Conducting group interviews: Older elementary-aged children have limited access to adults outside their family and may not be at ease communicating with unfamiliar adults. For this reason, many of the projects for this cluster suggest group interviews, which is not typical oral history methodology but which will introduce students to the process. The students should be able to draft their own questions and help to plan an orderly question and answer session. For example, each student might have the opportunity to go to the interviewers "desk," read one question and practice being a good listener. The teacher can arrange for the media specialist or other volunteer to record the interview (video or audio) so that it can be reviewed later. Students should be expected to take good notes and be able to write and/or discuss the responses. They can also write letters to make contact with the interview candidate and write thank you letters afterward.

Invite someone from each branch of government-judicial, legislative and executive--to your class to conduct a "group" interview.
	Invite a local business person from a company that makes something or provides an essential service, to be interviewed by the class
Invite a long-time resident to talk about changes to the community and create mental maps of the community then and now.	Courtesy DE Agricultural Museum

Focused/At home interviews: If students in this cluster have access to recording devices, they can be encouraged to learn to use them under adult supervision. If not, interviews at home should be a combination of conversation and written notes taken by students. This makes the interview process somewhat awkward, but since familiar adults should be the subjects they should have more patience with the process. The adult to first answer the question orally, then be prepared to repeat certain details depending on which information the student feels is most important and interesting. Students should collect copies of photographs or objects that help to illustrate what they have learned. These interviews work well with a Scrapbook final product.

Students will "interview" parents or family members at home to discover their views on citizenship.
Courtesy DE Agricultural Museum	Students will interview an older person they know about the family economy in the past
Students will conduct a focused interview with an adult family member or friend about what characterizes Delaware, "Delmarva," Wilmington, Philadelphia, etc. as a place or region.	Courtesy DE Agricultural Museum
Courtesy Dotson Family Archive	Interview a family member or close friend about what they think is the "most important" time in their life.

Safety Note: At this age level, group interviews and interviews with family members are emphasized. Adult guidance is both essential for a quality educational experience and necessary for the child's protection. Older elementary-aged children should be supervised if they are in close contact with an adult outside of their immediate family, but should be able to communicate their questions to the interviewee without much help if they have planned the interview well. Teachers should emphasize safety points to parents or guardians in regard to any related assignments to be completed outside of school.