Lesson Planet
Search educational resources
  • Sign In Try It Free
  • AI Teacher Tools
    • Discover Resources Search reviewed educational resources by keyword, subject, grade, type, and more
    • Curriculum Manager (My Content) Manage saved and uploaded resources and folders To Access the Curriculum Manager Sign In or Join Now
    • Browse Resource Directory Browse educational resources by subject and topic
    • Curriculum Calendar Explore curriculum resources by date
    • Lesson Planning Articles Timely and inspiring teaching ideas that you can apply in your classroom
    • Our Story
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Testimonials
    • Contact Us
  • Pricing
  • School Access
    • Your school or district can sign up for Lesson Planet — with no cost to teachers
      Learn More
  • Sign In
  • Try It Free

Hi, what do you want to do?

Create a lesson plan
Create a lesson plan
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Generate resources with 80+ AI teacher tools
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Search 200,000 instructional videos
Find a teaching resource
Find a teaching resource
The One-Question Interview Lesson PlanThe One-Question Interview Lesson Plan
Publisher
The New York Times
Resource Details
Curator Rating
Educator Rating
Not yet Rated
Grade
7th - 12th
Subjects
English Language Arts
5 more...
Resource Type
Lesson Plans
Audience
For Teacher Use
Duration
2 days
Instructional Strategies
Collaborative Learning
2 more...
Usage Permissions
Fine Print
Lesson Plan

The One-Question Interview

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Generate interest in current events, the theme of a new unit, or a research project. Individuals select a question from the list generated by the class, conduct one-on-one interviews, analyze the responses, draw conclusions based on these responses, and then share their findings with the class.

44 Views 50 Downloads
CCSS: Adaptable

Concepts

interviewing, listening

Additional Tags

social studies

Instructional Ideas

  • If using the activity to generate interest in the current events, arrange to have a class set of copies of a newspaper delivered to your classroom
  • Use the activity to launch any thematic unit or research project
  • Create a graphic organizer where interviewers can record the name of their subject, their responses, and notes about trends they observe

Classroom Considerations

  • Have the whole class brainstorm the questions, making sure that there are no duplicates
  • Be prepared to model how to draw conclusions from the interview notes

Pros

  • The activity reveals what class members want to know about a topic
  • Provides speaking, listening, and note-taking practice

Cons

  • No note-taking worksheet is included for those class members who need additional support

Common Core

SL.7.1.a SL.7.3 SL.8.1.a SL.8.3 SL.9-10.1.a SL.9-10.3 SL.11-12.1.a SL.11-12.3

See similar resources:

Lesson Plan

Cultural Comparisons Interview

Curated OER
Learners interview a family member and give an oral report. In this oral history instructional activity, students create interview questions relevant to an American historical period. Learners interview a family member and present an...
8th - 12th English Language Arts
Lesson Plan

Baseball Stories, Cards and Interviews

Curated OER
Everyone can be an MVP! Young learners create their own baseball cards about themselves in this autobiographical lesson. They use information about their lives to create a baseball trading card. They make flash cards using baseball...
3rd - Higher Ed English Language Arts
Lesson Plan

Fighting Fake News

Curated OER
Fake news. Alternative facts. Internet trolls. In an age of Newspeak, it's increasingly important to equip 21st century learners with the skills needed to determine the legitimacy of claims put forth on social media, in print, and in...
9th - 12th English Language Arts
CCSS: Designed
Lesson Plan

The Speed of News: Where Do We Get the News?

Newseum
Times are changing. One change is the way people get and share the news. Class members pair up and interview one another to find out how their peers get news. After compiling their findings, young reporters interview an adult, compile...
3rd - 8th English Language Arts
CCSS: Designed
Lesson Plan

The Newspaper Article

Curated OER
Have your class participate in an interview activity using an informational text about the Amazon. After reading a Cultural Connections story about a person from the Amazon, middle schoolers write interview questions based on the text....
4th - 8th English Language Arts
CCSS: Adaptable
Lesson Plan

Exploring Race Through Literature

Curated OER
Provide your class with an opportunity to examine race through a variety of literary works. They read and analyze a chosen poem, interview, speech, or story describing race in America. They then use key words from the original work to...
7th - 10th Social Studies & History
Audio

Ad lit.org: A Video Interview With Brian Selznick

AdLit
From the time Brian Selznick was a young boy, it was clear that he had a gift for drawing. On his kindergarten report card, Brian's teacher noted that he was a good artist. At school Brian's classmates liked to gather around to see what...
9th - 10th English Language Arts
Lesson Plan

Traveling Through Literature

Curated OER
Integrate geography with literature in this interdisciplinary lesson. Begin by reading a poem such as The Time We Climbed Snake Mountain by Leslie Marmon Silko. On a large map, place push pins in the cities or states mentioned. An...
7th - 8th English Language Arts
Lesson Plan

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage: Grades 6-8

Curated OER
To gain a better understanding of Hispanic heritage and culture, as well as to build informational comprehension skill, learners explore facets of Hispanic American History. They engage in a class discussion, research three facts, and...
6th - 8th Social Studies & History
Lesson Plan

Voices of the Struggle: The Continual Struggle for Equality

Stanford University
As part of a study of the Civil Rights Movement from 1868 to the present, class members examine first person narratives, the Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, and other significant events in civil rights history....
6th - 12th English Language Arts
CCSS: Adaptable
Try It Free
© 1999-2026 Learning Explorer, Inc.
Teacher Lesson Plans, Worksheets and Resources

Sign up for the Lesson Planet Monthly Newsletter

Open Educational Resources (OER)

  • Health
  • Language Arts
  • Languages
  • Math
  • Physical Education
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Special Education
  • Visual and Performing Arts
View All Lesson Plans

Discover Resources

  • Our Review Process
  • How it Works
  • How to Search
  • Create a Collection

Manage Curriculum

  • Edit a Collection
  • Assign to Students
  • Manage My Content
Contact Us Site Map Privacy Policy Terms of Use