WORKSHOPS FOR GRADES 7-8

The workshop schedule is flexible depending on the allotted class time, the type of project being completed (short-term, long-term, curriculum link, etc) and the preference of the teacher.

Grade 7-8 Workshop Outline

First Lesson: Introduction to Family Stories and Oral History Workshop, part 1
Duration: 40 minutes
Topic: oral history and interview techniques
Activities: Discussion and oral history listening activity

Second Lesson: Oral History Workshop, part 2
Duration: 40 minutes
Topic: interview techniques
Activities: Refresher discussion on interview techniques and practice interview

Third Lesson: Historical Photograph Workshop
Duration: 40 minutes
Topic: Coming to Canada and life in the new country
Activities: Hands-on group work with historical photos

Optional Fourth Lesson: Developing Our Displays
Duration: 20 minutes
Topic: project display design
Activities: Discussion about effective displays and display ideas

Alternative workshop structures:

As an alternative to the above-described workshops, the two oral history workshops can be combined and shortened into one 60-minute lesson. In this case, half the class can be working on the listening activity while the other half is completing the practice interview. After 20 minutes has passed, the students switch to the other activity.

The historical photograph workshop can be extended by incorporating a dramatic activity into the lesson. Working in teams, students can be asked to create a tableau of what happens next in the photos. Another activity is for students to take on the role of reporters and create a skit that reports on what's happening in the photograph.

Other considerations:

The success of this project will be greatly assisted by participation from parents or guardians. Teachers should send home a Parents' Letter on the day of the first lesson and well in advance of the final project deadline so that parents know about the work being done and can assist their children.

Teachers will want to budget some in-class independent work time and determine how much of the work will be completed as homework.

We found it useful to schedule this project over a school break or holiday, such as Thanksgiving or March Break, in order to give better access to immediate and extended family members.

First Lesson: Oral History Workshop, part 1

This is the first lesson of a two-part workshop. Part 1 begins with an introduction to oral history and discussion about interview techniques, including the 5Ws, open, closed and follow-up questions. Students then complete a listening activity in small groups using an oral history recording from our collection.

During the listening activity, each student has a different role and completes the corresponding activity sheet. One student is responsible for running the activity station. A second student listens for the content of the interview, while a third student focuses on interview technique. Please note that the roles vary in difficulty with the most challenging role focusing on technique.

Workshop Length: 45 minutes

Workshop Topics:

  1. Oral history
  2. Interview techniques
  3. Coming to Canada

Workshop Goals:

  1. To introduce students to oral history as a means of uncovering information about the past and their families.
  2. To expose students to an oral history interview/primary source.
  3. To provide students with some background and skills to conduct their own oral history interview.
  4. To encourage students to think critically about the interview process and oral history as one type of historical evidence.

Equipment:

To do in advance of the workshop:

  • Download and make copies of the Short Interview with Ky Anh, a pre-selected excerpt from the full Ky Anh interview. Alternatively, you may browse the Digital Content section to select an alternative oral history. In the event that you choose a different interview, you will need to create new questions for the student worksheets.
  • Set up listening stations throughout the classroom. These should be equipped with CD players and/or a computer, the Short Ky Anh Interview and worksheets.

Lesson Plan:

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

  • Ask students how they might learn about their own family histories. (e.g. talking to a relative)
  • Ask students if they know what oral history is, and then provide a definition. (A definition is available in the Glossary of Terms.)
  • Other introductory questions might include:
  • What is the value of oral history?
  • What are some of the limits of oral history? (e.g. one person's version)
  • How can we deal with oral history's challenges? (e.g. consult more sources to locate more or corroborative evidence)

2. Discussion: Interview Design (10 minutes)

  • Ask students to list the 5Ws.
  • Go through the difference between open and closed questions. (Definitions provided in Glossary of Terms.) You may want to illustrate the difference by having students ask you questions about a topic to suggest that the way they frame a question will yield more or less detailed responses.
  • Now introduce the concept of follow-up questions. Some example follow-up questions include:
  • Please describe...
  • Could you please provide more detail about...?
  • Tell me more about...
  • Other concepts to discuss include interviewer and interviewee, and/or narrator.
  • Move on to the group activity when sufficient background has been provided.

3. Oral History Listening Activity (25 minutes)

  • Tell students that they are about to hear a real oral history interview.
  • Break them into groups of four and assign roles to the students. Send the students to their listening activity stations.
  • Assign roles and let the students get started!

4. Wrap-up (5 minutes)

  • Sum up key points of the workshop with an emphasis on tools learned for undertaking their own interviews. Some points to touch on include finding a quiet place to conduct the interview, reinforcing what kinds of questions to use and why, advance planning, etc.

