Life Story Project
WORKSHEET
1. Suggested Use
Intergenerational communication, storytelling and empathy focus, followed by B1-level vocabulary and grammar activities.
2. Suggested Activities
A: Project-based learning
Students record a short life story from someone they know - a family member, teacher, or older neighbour. They write 5–7 interview questions to ask (e.g. What were you like as a child? What’s something you remember from school?). They then record or note down the person’s answers and write a short paragraph (120–150 words) summarising the most interesting parts of the story and what they learned. You could create a class ‘Memory Wall’ where students post a few quotes or photos from their interviews.
B: Mediation task - Encouraging conceptual talk
Students watch the video and discuss why they think it’s important to hear about older people’s life history. Write some further discussion questions on the board related to the video, e.g. what can we learn from these conversations? What do you think your story will be like in the future? What can the younger generation learn from the older and vice versa?
C. Pronunciation task - Word stress in compound nouns and phrases
Elicit some compound nouns and phrases from the video, e.g. life story, high school student, great-grandmother, smartphone app, childhood memories etc. Elicit and model the stress placement in each compound for students to repeat. Have them tap the rhythm to show stress. Then students test each other in pairs so one student says the phrase and the other points out where the stress falls.
3. Vocabulary
Communication
stories
life history
project
record
interview
share
memories
hope
past
future
connection
bridge
voices
Verbs
share
train
interview
record
capture
tell
listen
learn
feel
love
build
Adjectives
special
funny
wonderful
older
younger
delighted
careful
excited
4. Grammar
Tenses:
(present simple) Stories can bring people together; Students train in the classroom, then interview an older person. (Past simple) She was very excited to have this attention; Mae said she loved telling what happened in the past (present continuous) We’re living it for future generations. (Present perfect) Stories they have never shared before.
Passive:
People’s voices are captured to tell about life; Students are trained in the classroom.
TRANSCRIPT
Life Story Project
NARRATOR:
Stories can bring people together. When we share our life history, we don’t just tell facts — we let others feel what life was like. In Maryland, USA, students are taking part in a project to record life stories.
SOUNDBITE - Carol Mowen:
"I see it as a wonderful opportunity in the oral history vein to capture people's voices to tell about life as we're living it for future generations to then have as the archive to go back to and say 'this is what it was like’ from the people who lived it”
NARRATOR:
Students train in the classroom, then interview an older person using a smartphone app.
NARRATOR:
High school student, Gabriella, decides to interview her great-grandmother.
SOUNDBITE - Gabriella Rinehart:
"Oh, she's a very funny woman. She was very excited to have this attention."
SOUNDBITE - Mae Ridge:
"Oh, I love doing it. I think I bore some of them, but yeah, I love telling what's happened in the past."
UPSOUND:
"My name is Gabriella Rinehart, I'm 17 years old. Today is November 25th, and I'm speaking with Mae Ridge, who is my great grandmother. Can you tell me a little bit about your childhood and what you were like as a child?"
"I was a tomboy...”
“ok…”
NARRATOR:
Sometimes grandparents share stories they have never shared before. They are often about childhood memories, hopes, and family history.
SOUNDBITE - Gabriella Rinehart:
"It's a very, very special thing that you can do. And that you'll be able to hold onto for years to come."
NARRATOR:
The project builds a bridge between generations. The older generation feels delighted to tell their stories. The younger generation gets used to listening carefully and learns from the past. And everyone leaves with a stronger connection.