LOCAL HISTORY SEMESTER PROJECTS
Purpose: Oral Histories as Primary Sources & Student Research
Oral traditions and oral histories provide another way to learn about the past from people with firsthand
knowledge of historical events. Recently, spoken words that make up oral histories have gained importance as
primary sources. Historians and others find out about the lives of ordinary people through spoken stories and
tales. Oral histories provide important historical evidence about people.
Oral histories are as old as human beings. Before the invention of writing, information passed from
generation to generation through spoken word. Many people around the world continue to use oral traditions to
pass along knowledge and wisdom. Interviews and recordings of community elders and witnesses to historical
events provide exciting stories, anecdotes, and other information about the past.
Objectives: Students will:
1. Be able to demonstrate the techniques of recording oral history.
2. Be able to discern how point of view influences and effects historical understanding.
3. Learn about the history of our community from primary sources.
4. Compare and contrast their local community as it has changed over the last 150 years.
5. Explain the history of their topic (an event, a place, or a person)
6. Stand and deliver an oral presentation using visual aids to enhance their work.
Process:
1. Each student will select a topic of interest from within the local community.
*** This year I am encouraging you to interview a military veteran, in particular those who fought in
World War II. Thousands of vets each year are passing away and their stories are vanishing with
them. Korean War and Vietnam War vets are also full of stories but you must make sure that they
meet the sixty (60) year old minimum age requirement. Another option is to interview the spouses
of veterans. As the soldiers serve there is a story still at home.
2. Each student will interview a person 60 years and older on their memories and recollection of the
topic of their choice. Their memories about World War II, the Great Depression, life on rural farms,
life during the 1930’s, the history of their town, the Lycoming County Fair, Auto Racing at the Fair
Grounds, attending a one- room school are just a few of the topic ideas that can be discussed. There
is no limit on the number of stories you may from your interviewee.
Prior to your visit, we will develop interview questions for you to ask your interviewee. This
interview sheet will be a guideline for your project. You will make at least 2 visits/contacts with your
person. Each contact must be documented.
(1) Initial Contact: Establish a relationship with your buddy. Get to know your person and always
remember, you are representing Hughesville High School. Honor and respect will be at the top of
your manners list! Exchange phone numbers and set up a date for a second visit.
(2) Interview: During this visit, you will get your story, anecdote, recipe, or any other information for
your project. Documentation signed and dated.
(3) Post- check up: During this visit, you will retell your “interviewee’s” story. This way your “buddy”
can have you add or delete any information. This is after your project is completed and ready to be
presented.
Each visit must be documented.
You will need to keep an ongoing notebook/folder containing the information for your project.
Remember that there is so much you can do with this project- i.e. photos, videos, have your interviewee visit
our class, journals, diaries, personal letters, school report cards, family Bibles containing family histories, etc…
There are so many great resources in our community; you just need to find them.
Presentation:
Once you have collected all of data and information, each story will be presented to the class. I am open to
presentation ideas- PowerPoint on the computer, a video of the person, a visit to our class, a scrapbook, a
collage of you and your “buddy” working together, etc… How you present your ‘person’ or ‘topic’ is entirely
up to you! There are DEADLINES that need to be met and they are listed below. Each of these deadlines is for
your benefit. The more ahead of the game you stay, the better prepared you will be in the end. Presentations
will begin in December and continue until the end of the school year. Sign-ups for the order of project
presentations will be posted in the front of the room.
 Seniors will have the opportunity to present their projects first.
Written portion:
Each project will also include a typed five-paragraph portion that will be a minimum of two pages long.
Follow the Standard English department model of style, grammar and conventions. This paper should include
an overview of the knowledge gained during your interview, reactions you had to the person you talked to, and
your opinion about the information you have personally gained during this research project. Be sure to include
a cover page that has your name as well as that of the person or persons you conducted the interview with. This
informative paper should give the reader a sense of who this person was/is and how they lived their life.
Student reactions:
Each student must also complete a reaction form for six student presentations. Each reaction will
contain the presenters name, the name of the person interviewed, a summary of the presentation, and a critique
of the student and the material presented. Forms will be handed out at the beginning of the presentation period
and students will choose which classmates they will critique and summarize. This sixty-point project will count
as a test grade for the second nine weeks.
Grading:
This project will count as a portion of the final exam grade to be averaged with the grade received for the
multiculturalism project. Students will have the opportunity to grade themselves on a 100 point scale. I will
also grade the student on a 100 point scale. These two grades will then be averaged for the final Local Project
grade. Criteria will includes such things as completion of all sections, effective communications, demonstration
of knowledge, preparation and organization.
Any items that are turned in beyond the due date will be given half credit.
Anyone who fails the local project will NOT be eligible to go on the NYC trip during the second semester.
Project Possibilities Picture Rocks
Highland Lake
Lycoming County
Fair
Hughesville
Businesses
Genealogies
One-room schools
Rural Grist Mills
Life in Rural
America
Railroads
Auto racing at
Lycoming County
Fair
Veteran and/or their
spouse
Homes of
Hughesville
Silk Mill
Bryantown
Hughesville High
School
Sports teams
You may select any of the above topics, or see me to have another topic approved. This will be a
research project and all work will be documented and presented to your class. Your oral history is
the major part of the grade, but you will be graded 100 points on your in-class presentation. See me
if you are interested in more information on a topic from above or are in need of a person to
interview
Below is a list of due dates for our Project. Please follow this schedule.
All points will count for the second nine weeks.
Monday, September 22nd - Oral History topic AND name of your contact person (15 points)
Monday, October 6th - Generate a list of interview questions. (15 points)
10 from the packet provide and 5 you have generated for your specific person
Monday, October 20th - Documentation of first meeting (15 points)
Show a signed note from your “buddy” or a photo of you with your contact person. Also,
be ready to discuss what you have learned so far.
Monday, November 3rd - Documentation of second meeting. (15 points)
Another signature and more facts that you have gathered.
Monday, November 17th Rough Draft of research paper. (15 points)
This draft can be hand written but must be more than one page of writing NOT just
notes or bulleted points.
****We will also choose presentation days on this date****
Monday, December 8th - Rough Draft of presentation- (15 points)
PowerPoint slides, rough video segments, or pictures of poster boards that have been
started will all be accepted on this day.
Monday December 15th Period 6 presentations begin.
Monday, January 5th- Periods 3 and 7 will start presenting local projects to class.
Friday, January 16th – Last day for presentations.
Total Points of steps leading up to the project = 90
****These are all DUE DATES, therefore, the information is due that day. Extension will NOT be
permitted and excuses will not be accepted. You will either receive full credit or not credit. ****
Good Luck! Do not hesitate to ask if you have any concerns. Do not procrastinate. These are
meant to be fun projects, one that you learn from as well. I am sure that by the end of the semester
you will agree with me.
DO NOT PROCRASTINATE