1. Oral Interviews

The theme of this interview is to learn about life from the point of view of someone older than your parents. Have you ever wondered what it's like to grow old?

1. When were you born?
2. Where did you grow up?
3. What are your happiest childhood memories?
4. Where have you lived throughout your life?
5. What is the hardest thing about growing old? What is the easiest or best thing?
6. If you could live your life over again, would you do anything differently?
7. What advice can you give to me about living my life and growing old?

Make sure you take notes during your interview. You may even want to record the interview using a tape recorder. Notes or a tape recording will give you a "record" of your subject's memories and thoughts. Your subject is the person you have interviewed.

2. Writing a Story

This story will be based on the memories of the person you interviewed for activity #1.

• notes or tape recording from the interview
• blank paper
• colored pencils, crayons, or markers.

Using the notes or tape recording from your interview choose part of the interview that could become a story; for example, if your subject told you about their childhood. Write down this story word for word. On several blank pieces of paper, draw pictures to illustrate this story. You may want to transfer the story onto the pages with your illustrations.

3. Narrative Map

• Draw a map depicting your life from when you were born to the present.
• Draw another map where you imagine the path your life might take as you grow older. Try and take your map all the way to age 83.

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© Illinois State Museum 31-Dec-96