Level: Classroom
Grades: Elementary Upper (3-5)
School Quarter: 2
Related School Level Activities:
Oral Storytelling Assembly
Activity: Local Hero Profile
Theme Alignment: New Mexico’s Contribution
Toolkit Overview (In this toolkit):
- Background
- How to implement this activity
- Resources
Background:
History often focuses on the action of a few people at the scale of states and nations However, events are usually the results of movements and actions of many people, especially at the local level. Through this activity, students will have the opportunity to learn about local heroes past and present, and how they contribute to historical and current events.
How To:
Link to Implementation / How to checklist document
Inspired Conversation topics:
- Identify a local hero – list of suggestions: veteran, indigenous leader, cultural figure, community organizer, founder of a local institution, scientists, athletes, first responders
- Research what made this person a hero
- Ask to meet them, if they are still alive
- Ask about others who knew them, if they have passed
- Identify qualities that the hero possesses that made them a hero
- Collect Newspaper articles about the hero
- Show & Share the Profile
- Create a collage or bulletin board with your class
Resources:
- New Mexico Heroes by region / county
- Encourage local research
- Oral history interviewing techniques
- Top 10 questions to ask a local hero
- Reminders of interview best practices
- NM State Library Newspaper Collection
- An Introduction to Oral History – includes copyright and consent form
- Reading Rocket’s Introduction to Oral History – includes book recommendations