Story Corps: Digital History

Date:

3/26

Subject: Social Studies

Grade: 6-7

Goals/Objectives/Standards
NASTE
-Facilitate and Inspire student learning and creativity
b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools
and resources.
c. Promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students conceptual
understanding and thinking, planning, and creative processes
-Model digital age work and learning
b. Collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to
support student success and innovation
CCSS
W.6.3: Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant,
descriptive details, and well structures event sequences.
Timeline/structure of lesson:
Time
Opening/Framing the Lesson/Introduction/Early
10-15 minutes
Assessment
discussing the
Introduce students to StoryCorps. Show them a
website and
story, Eyes on the Stars,
watching video.
http://storycorps.org/animation/eyes-on-the-stars/.
Ask students to share their reflections about the
Allow students to
video story.
listen to stories
Explain that Story Corps is a website that publishes
independently for
historic stories told by everyday people. Allow
10-15 minutes.
students to use Chrome books or I pads with
headphones to explore the Storycorps site and
listen to more stories in partners or on their own.
Have students write a 2-3 sentence summary along
with a 2-3 sentence reflection about at least 3
stories they listen to. They will email me the
assignment using their Gmail accounts.
Interviews and
The Lesson Structure: Allow students to use Chrome
books or I pads with headphones to explore the
reflections due
StoryCorps site and listen to more stories in
in school days.
partners or on their own. Have students write a 2-3
Since this
sentence summary along with a 2-3 sentence
assignment
reflection about at least 3 stories they listen to.
requires
They will email me the assignment using their
Gmail accounts.
participation
from others and DAY 2
Assign Project- Students will have two choices.
the use of new
1- Students interview a family member, such as
technology, I will
a grandparent or uncle, about the way they
offer plenty of
lived in the past. Topics could include: a
historical event that affected interviewee,
assistance, and
the culture of a certain decade, what it was
be lenient on the
like when they were in school, etc. The
due date if it is
student would need to record the interview.
evident that the
They will be allowed to check out recording
student has
devices, could invite the family member to
school to use an Ipad, or could use any other
been working
device.
hard.
2- Students pick a historical topic (an event or

Monitor/Feedback
Ask students to share their
thoughts with one another
after showing the video.
Walk around the classroom
during discussion time I will
listen or join students
conversations.

I will provide a hand out of

all the information about
the assignment. Students
will be allowed to email me
any time with questions.

decades culture), research it, and record an

oral presentation in it. It is similar to the first
option, but provides an alternative for
students who may not be able to interview
somebody else.
All students must write a one page reflection of
the project, turned in by email.
I will create a series of checkpoints for students
to make sure they are on the right track and
offer assistance as it is needed. Check points
will be done by email, or could be turned in in
class. Here are some examples:
Checkpoint 1: Who will you be interviewing?/
What topic?
Checkpoint 2: List at least 7 questions you plan
to ask? (create a mind map to brainstorm) what
device do you plan on doing?
Closing/Assessment
The checkpoints will be assessments, as well as the
reflection paper and audio recording. The instructor
could choose whether or not to have students present
their recordings.

3-5 class periods

Homework
The recording/interview will be homework, however, I
will allow some class time for students to practice using
digital recorders, prepare interview questions, etc.

Self Evaluation of the Lesson

Resources/Materials
-Digital audio recorders
-laptops/ipads