History in Your Own Backyard

An intergenerational project helped history students discover interesting, but often overlooked, historical resources in their newfound friends from a local senior center. The class partnered with the center and students were paired with senior "buddies" for the duration of the school year. The youths met periodically with the seniors to document the elders' life histories, a process that included formal, recorded interviews. Students did additional research into the events that shaped their buddies' lives, including the Great Depression, World War II, and the Holocaust.

Journaling, group discussions, and other reflective activities helped students gain a broader understanding of history and the ideas and opinions of the community's elderly population. The interviews became the source material for student essays, which were combined into a bound text and donated to a number of community agencies, including the senior center, the public library, and the school.