Narrative





The Intergenerational Narrative

This is a 5 - 7 page typed documentation of interviews you conduct with yourself, and two people from two other generations on a particular theme. There are five steps to this project outlined below. The first draft is due Thursday, May 31st in school to be peer edited. The final copy is due at the end of Generations.

**Step One:** Choose a Theme

So what are you interested in talking about with people in other generations? The stronger and more specific the theme, the more likely your narrative will be interesting for you, your interviewee and your reader. Here are some themes used in the past:

//Holiday traditions // //Sports I’ve played // //After School Pastimes // //Summer vacations // //Middle School // //Movies and movie stars // //My neighborhood // //Family life // //Life turning points // //Being 12 or 13 // //Cool and dorky // //Hobbies and games //

**Step Two:** Create Your Questions

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">You will want to create your interview questions in advance—and it would be a good idea to create more than you need. Start with between five and seven, keeping in mind that this assignment has a 5-7 page length requirement. If you need more to get enough information, consider whether you have questions that are formulated for really getting good, <span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">in-depth information. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Example Narrative Questions <span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(Adapted from http://www.youthsource.ab.ca/teacher_resources/oral_question.html)

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Basic Questions: · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">What is your full name and why were you named this? · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">What are the names of your parents and siblings? · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">What was your schooling like? (That is, how did you get to school, what classes did you take, and what was your favorite subject?)

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Family History Questions: · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">Do you remember hearing your grandparents describe their lives? What did they say? · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">Do you remember your great-grandparents? What do you know about them? · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">Who is the oldest person you can remember in your family from when you were a child? What do you remember about that person?

Lifetime Changes: · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">What would you consider to be the most important inventions during your lifetime? · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">How is the world different now from when you were a child? · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">As you see it, what are the biggest problems that face our nation and how do you think they could be solved?

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Family Life: · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">Do you remember anything that your children did when they were small that really amazed you? · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">What is one of the most unusual things that one of your children did regularly when he or she was small? · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">What is the funniest thing that you can remember that one of your children said or did? · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">Where have you lived as an adult? List the places and years that you lived there. · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">Why are you living where you are today? · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">Do you wish you lived somewhere else? If so, where?

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Travel/Vacation: · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">What is the most beautiful place you have ever visited and what was it like? · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">What is the longest trip you have ever gone on? Where did you go? · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">What was your favorite vacation? Where did you go and why was it special? · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">What is the favorite place you ever visited and what was it like?

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Personal: · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">What person had the most positive influence on your life? What did he or she do to influence you? · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">Is there a person that really changed the course of your life by something that he or she did? How did it happen? · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">Do you remember someone saying something to you that had a big impact on how you lived your life? Who said it, and what did that person say?

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">**Step Three:** Interview

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Guidelines on HOW TO INTERVIEW <span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">(Adapted from http://genealogy.about.com/cs/oralhistory/ht/interview.htm)

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">1) Always call a few days ahead to make sure your interviewee is available. Decide together where and when you will conduct the interview.

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">2) Give your interviewee a copy of your interview questions in advance. This will allow him or her time to think and prepare a few answers.

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">3) While you will need notebook paper and pens or pencils, you may also want to think about recording the interview with a tape recorder or video camera. Ask permission before you set up a camera though! Some people are shy about being taped. Bring at least one empty notebook with you.

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">4) Ask questions that need more than simple “yes” or “no” answers. You are seeking facts, feelings, stories, and descriptions. <span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">5) Don’t push for answers if your interviewee is unwilling to share. Move on to another question.

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">6) Use your questions as a guide, but don’t be afraid to let your interviewee tell a story that doesn’t seem related to your questions. (You want to make sure you get the basic information you need for the assignment, however.) Don’t interrupt your interviewee to get back to your interview questions—wait until he or she is finished the story.

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">7) Try not to schedule the interview for more than two hours and remember to take breaks while you are talking. Offer refreshments if you are conducting the interview at your house.

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">8) When you are finished, be sure to thank your interviewee for his or her time. Sharing a final copy of the narrative with your interviewee would also be a nice gesture.

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">**Step Four:** Write Your Narrative

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Your narrative should be 5-7 pages. Requirements include:

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">1) An Introduction giving basic background information on all participants involved, including you. Consider writing a brief biography about the people interviewed that contains information relevant to your topic and anything that would be interesting. Think about including where they grew up, and when and where they were in Middle School, for starters.

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">2) The Narrative (see below)

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; text-indent: -0.25in;">3) A Conclusion making general summing up statements. It should include your personal thoughts about life through the three generations as pertains to your theme. What big trends do you see? What did you find most interesting? Wonderful? Alarming? This is the time for you to share your thoughts and ideas on the whole thing. This is also a good time to consider the future: what do you think that your children and their children will say about your topic?

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Organizational Ideas for The Narrative:

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 4.95pt; text-indent: -4.95pt;">•You could have a question and answer format (This is the most common choice). Example:

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">What kinds of food did you like to eat when you were in middle school? What did you do for lunch when you were in school?

Grandfather: I used to go home to eat every day. Where I lived in my small hometown, there was no cafeteria in my school. All the kids walked home to a meal prepared by our mothers. The farm kids brought their lunches in pails and sat outside to eat. We had an hour for lunch! My favorite lunch was grilled cheese and tomato soup, although my grilled cheese got cold.

Mother: Later they added a cafeteria to that school. That’s where I ate. We had pretty good food. (ME: What did you like to eat?) I always made sure that I bought lunch on days that we had macaroni and cheese because my mom never made that at home. Lunch cost a quarter and milk was only four cents!

Me: I eat french fries and ice cream everyday for lunch, even though my mom says I am supposed to have a sandwich. The sandwich line is too long, though, and I want to make sure I have enough time to play soccer at recess. All my friends eat the same thing as I do.

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 4.95pt; text-indent: -4.95pt;">•You could write the same information in paragraph form, organized by question.

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 4.95pt; text-indent: -4.95pt;">•You could organize the narrative by writing by person. First, do the eldest interviewee and work to you.

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">**Step Five:** Edit

<span style="font-family: &#39;arial narrow&#39;,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Directions for Formatting:

· <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">The final product must be in Times New Roman size 12 font. · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">It should be single-spaced in each answer, but skip a line between answers (as above example). · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">Consider a neat, consistent pattern of making the speakers names bold and their words in italics. · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">The final copy should have a homemade cover with a title, author and date. · <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial Narrow&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 10pt;">You need to follow the basic editing process we have in the 7th grade.

Polish the product!
 * Step Six**: Make a cover