Historical Research: An Interview

Activity Title: Historical Research: An Interview
Teacher: Grade: 4
Curriculum Standards: Fourth Grade Social Studies: Student Products
(SEE: Citywide Learning Standards and Curriculum Frameworks, page 148,
Version 96.1, June 28, 1996)

Historical Research: An Interview (using a minimum of two sources)


• Identify the key events or issues that the person needs to address
• Develop thoughtful questions to ask the person of historical significance
• Develop appropriate answers that the person might have given to the questions
• In question-answer format, produce a written dialogue with the person
• Make connections between historical events, persons and/or issues in the question-answer interview
• Reflect the views of the person during the interview
• Provide sufficient background information on the person of historical significance (see: Internet resources)
• Analyze cause-and-effect relationships during the interview
• Gather information from at least two sources, including books, periodicals, and primary source documents
• Explain the information and events in sequence, and provide background to them
• Consider the person on his/her own terms, including the norms, values and customs of the day, as well as the political and economic conditions
• Consider multiple perspectives
• Organize the interview in a logical manner
• Use terms that are appropriate to the times
• Use appropriate language, conventions, and presentation techniques (see English Language Arts standards: Writing; Listening, Speaking, and Presenting).

Products:
• A written dialogue with a person which includes open-ended, issue-oriented questions and answers

Materials/Resources:
• 1. A biography book of an individual who has made historically significant contributions
• 2. Other print sources such as an encyclopedia and books
• 3. Electronic resources (CD-ROM)
• 4. Internet resources
  • The Presidents of the United States of America
  • Biographical Dictionary
  • Women's Heritage Database
  • Black History Database


Instructional Activity:

It is often meaningful to correlate the reading of biographies with other thematic activities going on in the classroom. This historical research and interview portfolio product fits well into a study of the United States presidents, while focusing on Black History Month or Women's Heritage Month, or during a study of scientists and inventors.

Whenever the time is appropriate, direct each class member to read a biography about a person that he/she feels is historically significant with the intent of gathering information about the individual's life and sharing it with the class.

As a precursor to doing the actual portfolio product for which I would require a minimum of 2 sources, assign each child to:
• prepare an oral presentation to the class appearing as the individual (dressed as the individual) or speaking in the first person as the individual during a "Women's Heritage Conference" or a "You Are There - Hispanic Convention" where each biographical character relates how he/she has made contributions to history based on the biographical information the child learned in the book he/she read.
• research the life of the individual and write a brief factual report based on his/her life with data gathered from an encyclopedia or other source (print or electronic data)
• After each class member has a grasp of the individual's life, begin to guide the entire class in an exercise of what types of questions are open-ended, issue-oriented, and reveal the character's historical significance and how to write the questions for his/her individual person.
• Allow the students to peer edit each other's drafts and provide time in an author's circle for each student to share his/her questions and answers for evaluative feedback from the class.
• When each student has created what he/she feels is a quality product (use the checklist included in the Curriculum Frameworks), he/she should write or type it in final form.


Assessment:


• 1. Evaluate the student's ability to comprehend, compare, and contrast relevant information about an individual's life.
• 2. Evaluate the student's ability to create open-ended, issue-oriented questions and answers while gathering information from two sources.


Extensions:


• 1. A ClarisWorks slideshow of the finished portfolio product
• 2. Begin by helping each child search the online BPL Circulation Database.
• 3. If the student selected a woman, submit each student's report to the then website called the "Encyclopedia of Women's History"

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Created in 1996. Last modified: January 29, 2008. Copyright 1999 - Marjorie Duby. All rights reserved.

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