Grades 6-8 Interview Ideas

Interview a state legislator, prosecutor, or police officer about the role of government in making and enforcing laws and regulations.

Depending on the interview subject, the emphasis may be more on regulations and taxes or the enforcement and prosecution of law breakers. Students should develop questions that attempt to discover the interaction between the various branches of government (judicial, legislative and executive) as well as the structure and function of local, state and federal government.

Standards: Social Studies-Civics; Language Arts-Research; Language Arts-Written and Oral Communication

Interview an individual who was involved in the civil rights movement or someone who has advocated for the rights of minorities.

Students should have an understanding of the concept of majority rule and the protections provided to all Americans (including minorities) described in documents such as the Declaration of Independence, US Constitution, Bill of Rights and the Federalist Papers. Questions should focus on the arguments that the interviewee and others in their group used to advocate for their rights, the actions that they took and the results that they achieved. Personal viewpoints and opinions on the status of minority right then and now are valid and revealing.

Standards: Social Studies-Civics; Social Studies-History; Language Arts-Research; Language Arts-Written and Oral Communication

Interview someone who has served in the military, worked in public service or someone who has served jury duty for an important or complicated trial.

Students should question the interview subject about why they chose to exercise this responsibility and the sacrifices it required; how they feel their participation as a citizen was important to protecting the rights of Americans (such as political freedom, economic freedom and property rights, protection of privileges); and how they perceive individuals who do not exercise their responsibilities as citizens. Students could write a persuasive essay based on their interview to encourage other teenagers to exercise their responsibilities when they are able.

Standards: Social Studies-Civics; Language Arts-Research; Language Arts-Written and Oral Communication

Select a current political issue that is being debated locally or nationally. Create a questionnaire and interview family and neighbors about the issue.

Students should research the position of politicians or appointed officials who have a stake in the issue to get an idea of the various "sides" of the debate. They should also research and ask questions about any related legal or regulatory issues, as well as moral and ethical concerns. As a final product, the student might choose to advocate a specific viewpoint in a letter to the editor in the local newspaper or share all opinions with an appropriate political leader.

Standards: Social Studies-Civics; Language Arts-Research; Language Arts-Written and Oral Communication

Interview a local small business owner about how government regulation and financial issues affect how their business is conducted.

In addition to basic information about the business, students should ask about the burden of taxes, fees and licensing on doing business, in addition to specific regulations regarding employees and the product/service they sell. The role of financial planning and banking should be explored also. These factors should play into a discussion of how the business functions for better or worse in a market economy (costs, supply and demand, price levels). Based on what they learn, students might analyze whether this type of business is one they might consider operating, and why or why not.

Standards: Social Studies-Economics; Language Arts-Research; Language Arts-Written and Oral Communication

Interview an older family member about their role in the family economy when they were a teenager.

Students should ask about whether teenagers in the past held jobs and whether all of their earnings were kept; how they paid for recreation and other nonessential items and what their level of responsibility was to the rest of the family. The cost of various items and the wants of teenagers then versus now should also factor into the conversation. Students could argue teenagers had it better then or now based on their interview.

Standards: Social Studies-Economics; Language Arts-Research; Language Arts-Written and Oral Communication

Interview a representative of a business involved in international trade.

Ask about the ways in which the business is dependent on businesses, people and resources from other countries and how trade benefits those countries. What is the role and impact of U.S. government policy and regulation on how they conduct business? How do foreign policies and regulations affect how they conduct business? Students may conduct outside research to fully understand the differences between our economy and the economy of the other countries discussed and present a comparative analysis.

Standards: Social Studies-Economics; Language Arts-Research; Language Arts-Written and Oral Communication

Interview a biologist, natural resources or wildlife expert about changes to the environment.

Students may begin by asking questions about the impact of human activity and development on the land in recent history and the projected impact into the future. How have these changes impacted the use of the natural environment for economic reasons and as a place to live? How do these changes compare to changes over the course of hundreds and thousands of years? Based on this interview, students could create a map with overlays or series of maps that show changes to the land and uses of the land over time.

Standards: Social Studies-Geography; Social Studies-Economics; Language Arts-Research; Language Arts-Written and Oral Communication

Interview an adult about what characterizes "Delmarva" as a place or region.

Many people still strongly identify with this region as a distinct culture. Consider the commonalties that might have created this identify, including geography, economic activity, traditions, political ideology, religion, language/dialect. Students should ask the interview subject whether this identity is still intact and, if not, what has changed the perception. Students should use background research to discover why the region may have had its own unique identity historically.

Standards: Social Studies-Geography; Language Arts-Research; Language Arts-Written and Oral Communication

Analyze an interview from the Federal Writers Project's "Slave Narratives," one of the earliest forms of oral history.

Compare the information contained in these written interviews to other historic documents, history texts and artifacts on the Civil War and Reconstruction time period. Consider the fact that these oral interviews were edited and the authors used literary techniques to dramatize and possibly change/distort the information given by the subjects. Evaluate the narratives' usefulness as a source of history. The interviews can be found online: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938, Library of Congress, http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/snhtml/snhome.html.

Standards: Social Studies-History; Language Arts-Research; Language Arts-Written and Oral Communication; Language Arts-Reading, Examine meaning of text

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