Exploring Interviews

Grade: 1st | Duration: 30 Minutes | Class Size: 15 Students

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Standards Alignment

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts (ELA):

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1
  Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.2
  Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.3
  Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of information in a text.

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Lesson Title

Understanding Interviews

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Learning Objectives / “I Can” Statements

• I can explain what an interview is.
• I can understand why interviews help us learn about history.
• I can list the key parts of an interview.

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Success Criteria

• Students can name at least three key components of an interview (e.g., asking questions, listening carefully, and learning new information).
• Students engage in a paired discussion to share one thing they learned about interviews.

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Materials Needed

• Video of Kid President conducting an interview (age-appropriate and engaging)
• Dyslexia-friendly written outline of the interview process with simple visuals/icons
• Chart paper or whiteboard for listing components
• Interview Question Template (simple fill-in-the-blank worksheet)
• Pencils and crayons/markers

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction & Set Purpose (5 minutes)

• Gather students on carpet or in a circle.
• Begin with a simple question: “Have you ever asked someone questions to learn about them?”
• Introduce the word interview:
  “An interview is when someone asks questions to learn more about a person or a story.”
• State the purpose:
  “Today, we will learn what an interview is and why it helps us learn about history.”

2. Watch and Discuss Video (8 minutes)

• Play a short, engaging Kid President interview video (3–4 minutes).
• After watching, ask:
  • “What did you notice about how Kid President talked to the person?”
  • “What kinds of questions did he ask?”
  • “Why do you think he was asking those questions?”
• Record students’ responses on chart paper under “Key Parts of an Interview.”

3. Explicit Teaching: Key Components of an Interview (7 minutes)

• Using dyslexia-friendly outline with visuals, review the key parts of an interview:
  1. Asking questions — with curiosity
  2. Listening carefully — paying attention to answers
  3. Learning new things — discovering stories or facts
• Show icons/pictures next to each component for clarity.
• Check comprehension by asking students to repeat each part aloud.

4. Paired Discussion Practice (5 minutes)

• Pair students (differentiation to support learners by pairing less confident with stronger students).
• Each pair shares at least one key part of an interview with each other.
• Walk around to listen, provide prompts if needed:
  “Can you tell your partner why listening carefully is important?”

5. Extension Activity for Advanced Learners (3 minutes)

• Challenge advanced learners to write down one or two interview questions they would ask a classmate about their favorite school memory using the template.
• Encourage creativity and use of capital letters and punctuation.

6. Wrap-Up and Reflection (2 minutes)

• Gather whole group back together.
• Ask students: “Can someone remind us what an interview is?”
• Ask a few students to name the key parts of an interview.
• Reinforce the importance of interviews in learning history:
  “When we interview people, we learn stories that help us understand our school’s history better.”

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Differentiation

• Pair students strategically to scaffold understanding and promote peer learning.
• Provide visual supports and written outline for students who benefit from seeing information in multiple formats, including those with dyslexia.
• Use sentence starters for paired discussion: “An interview is important because...” or “One question we ask is...”

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Extension Ideas

• Let students create their own interview questions for a family member or classmate at home.
• Students can draw a picture of someone they might like to interview and write a question they would ask.

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Dyslexia-Friendly Options

• Provide a clear, simple written outline with pictures showing steps of an interview.
• Use a large, readable font (e.g., Arial or Comic Sans) with wide spacing.
• Present information orally and visually to support multiple learning styles.
• Use consistent and familiar vocabulary with repetition.

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Assessment

• Informal observation during paired discussions to check understanding.
• Quick oral check during wrap-up to see if students can state what an interview is and list its key parts.
• Review interview question sheets from advanced learners to verify ability to generate related questions.

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Teacher Reflection Notes

• Note which students struggled with the concept and may need additional support in future lessons.
• Reflect on engagement with the Kid President video and consider alternative interview examples if needed.
• Track usage of the dyslexia-friendly supports and their effectiveness.

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By integrating visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning modes combined with collaboration, this lesson thoughtfully scaffolds 1st graders' understanding of interviewing—building foundational skills that link to historical inquiry and literacy standards.