Objectives:
DPI Standard Course of Study http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/curriculum/
Technology Competency Goals 2 and 3
English Competency Goals 1,2,5,6

Focus and Review:
It is important for students to learn to embrace their heritage and their backgrounds.  One of the assignments included in the student writing portfolio guidelines found in lesson, is for students to write a narrative about their two oldest living relatives.  They also must write an essay celebrating a relative who has had a positive or lasting effect on their life.  The Museum of Living Literature requirements in lesson 8 offer students an opportunity to use their interview if the relative lived during the 1930's.  (see lessons 2 and 8 for more details). Teacher Input:  Students will be encouraged to choose two of their relatives from whom they can learn a "life" lesson.  They will need to interview that relative and ask he/she the following questions.  Students will be encouraged to document the interview not only in writing, but also using other media such as a video camera, still camera, digital camera, or audio tape.  Students will understand the purpose is to capture the life story that relative has to tell. Some suggested questions might include the following:
 

1.  How old are you?  What year were you born?  (students will be responsible for going to the same web resources listed in lesson 4, the self study, to find out what significant events were going on nationally and locally at the time of that relatives birth.

2.  What historical events do you remember happening when you were a teenager?

3.  What inventions have you seen come about in your lifetime?  (television, VCR, CD, DVD, computer, Internet, dishwasher, refrigerator, car models, etc.)

4.  Describe a day in your life as a teenager.

5.  What did you want to be when you grew up?  What did you do for a living?  How did your dreams and aspirations match up with reality?

6.  What significant changes in history, government, technology, commerce, education, etc. have you seen in your lifetime?

7.  What life lesson can you teach me?  If you had any words of advice what would they be?

8.  How did you meet your husband or wife?  How many years have you been married? (optional)

9.  What do you think is better about society today?  What do you think is worse?

10.  What was school like for you?  Did you finish high school?  Did you go to college?

11.  What television shows did you enjoy?  What kind of music did you listen to?  What was your favorite song?  What was your favorite book?

12.  What single event had the greatest impact on your life?  Explain.

13.  Who had the greatest impact on your life and why?

14.  Do you have any regrets?  What would you change or do differently?

15.  What accomplishment are you most proud of and why? Guided Practice: Students will come up with other questions that might be appropriate for their family members.  Students will be taught interview skills and etiquette.  Students will practice writing narratives.

Independent Practice: Students will interview their two oldest living relatives, and will record their interview if possible.  The recordings will be part of their keepsake portfolio.  Students will go to the computer lab to word process their narratives.  Students will be shown how to scan photographs, copy still images from a digital camera, and for those who have access to a digital movie camera, they will be able to work with their digital recordings.

Closure: Students who wish to share their narratives or experience will do so.  Students will add material to their working writing portfolio.
  Helpful Links:

http://nchistory.dcr.state.nc.us/
http://www.grove.net/%7emtnmag/mtmaghis1a.html
http://www.rootsweb.com/roots-l/usa/nc.html
http://aam.wcu.edu
http://www.myhistory.org