas; Memories of Childhood in the Neon City

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars investigate the history of Las Vegas through conducting interviews.  In this oral history instructional activity, students locate and speak with older residents of Las Vegas in order to gain a better understanding of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Wolf?

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Young scholars, at the advanced beginner to low intermediate ESL levels, demonstrate comprehension of the play or story, "Little Red Riding Hood." They construct interviews based on knowledge of the characters in the play Little Red...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Pioneer America: Legendary Westerners - Can One Person Really Make a Difference?

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research famous Americans from the Westward Movement and complete an interview. In this Westward Movement lesson, 4th graders work in pairs to research someone who was important during this time period. They prepare and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What’s your Name?

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Youngsters work to build empathy, cultural understanding, and a sense of self as they uncover the story behind their own names. They read the book, The Name Jar, discuss immigration and how it feels to be in a new place. Then, they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Could You Make an Oak Basket?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners listen to an interview with Lucreaty Clark, a White Oak Native American basket maker. They analyze the interview and record their observations on a worksheet. Students consider information that can be gleaned from an audio...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Preserving History for Illuminating Today's Values and Traditions

For Teachers 5th - 12th
Young scholars discover the value of oral history by creating their own audio recordings.  In this traditions and customs lesson, students listen to a local historian discuss the idea of preserving history through oral traditions....
Worksheet
Curated OER

Questions for Traditional Artists

For Students 6th - 8th
In this classroom applications and fieldwork basics worksheet, students utilize the 20 interview questions once they locate someone in their community who creates traditional art. An oral release is included.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Questions for Traditional Musicians

For Students 6th - 8th
In this classroom applications and fieldwork basics instructional activity, students utilize the 15 interview questions listed once they locate someone in their community who plays traditional music. An oral release is included.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Exploring Pioneer America

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders research pioneers who had a strong influence on westward expansion. In this westward expansion lesson plan, 4th graders write an essay about four pioneers and an interview script about one. Students work in pairs to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Finding Our Place in Time

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students utilize interviewing skills of an historian to research the time period of the 1970's. They use prior knowledge of the 1960's to explain the mood of the country in the 1970's.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Local Habitats

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Learners create dioramas that depict a habitat. In this habitat lesson, students use a variety of art items to develop either a marine, freshwater/pond, or forest habitat in a box. They write an expository essay about their habitat, and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gateway to the Arts

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students redesign a dead space in the school to create an interesting and stimulating visual environment. In this art design lesson, students look at how to redesign architectural space and research ways to enhance a space. Students then...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Hard Times, Soft Sell

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students analyze art to determine themes for the Great Depression Era. In this Great Depression activity, students identify themes for the era and research evidence for the themes to present to the class. Students interview family...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

We the People (Cultural Research)

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders conduct cultural research, collect oral histories using tape recorders and cameras, and share their ancestral heritage with classmates through family heirlooms and ethnic foods.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Taking Pictures With A Digital Camera

For Teachers 1st
First graders use a digital camera and learn appropriate technology terminology during this task. They also interview another student and record the information received. They write a sentence using some of the technology terminology.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let's Roll Robots!

For Teachers 1st - 2nd
Students write a story about robots. In this creative writing lesson, students read a story about robots, make their own robot, and write a story about their robot. In addition, the lesson plan suggests taking photos of the robots to add...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Great American Families

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders wrote essays, interviewed family members, took photos of their activities, and tape recorded narration to accompany the photos.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Independent - To Be or Not Top Be: Press Conference

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders deliver an oral presentation on the American war for independence to small groups. They use a rubric to give each other peer feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of their presentation.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Incorporating Thoreau And Theatre

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars investigate the writings of Thoreau. They read passages orally and look for words of imagery in the text. Students also answer a series of questions and they convert passages of writing into theatrical presentations in...