Second Lesson: Oral History Workshop, part 2

This is the second lesson of a two-part workshop. This workshop begins with a recap of interview techniques and terminology explored in part 1. Students then break into groups of two to do a practice interview. They are provided with an interview tip sheet and worksheet to help structure the activity.

Workshop Length: 40 minutes

Workshop Topics:

  1. Oral history
  2. Interview techniques

Workshop Goals:

  1. To engage students in a practice interview.
  2. To provide students with some background and skills to conduct their own oral history interview outside of class.
  3. To encourage students to think critically about the interview process and oral history as one type of historical evidence.

Equipment:

To do in advance of the workshop:

  • Print out the student activity sheets.

Lesson Plan:

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

  • Re-introduction of terminology and technique examined in previous workshop.
  • Concepts to discuss: interviewer, interviewee, 5Ws, open questions, closed questions, and follow-up questions. (Definitions provided in Glossary of Terms.)

2. Practice Interview (30 minutes)

  • Explain that each student will be working in pairs to complete a practice interview.
  • Go through the Interview Tip Sheet and Practice Interview Worksheet as a class.
  • Break the class into groups of two, distribute the worksheets and let them have fun!

6. Conclusion (5 minutes)

  • Summarize learning by exploring what students learned about the interview process through the practice interview. What was challenging? What steps will they take to plan for the family interview?

Third Lesson: Historical Photographs Workshop

In this workshop, students work in groups with historical photographs. They are provided with Country Sheets that provide some historical context related to the photographs. Students are also provided with a worksheet which provides structure to the activity and encourages them to examine the photos in detail. Props such as magnifying glasses and white gloves are a great addition to this activity since they help students get into role and make it more fun.

Workshop Length: 40 minutes

Workshop Topics:

  1. Coming to Canada/Toronto
  2. Family history
  3. Historical photographs

Workshop Goals:

  1. To introduce photographs as a way of learning about history and sharing memories.
  2. To engage students in work with historical photographs.
  3. To encourage students to make inferences based on what they can or cannot see in the photographs.

Equipment:

To do in advance of the workshop:

  • Browse the Digital Content section to select a few historical photos that you think your students would like. There are two themes for the photos: Migration and Work. Print the photos you have selected.
  • Print out the Country Sheets that correspond with the photos.
  • Print out the Photo Activity Instructions and corresponding Student Worksheets.
  • Compile the printouts into small packs that can be quickly handed out to students on the workshop day.

Lesson Plan:

1. Introduction (5 minutes)

  • Remind students of the last workshop.
  • Introduce the concept that objects and oral histories represent memories and are windows into the past. You could ask students: if you were interviewing someone about their past experiences, what things might they show you to go along with the story? (E.g. objects, photos, etc.)
  • Why are photographs such a good way to preserve memories? (E.g. capture a moment in time, easy to keep, help illustrate stories, etc.)
  • Mention to students that they will look at some of people who came to Canada throughout the 20th century. Even if they know nothing about the photo or the people in it, there are some questions that they can ask themselves to learn about them.

2. Model Photo Activity with photo of Mr. George Cane and his sons (10 minutes)

  • Using the photo of Mr. George Cane and his sons and the Teachers' Discussion Questions, model the activity for the class.

3. Photo Activity (25 minutes)

  • Break students into groups.
  • Open one activity pack to show students what they will be working with.
  • Distribute the activity packs and get the class started!

4. Wrap Up

  • Clean up.
  • Sum up key learning of workshop.
  • Introduce the next workshop.

Optional Fourth Lesson: Developing Our Displays

During this brief lesson students are inspired with ideas to illustrate creatively the family story. They are shown samples of final projects and a text panel from a professionally-produced exhibit.

Workshop length: 25 minutes

Workshop Topics:

  1. Choosing a project title
  2. Writing for your audience
  3. Illustrating your history

Workshop Goals:

  1. To inspire students with ideas to present their family stories
  2. To provide students with some structure for creating their displays

Equipment:

To do in advance of the workshop:

Lesson Plan:

1. Introduction (2 minutes)

  • Remind students of the workshops they have completed during the past few weeks.
  • By now their research should be well underway so it is time to start thinking about how the family story will be presented.

2. Structuring Student Displays

  • Show students the text panel from the exhibit, From Vietnam to Canada.
  • Using the sheet Exhibit Tips for Grades 7-8 as your guide, go through the different components of the panel:
  • Title, introduction (summary) and main body (family story)
  • Illustrations and captions
  • Font size for different parts of the display (e.g. small fonts for captions, large fonts for titles)

3. Other project ideas

  • Using your selections of final project ideas and past student projects, discuss with students possibilities for their final assignments.