Grades 6-8
Democracy and Civic Engagement Lesson Plans
This curricular unit on democracy and civic engagement provides students with an accessible way to learn more about this topic through the lens of personal narrative from a range of voices. These stories create a picture of democracy that goes beyond political parties or voting, making space for students to view it in relation to community power, voice, belonging, and resistance.
Lesson Plan: Introduction to Oral History and Ethical Storytelling
This single lesson plan defines “oral history” and introduces principles for collecting and sharing stories ethically.
Lesson Plan: Oral History Found Poem
This two-day lesson plan guides students through creating a sensory, details-focused found poem using an oral history interview as source material.
Arts • Cultural and Personal Identity • Education • English Language Learners • Migration & Displacement • Storytelling Best Practices
Lesson Plan: Journeys and Migration Model Interview
This single lesson plan uses a model interview to demonstrate creating safe and brave spaces by asking open-ended and follow-up questions.
Lesson Plan: Artifact Interview
This single lesson plan guides students through an oral history interview about an artifact or object of personal or cultural significance.
Cultural and Personal Identity • Education • English Language Learners • Storytelling Best Practices
Lesson Plan: Getting To Know You Interview
This single lesson plan supports students to have relationship-building conversations in preparation for successful oral history interviews.
Lesson Plan: Family, Culture, and Traditions Interview
This single lesson plan prepares students for an oral history interview with a family or community member about culture and traditions.
Cultural and Personal Identity • Education • English Language Learners • Storytelling Best Practices
Beginning Again: Stories of Movement and Migration in Appalachia Curriculum
These lessons explore oral histories that examine the complexities of why people leave, why people stay, and and the systems that interact with individual choice. The curriculum is rooted in an Ethnic Studies framework that questions dominant narratives and promotes critical thinking around not only the Appalachian region, but migration and displacement in general.
