cold war.
You will interview someone who was alive during the Cold War. Your interview subject can be anyone who experienced and can describe any significant period or event from the Cold War between 1946 and 1991. The best interview subjects will be someone who lived through an event or period and can describe in detail one or more of the following events/eras:
- The Berlin Blockade and Airlift
- The Marshall Plan
- The Korean War
- Air Raid Shelters and fear of nuclear war
- The Vietnam War
- The Cuban Missile Crisis
- The building of the Berlin Wall
- President Kennedy’s trip to Berlin in 1963
- The arms race between the US and USSR
- The fall of the Berlin Wall
- Life in a Communist country during the Cold War
- Life in any country affected by the Cold War
- The anti-nuclear movement of the 1980s
- The fall of the Soviet Union
Step One – Find an interview subject. Ask family and friends for recommendations.
Step Two – Write 7-12 open ended questions about your subject’s background, experiences during the Cold War and specific memories of a key event or era. Your questions should include: Basic questions about your subject’s background – the Who, What, Where and When questions, higher level “How and Why” questions and questions that relate to the overall mood and emotions surrounding the event/era, and if applicable general fears of communism, the Soviet Union and nuclear war.
Step Three – Schedule your interview and conduct your interview. Take detailed notes.
During your interview, ask at least three follow up questions in order to learn more details about your subject’s experiences and opinions. Follow up questions include “How” and “Why” questions as well as questions like “Tell me more about….” And “Describe…..”
Step Four – Write a one to two page summary of your interview (Typed and Double-spaced). Be sure to use direct quotes from your subject and lots of vivid details and descriptions so that your interview comes alive on the page.
Step Five – Turn in your summary, and a typed copy of your questions and notes.
Rubric for Cold War Oral History Project
- Turn in copy of your questions and notes. – Up to 5 Points
- Content – Accurate historical information, vivid details that indicate thorough interview using all of the Reporter’s Questions – Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. Extensive facts and descriptions that show use of all of the Reporter’s Questions AND follow up questions. Makes interview subject’s story come alive on the page through description and use of quotes.
Basic (0-7 Points) Fair (8-11 Points) Good (12-13 Points) Excellent (14-15 Points)
- Writing – Clear declarative sentences. Logical organization. Use of advanced descriptive vocabulary. Demonstrates detailed proofreading and editing.
Order an Essay Now & Get These Features For Free:
Turnitin Report
Formatting
Title Page
Citation
Outline
