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Writing from Experience: Movies and Memories. Language Arts and Social Studies Lessons for Your Class

Lesson 3: Writing from Oral History

Overview: Reflect and write about personal experiences; engage in discussion through an interview; write an expressive essay.

Time Required: 40 minutes

Materials: Writing from Oral History Student Reproducible 3

Directions:

1. Write the word "experience" on the board. As a class, discuss the definition of experience by having students provide examples of important moments in their lives. Have students think about personal interests and experiences at school, at home, and with their friends.

2. Instruct students to listen carefully to others' experiences and think about what is similar in their classmates' stories. Have them jot down their ideas to discuss later.

3. Distribute Writing from Oral History student reproducible 3 and read aloud as a class. Give students 15 minutes to complete the questions, then discuss student responses.

Wrap-up:
Using the questions on the worksheet as a starting point, instruct students to interview a family member about his or her past moviegoing experiences. Have students summarize the results of their interviews in a paragraph comparing their own experience to that of a family member.

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Photos, top to bottom: © Arthur Tilley/Creatas/PictureQuest, © Ryan McVay/Photodisc/PictureQuest.