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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cabeza de Vaca Meets the Coahuiltecans

For Teachers 4th - 7th
Students examine the difference between primary and secondary sources by examining the journal of Cabeza de Vaca and creating a poster about the Coahuitecan Indian groups. They portray a scene of the groups in 16th Century south Texas.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Jamestown Journey Part 2

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders create a chart or web to display qualities and characteristics of a good leader. They write a paragraph describing the qualities of a good Jamestown leader. Finally, 4th graders contribute to small group discussion about...
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Activity
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian: Folklife and Oral History Interviewing Guide

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
The Smithsonian Folklife and Oral History Interviewing Guide by by Marjorie Hunt is an excellent resource for collecting family and community cultural information. It provides step-by-step information on how to plan and conduct...
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Handout
US Holocaust Memorial Museum

U.s. Holocaust Memorial Museum: Guidelines for Oral History Interviews

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Speaking to people with firsthand knowledge of an event is an important way to gather information. Use these guidelines to help prepare for an oral history interview.
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Activity
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Folklife and Oral History Interviewing Guide

For Students 9th - 10th
If you set out to do your own primary research with a tradition-bearer in your community, this guide will be very valuable. Get information about how to get the best results, along with an extensive list of possible questions for the...
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Website
Smithsonian Institution

Archives of American Arts: Oral History Interviews, Farm Security Administration

For Students 9th - 10th
This site lists over 400 oral history interviews from artists, administrators and others involved with the activities of the Farm Security Administration in the 1930's and 40's.
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Primary
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Archives of American Art: Oral History Interview With Charles White

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource provides a transcript of an interview from 1965 with Charles Wilbert White.
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Unit Plan
CommonLit

Common Lit: Voice of Witness: A Sudanese Refugee's Oral History

For Students 7th - 8th
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each text is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see the...
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Primary
US House of Representatives

History, Art, and Archives: Oral History of the House of Representatives

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Through interviews with House officers, aides, committee staff, former Representatives, and others, a rich heritage has been preserved. Audio, video, and transcripts provide a look into legislative processes and procedures, personal and...
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Unit Plan
Choices Program, Brown University

Choices: Teaching With the News: Oral History and September 11

For Students 9th - 10th
Lesson designed to be completed in more than one class period. Students prepare and conduct interviews to help them understand the issues surrounding the 9.11.01 attacks and the U.S. response to terrorism. Lesson materials provided.
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Website
Harry S. Truman Library and Museum

Truman Library: Oral History Interview With Leon H. Keyserling

For Students 9th - 10th
A fascinating interview with Leon Keyserling, a member of the Roosevelt Administration who played a large part in the implementation of the New Deal, recorded for the Truman Library in 1971.
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Unit Plan
Read Works

Read Works: Oral Histories

For Teachers 2nd - 4th Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] Intended to support elementary students' reading comprehension, students will learn about jobs that require them to conduct interviews to collect oral histories. Questions that assess multiple reading...
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Graphic
Art Institute of Chicago

Chicago Architects Oral History: Mary Ann E. Crawford

For Students 9th - 10th
This interview is by Betty J. Blum and the interviewee is Mary Ann Elizabeth Crawford (1901-1988 CE) who practiced architecture from 1941 into the 1980's. The entire transcript of the interview can be viewed here.
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Handout
Other

The Collection: Chicago Architects Oral History Project

For Students 9th - 10th
Choose from an extensive list of Chicago area architects and learn information about their lives and their work. Includes links to interviews and biographies.
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Activity
Scholastic

Scholastic: Writing Workshop: Oral History

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Great online lesson that takes students through the entire writing process- from prompt to publishing. Online or printable versions of each step are available. The prompt asks students to interview people and write about their oral...
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Handout
History Link

Bertha Pitts Campbell: An Oral History

For Students 9th - 10th
From the Washington State Oral History Project comes this captivating interview with Bertha Pitts Campbell, an African American woman and early Seattle civil rights worker. Campbell talks about the discrimination and segregation she...
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Website
Other

National History Day

For Students 9th - 10th
Students and teachers participate in a yearly history-themed competition and celebration of historical topics. Young learners conduct primary and secondary research by studying archives, museums, oral history interviews, and historical...
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Website
Brown University

The Whole World Was Watching: An Oral History of 1968

For Students 9th - 10th
Memories of 1968 are collected via interviews conducted by high school students. Important issues during that time include civil rights, Vietnam, the politics of the time and women's rights. There are transcripts of interviews and key...
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Primary
Other

Nashville Public Library Digital Collection: Veterans History Project Collection

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection of oral history interviews and artifacts from veterans from Nashville, Tennessee and Davidson County, Tennessee. Most of the material and interviews come from World War II veterans, but a few are from later wars, including...
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Lesson Plan
Library of Congress

Loc: Migration During the Great Depression: Living History

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Most people in Central Florida came from somewhere else. Young scholars first analyze life histories from American Life Histories: Manuscripts from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1940 to learn oral history techniques. They then...
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Activity
Gabriel Dumont Institute

The Virtual Museum of Metis History and Culture

For Students 9th - 10th
This user-friendly site takes a close look at Metis history and culture through the use of many primary resources including oral histories, audio and video files, art, interviews, documents, and more. Very comprehensive site.
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Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: Exploring and Sharing Family Stories

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Writing gets personal when young scholars interview family members in order to write a personal narrative about that person.
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Primary
Rutgers University

Rutgers Oral History Archive

For Students 9th - 10th
This archive records the personal experiences of the American men and women who served on the homefront and overseas during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War. Also offers resources on the men and women who...
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Website
California Digital Library

The Jack London Story and the Beauty Ranch Interviews

For Students 9th - 10th
This unique site offers biographical information about Jack London and interviews the grandson of London's step-sister, who now manages the ranch.