Project Synergy
Enhanced Learning Object Activities
Assignment 1: Exploring Ghost story literature
Courses: Literature, English 101, Writing, American History, American
Studies, Philosophy.
These life histories were written by the staff of the Folklore Project of the Federal Writer’s
Project for the U.S. Works Progress Administration (WPA) from 1936-1940. The histories
describe the informant's family education, income, occupation, political views, religion and
mores, medical needs, diet and miscellaneous observations.
Ghost Stories from the WPA Folklore Project
In this activity Students will examine several ghost stories from the WPA Folklore Project and
compare them to each other, to movies, and to their own experience.
The student will use discussions and writings of these experiences to explore what humans find
frightening and appealing, what makes horror or ghost-story literature unique, and to improve
their writing and presentation abilities.
Warm Up Activities:
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If you know a ghost story, tell one.
Ask students if they have ever seen a ghost.
Ask them to talk about movies about ghosts. If they can’t think of any, discuss:
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Dicken’s A Christmas Carol
The Shining
Ghost Busters
Amityville Horror
Or even Psycho
Bring in on of these movies and show a scary scene.
Main Activity
Step One:
Now tell Students about the WPA story project. Say that you are going to look in these archives
for Ghost stories.
Step Two:
Print out or read aloud or write these instructions on the board:
In the search Engine, search for the word "Ghost." You will find a list of Ghost Stories collected
during the 30s by the WPA. Read the stories the stories "Little Grandmother," "interview with
Vito Cacciola" and "Dave E. Eisele"
Project Synergy
Enhanced Learning Object Activities
Step Three
Discuss as a class or in small groups one or more of the following:
Are the stories scary? Which story is the scariest?
Similarities and differences in the
Setting
Style of the Story
The Action
The Ghost Itself
In which stories are the ghosts supernatural and in which they are "real"?
Step Four:
If Students have seen a ghost or know someone who has, have them write about it. If they
have not, have students write their own fictional ghost stories. Length of the story should be
appropriate to the class and the level of the student.
Assignment 2: Oral History
Courses: Writing, American History, American Studies, Western
Civilization, Historiography.
Part 1:
Assign students to explore the American Life Histories site and to write a short (1-2 page) paper
summarizing the main characteristics of Oral histories, with examples from the primary sources
on the site.
Materials needed: An internet connected computer with word processor and printer.
Time needed: 15-30 minutes in-class, several hours outside of class.
Part 2:
Assign students to take an oral history from an older person (parent, grandparent, godparent, aunt
or uncle) in their lives. Students should work in small groups for approximately 30-50 minutes
before beginning the assignment, to create lists of appropriate questions to ask and pitfalls to
avoid. Students should interview their subject for one hour, recording the conversation on tape.
Students will then transcribe the recording, and prepare a short oral presentation (15 minutes)
highlighting the most significant discoveries of their interview.
Materials needed: An internet connected computer with word processor and printer, a tape
recorder, presentation materials if required.
Time needed: 1.5 hours in-class, several hours outside of class.