Living History: Then and Now

This lesson embodies multiple facets with the same goal in mind: allowing students to be proud of where they came from and take responsibility for where they are going.

Activity 1: Students will make a list of major events in their lifetime and the impact these events had on them and on their families. Students should discuss these experiences in narrative form.

Activity 2: Students will browse through a US History book and create a timeline of major events. It is important that students understand the actual dates involved in these events.

Activity 3: Students will interview a senior citizen, family member or not, about major events in their lifetimes. This interview should be audio recorded and even video recorded if at all possible.

Activity 4: Students will transcribe their interview, and then create a narrative memoir of the interview. Students should utilize this information to either, 1. create a documentary, or 2. a power point presentation. Either way, students will have to do research about the events being described.

Activity 5: Students will present their final product to the class and then to the senior citizen they interviewed.