Maja Pehrson

Family Roots Unit (1st Grade Lea Elementary)

How can we conduct interviews to learn about our familys past?
(lesson plan for 3/19/15)
Goals/Objectives:
Students will be able to construct a list of questions that will elicit
information about a family members past.
Students will understand how questions can be phrased in ways to
elicit different kinds of responses.
Students will understand that questions are research tools that enable
us to collect new information.
Standards:
PA Core Standards English Language Arts
Writing Standards
CC.1.4.1.E
Choose words and phrases for effect.
CC.1.4.1.V
Participate in individual or shared research and writing
projects.
Speaking and Listening
CC.1.5.1.A
Participate in collaborative conversations with peers and
adults in small and larger groups.
CC.1.5.1.C
Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in
order to gather additional information or clarify something
that is not understood.
Materials and Preparation:
Chart paper
Writing template (to write down interview questions)
Classroom Arrangement and Management Issues:
Most of the lesson will take place on the carpet with students in their
regular carpet spots. Chairs for the interviews will be set up in front of
the carpet, with the rest of the students acting as the talk show
audience (if necessary, review what an audience looks like and sounds

like). Students will be called back to their seats to write their questions
by tables. We will debrief questions at the end with students still at
their seats so that they can add additional questions to their lists.
Plan:
Hook [5 minutes]
1. Yesterday we read the story Momma, Where Are You From? Can
someone remind us what happened in that story? (a girl learns
all about where her mom is from and what it was like when she
grew up) How did the girl learn so much about her mom? (she
asked her!) Have any of you ever asked the adults in your family
about where theyre from? What did you learn? What do you
still want to know? (discuss whole group)
[5 minutes]
The Body of the Lesson [45 minutes~ with transitions]
1. As I mentioned yesterday, you are going to do a project where
you interview an adult in your family to learn about where
theyre from and what life was like when they were a kid.
Discuss what an interview is. (guiding questions: When have you
seen an interview before? What was it like? What made it
interesting?)
[5 minutes]
2. Discuss question words (who/what/where/when/why/how).
Prompt- what is the question word in the title- Momma Where
Are You From? Focus on juicy questions (questions that elicit
long and interesting responses). Give two examples of questions
(possible questions: Do you like Philadelphia? Vs. What is it like
to grow up in Philadelphia?) Point out that some questions only
lead to yes or no answers/questions that start with
who/what/where/when/why/how generally lead to more
interesting responses.
[5 minutes]
3. 106 Classroom Talk Show: students will have the opportunity to
ask me and their classroom teacher questions, focusing on where
were from/what our lives were like growing up. (remind students
of Momma, Where Are You From? and the four square we made
the day prior for possible question topics- girl learned about what
her moms school was like, what she liked to do for fun, the food
she ate, the chores she did)
[10 minutes]
4. Debrief (What went well? Which questions got the juiciest
answers? Which questions elicited the most information about
where we are from? Are there any questions you want to use to
ask your family members?)

[10 minutes]
5. Individually come up with list of questions they want to ask a
family member. If done early- check with a friend: Do these
questions seem juicy?
[10 minutes]
Closing [5 minutes]
1. Share questions whole group. (Did anyone come up with a juicy
question you would also like to ask an adult in your family? Add
it to your list!)
[5 minutes]
Assessment:
Did students write relevant and juicy questions on their interview
lists? (Are their questions asking about their family members
experience growing up? Are their questions likely to elicit long
responses rather than simple one word yes/no answers? additionally:
Did students write sentences in question form, using a question word
and question mark at the end of the sentence?)
Anticipating Students Responses and Your Responses:
Students may have trouble determining what distinguishes a juicy
question. They should benefit from watching the interviews and seeing
which questions elicit longer, richer responses. I may have to help
students rephrase and improve questions throughout the interview.
Students may also need to be reminded that their questions are
focused on learning about their family members past and should elicit
information students dont already know.
Accommodations:
Students will benefit from seeing the interview process modeled in a
fun way. Before individual writing, questions will be brainstormed
whole group, and strategies for making questions juicy will be
articulated by teacher out loud. Follow up questions will encourage
students to rephrase questions/consider what kinds of answers they
will get (both whole group and as I circulate and check on students
individual work). All students will be encouraged to stretch out their
words and write whatever sounds they hear if they struggle while
writing. They will also be directed to the Fab 5 writing checklist.
Students will benefit at the end of the lesson from hearing other
students ideas and learning that ideas are meant to be shared.