Oral+History

=**Oral History Project**=

Textbooks are often survey in nature, broadly covering events, movements, and people others have determined to be most relevant. But we live history every day. And our “elders” lived history yesterday! Oral history interviews allow us to gain insight into the unique and personal experiences about the big events and not so big events that happened in our lives. The goal of this assignment is to interview people who have actually lived the years that we are studying.
 * Purpose: **

You will be conducting a series of interviews to gain greater personal insight into our time period of study. Oral History Part I simply asks you to identify the two people you will be interviewing for this semester project. In Oral History Parts II, III, and IV your interviews will focus on the following areas:
 * Task: **

Area 1 – Traditional textbook material. In this part of the interview, you must ask each person about his/her notion of the American Dream for both the individual as well as the nation. You must ask about the relevant presidents and their administrations. Finally, you must ask them to indicate a **single** specific **event** that defines **each** of the specific decades covered in the time period.

Area 2 – Non-traditional supplemental material. This part of the interview allows you to discuss other things that sometimes are not found in the textbook. First, you must ask each person about two areas in the field of technology for the decades. You must also inquire about social activities, including dating, driving, and typical activities for teenagers.

**Remember** - the American Dream applies to both the **individual** (what we want for ourselves and our future generations, can change over time & be reflective of age and situation) as well as the **nation** (how the US is doing at any point economically, socially, politically, militarily...are we doing too much or not enough). Identify two (2) people of different generations who you believe will be of value to you in this assignment. Interviewees do not need to be family members. However, it is a convenient and often interesting way to complete this assignment. Additionally, while it is ideal that you interview the same people throughout the project, this may not be possible, and therefore is not necessary that you maintain the same two individuals for all four segments of the project.
 * Participants: **
 * 1) Third Generation - You
 * 2) Second Generation (born no later than 1975).
 * 3) First Generation (born no later than 1955).


 * Components: **
 * 1) Oral History I – Identify the two people you will interview throughout the project. (25 pts)
 * 2) Oral History II – Interviews for the period 1990 – Present (200 pts)
 * 3) Oral History III – Interviews for the period 1950-1970 (100 pts)
 * 4) Oral History IV – Interviews for the period 1970-1990 (150 pts)


 * Audience ** : Teacher, classmates, family & friends, future students


 * Integrity Expectations ** : Your teachers expect that you are prompt, polite, and courteous in conducting your interviews. You are to interview real people, not read books and make it up (this has happened before)! All work is to be completed independently and should conform to the school integrity policy.

= = = = = Oral History Part I: Due Date: Tuesday Sept 13th = = = = Oral History Part II: Due Date: Monday Oct 24th = = = = Oral History Part III: Due Date: Wednesday Jan 3rd = = = = = = Oral History Part IV: Due Date: = = =
 * Necessary Handouts ** : All organizers and rubrics for Oral History Parts 1-4 are located below. If you lose the assignment sheet provided in class, reprint all necessary copies from here.