Interviewing

Subject Area: Language Arts

Author: Ray Wable

School, or Affiliation: Lucas Elementary School, Lucas, OH

Major Objectives:

• To develop questioning skills
• To develop a better understanding of other students
• To use the computer to present interviews in a class newsletter

Grade Level: 5

Materials:

*One or multiple computers; printer

*Software: word processing; desktop publishing (optional)

Time Required: 5 class periods

Activities and Procedures:

Discuss with the students what an interview is. Ask them to think about interviewers they have seen on television.

Possible questions to ask:

1.  
2. If you were going to interview a famous person, who would you select to interview?
3.  
4. What types of questions would you ask the person being interviewed?
5.  
6. Are there any questions you shouldn't ask?
7.  
8. Why does someone interview another person?
9.  
10. Why is it important to keep accurate notes?
11.  
12. How should you prepare for interviewing another person?
13. *Have the students brainstorm questions they would like to ask each other and make a list of the best questions to ask.
14. *Have the students interview a partner in their class or another class.
15. *Have them use the word processor to write a summary of the interview.
16. *Discuss the interviews individually with the students; encourage them and make suggestions for improvement.
17. *Have the students prepare a final draft of their interview summary.
18. *Have the students use desktop publishing software to present the interviews in a class newsletter. Or make a bulletin board with an individual "Interview of the Week" displayed.

Follow-Up/Extension:

*Have the students interview school personnel, community leaders or workers, parents, or relatives.

*Have them research and write a make-believe interview of a famous person.

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