Community History Expert
Here's What To Do
Together with your child, brainstorm someone you know who has lived in your community for a long time. It could be a family member, neighbor, church member, etc.. Organize 15 minutes to interview your 'community history expert' about your community's history.
Together with your child, think of questions you'd like to ask your community history expert and write them down. Examples:
- How long have you lived here?
- What was it like when you first lived here?
- What is different about our community now?
- What do you think is special about our community?
- What's one thing you'd like young people like me to know about our community?
Interview your community history expert. You can help remind your child of the questions you wrote down, but feel free to let your child take the lead if they think of new questions.
After you complete your interview, talk with your child about what you both learned. Have your child draw a picture of your community history expert while you write down some of the things your expert told you.
Put PEER Into Action
Pause:
- Shake your wiggles out. Shake your hands, your feet, your head, your whole body. Now you can focus.
Engage:
- "A question I have for Miss Ida is what was school like when she was a little girl? Do you have any questions about what it was like when she was a kid?"
- "I learned that our park was built because it was Mr. Bill's idea. What did you learn? I'll write it down."
Encourage:
- Your child may feel shy about asking your community history expert questions. You can start by asking questions yourself and see if that encourages your child to ask questions.
- It might be hard for children to understand that things were different in the past. If possible, ask your community history expert to show your child pictures or objects that can help make the past seem more real.
Reflect:
- "What did you learn that you'd like to share with your friends at school?"
Not quite ready?
If your child isn't ready to interview someone, find some old pictures of your community on the internet or at the library. Talk with your child about what is different between now and then.
Ready for more?
If possible, go visit some places your community history expert mentioned. Talk about how they are different and similar now.
As your child masters this skill...
They will understand how their community's past and present are connected.