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Interview Someone About the Past

A companion sheet — print it, scribble on it, keep it or recycle it

Voleio

What we're doing

Real history, from someone who was there.

  • About 45 minutes
  • History
  • Reading

Gather these

  • Questions written out
  • A phone to record (with permission)

Step by step

  • Write ten open questions.
  • Ask permission to record.
  • Listen more than you talk.
  • Write three things you didn't know before.

Worth talking about

Primary sources
Asking good questions
Chronology
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Draw what you found

There's no wrong way to fill this in

Voleio

Two things worth drawing

Tick what you did

Historical enquiry
Listening
Questioning
Tried something new
Asked a question
Finished happy

A grown-up's note

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Take it further

Three doors out of the same activity

Voleio

If it felt tricky

Ask five questions with a grown-up beside you.

If it felt easy

Place the answers on a timeline with national events.

If you'd rather do it differently

Interview a neighbour, or write letters instead.

Next time, we could

  • Try it outdoors
  • Invite a friend or sibling
  • Stretch it over a whole week

Our own ideas