1. Why should they be utilized and examined in a classroom?

2. What makes an oral history an ethnic studies-specific oral history?

3. What is their power?

4. Why is it important to hear the actual voice of the storyteller?

1. Think about in what way this might be relevant in helping you make selections below.

2. Understand the importance of students feeling connected to your lesson.

1. Visit UC San Diego’s Race and Oral History Project for local ES oral histories.

2. Conversely, you could start with identifying ES knowledge/concepts with which you want your students to engage (and why that is), and then find oral history excerpt(s) that help illustrate or deepen that knowledge.

3. If this is your first time engaging students with oral histories, teach a lesson about the significance of ethnic studies oral histories.

1. Use this tool or create your own to capture critical themes, concepts, connections, and reflections.

2. Consider using this framework as a way to think about oppression (4 I’s of Oppression )

1. Identify any people, concepts, themes, events, structures or systems that show up in the ethnic studies oral history, which you want to learn more about.

2. Get inspired by/ learn from Ethnic Studies theory/ history/ explanations. What significance have you found and how might this significance relate to your specific students/community?

3. Link any useful sources that may be helpful later (to you or to others).

1. Write a series of bullets or a short narrative about what you see as critical/ powerful/ significant for your students in the excerpt(s) you have selected and why.

2. In your explanation, consider: ○ experiences of the interviewee, your connections and connections students might make ○ historical or present-day events ○ structures, systems, and processes.

3. In your explanation, identify:
   • Ethnic Studies concepts/themes you are hoping to illustrate/develop/examine with your chosen excerpt(s)
   • How your students might be challenged in connecting with this oral history.

Consider which unit of study might best accommodate your ideas or decide whether a new unit of study should be created.

1. As you construct your lesson segment, consider:
   • How to connect students’ interests, histories, geographies, experiences, insights, or aspirations to the oral history excerpts and/or the larger lesson(s).
   • Other text(s) that complement the oral history and/or provide a different perspective.
   • Questions you will pose of students or areas around which students will generate questions.
   • The type of thinking you will expect your students to do.
   • Tools you will use to help students analyze and reflect upon the ethnic studies oral histories.
   • Ethnic studies pedagogies (reflective of your intentions) that you will use.
   • Ways you will check your students’ understanding of the critical/ powerful/significant elements you identified above.

2. Provided the opportunity, seek out feedback from others. Here is one tool for self-checks and/or peer review.