Got Roots? Doing an Oral History Project

Final Project

Create a multimedia presentation based on your interview with your family member. This presentation will enable you to become "a producer of historical knowledge, rather than a passive absorber of historical information." (Glen Whitman, http://www.doingoralhistory.org/)

Through this project you will record feelings and impressions and will give a vivid picture of our past, a "living history" of family and community.

Your presentation should include:

• The story highlights of the person you interview (in text)
• Illustrations of that person's life and the changing world in which he/she lives. Include primary source items — digital and/or scanned  
      • photographs
      • birth/death certificates
      • other related artifacts
• Audio and/or video clips of your actual interview
• A timeline of important events in your interviewee's life and the changing world in which he/she lives.
• Other items you deem important/necessary.

In addition to your multimedia presentation you will also be required to turn in the following:

• Copy of letter/script written to set up interview
• Release form signed by interviewee
• Interview notes, including questions asked
• Video and audio tapes of your interview
• Transcriptions of the highlights of your tapes
• Copy of Thank You letter sent after the interview
• Hard copy of all multimedia slides

Important dates: (This is listed to give you an idea of the timeline Mr. Hughes used in his classroom.)

• Interview completed by Tuesday, October 16, 2001
• Interview videotaped at Ameritech should be scheduled for Monday, October 15th or Tuesday, October 16th between 8:10 AM and 9:50 AM. Make arrangements with Mr. Hughes before leaving the Ameritech classroom on Thursday.
• Create multimedia presentation between Monday, October 15th and Wednesday, October 24th.
• Final Presentation to the class on Thursday, October 25th and Friday, October 26th.