What's Your Story? Connecting Your Family to History
In this interactive course, students will learn interview, research, and presentation skills while exploring family stories. Analyzing world events, they will learn how their personal stories intersect with world history.
What's included
6 live meetings
6 in-class hoursAssignments
1-2 hours per week. Students will complete one assignment per week. All assignments will contribute to the final presentation in the last class.Assessment
includedClass Experience
US Grade 8 - 11
Beginner Level
This class is interactive, and while each session builds on the previous one, students can join us at any point. Students will be encouraged to be curious and ask lots of questions, both in class and in the interviews they conduct. Students will learn to use Padlet application, conduct research with primary and secondary sources, and understand the ethics of conducting interviews. They will also develop public speaking and creative writing skills for presenting their final projects.
Learning Goals
Students will:
Develop questions and conduct research
Evaluate sources and use evidence
Evaluate how personal/familial histories are shaped by time, place, and context
Develop presentation skills.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created CurriculumStandards
Aligned with National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies (NCSS)6 Lessons
over 6 WeeksLesson 1:
Why Family History Matters
Objective: Understand why learning about family history is essential and how it shapes personal and cultural identity.
Talk about how storytelling helps keep history alive.
Learn how family history helps us understand who we are and where we come from.
Explore how family stories connect to big historical events (like immigration, wars, or civil rights movements).
Discuss how you might present your final presentation.
HOMEWORK: Create a character profile for yourself. 60 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Researching Your Family’s Past
Objective: Learn how to gather background information before interviewing relatives.
Explore tools like family trees, census records, and old documents.
Explore Padlet app.
Discuss primary and secondary sources.
Learn how to organize notes and keep track of information.
Look at historical events that might have affected your family (such as wars, economic struggles, or social movements).
HOMEWORK: Make an "About Me" Padlet 60 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Learn How to Conduct Interviews
Objective: Create good questions and learn how to have a meaningful conversation with a family member.
Learn the difference between open-ended and yes/no questions.
Learn how to ask questions that connect family stories to historical events.
Discuss different ways to record interviews (writing notes, using audio, or recording video).
Discuss how to handle difficult topics, like talking about hard times in history.
HOMEWORK: Conduct interviews 60 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Interviews and Research
Objective: Complete the interview and document the responses accurately.
Review how to take detailed notes and remember key details.
Learn how to handle emotional moments or missing information.
Think about how big historical events shaped your family’s experiences.
Learn how to create a visual timeline.
Share what it was like to do the interview.
HOMEWORK: Create a draft of a visual timeline. Research at least five historical events to add to your timeline. 60 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Apps and videos used both in class and for homework are Padlet and Youtube. Both are approved third-party tools. Padlet will be used to create a visual timeline of family and world history. Youtube will be used for instructions on how to use Padlet, and for advice/considerations when conducting interviews and doing research,
Pre-Requisites
None
Supply List
Voice recording device (cell phone recording app will work). Access to library/internet for research.
Sources
We will reference and research significant events in world history. Wikipedia will be used to reference secondary sources.
Joined March, 2025
Teacher expertise and credentials
I have worked with students on project-based learning and ethnography for more than 30 years as a teaching artist. As a history buff and storyteller, I understand the power of personal narrative, our need to understand our cultural and familial roots, and how that knowledge informs our social-emotional learning.Reviews
Live Group Course
$13
weekly1x per week, 6 weeks
60 min
Live video meetings
Ages: 12-16
6-10 learners per class
