You are about to sit with a grandparent, aunt, or neighbor and record their story for a class project. The room is quiet, a notebook or voice recorder is ready, and you have a printed worksheet with simple prompts. The goal is to capture details that a younger interviewer can understand and follow, while respecting the interviewee’s pace. This guide supplies a ready‑to‑use list of questions, tips for handling unexpected answers, and suggestions for turning the raw material into a school display or family booklet.
Choosing the Relationship and Setting
1. Who are you interviewing and how are you related? (Ask for full name and how you know each other)
2. Where does the interview take place and why is it comfortable for both of you? (Note any background sounds)
3. How long do you expect the conversation to last? (Aim for 20‑30 minutes)
4. What equipment will you use to record the talk? (Phone recorder, tablet app, or pen and paper)
5. Who will be present besides you and the interviewee? (Consider a parent or teacher for support)
6. How will you introduce the purpose of the interview? (Use a short, clear sentence)
7. What will you do if the interviewee needs a break? (Pause, offer water, continue later)
8. How will you ensure the setting is quiet enough for clear audio? (Close windows, turn off TV)
9. What visual cue will you give to signal the next question? (Show a printed card)
10. How will you confirm the interviewee is comfortable with recording? (Ask for permission again before starting)
11. What backup plan do you have if the recorder fails? (Take handwritten notes)
12. How will you thank the interviewee after the session? (Offer a thank‑you note or small token)
13. What will you do with the recording after the interview? (Label file with name and date)
14. How will you store any handwritten notes safely? (Place in a folder)
15. What will you do if the interviewee wants to stop early? (Respect the decision and note the time)
16. How will you keep the interview focused on the intended topics? (Use a printed worksheet as a guide)
17. What will you do if the interviewee goes off on a tangent? (Gently steer back with a reminder of the question)
18. How will you handle a language barrier or hearing difficulty? (Speak slowly, repeat questions)
19. What will you do if the interviewee shares a story that makes you emotional? (Pause, breathe, then continue)
20. How will you verify the spelling of names and places mentioned? (Ask for clarification immediately)
Early Memories
1. Where did you grow up? (Ask for town, street, and house description)
2. What was your favorite place to play as a child? (Describe the sounds and smells)
3. Who were your closest friends in elementary school? (Ask for a memorable event together)
4. What game did you play that you still remember? (Explain the rules briefly)
5. What food did your family eat on special occasions? (Mention any holiday dishes)
6. How did you get to school each day? (Walk, bus, car – note any routine)
7. What was a typical breakfast in your home? (List the items)
8. Who taught you to read or write? (Share a short anecdote)
9. What was a school rule you liked or disliked? (Explain why)
10. What book or story captivated you as a child? (Title and why it mattered)
11. How did you celebrate your birthday when you were ten? (Describe the party)
12. What piece of clothing do you remember wearing often? (Explain its significance)
13. Who helped you with your first pet? (Name the pet and the caretaker)
14. What was a typical family outing on weekends? (Location and activity)
15. How did you feel when you first learned to ride a bike? (Describe the emotion)
16. What was a school project you were proud of? (Brief description)
17. Who was a teacher that left a strong impression on you? (Mention a lesson)
18. What tradition did your family keep during holidays? (Detail the ritual)
19. How did you spend a rainy day as a child? (Activity and setting)
20. What was a fear you had as a youngster? (Explain how you overcame it)
Family Traditions and Values
1. What holiday does your family celebrate most strongly? (Describe the main activity)
2. How is a special dish prepared in your household? (Step‑by‑step overview)
3. Who is responsible for telling family stories? (Name the storyteller)
4. What song or music is played at family gatherings? (Identify the song)
5. How does your family mark a new baby’s arrival? (Ritual or custom)
6. What value was emphasized most by your parents? (Explain with an example)
7. How are birthdays typically observed in your family? (Typical gifts or meals)
8. What piece of advice has been passed down through generations? (Quote it)
9. How does your family handle disagreements? (Describe the approach)
10. What activity does your family do together every summer? (Detail the event)
11. Who keeps the family photo album or digital archive? (Name the caretaker)
12. What language or dialect is spoken at home? (Mention any special phrases)
13. How does your family celebrate a personal achievement? (Recognition method)
14. What heirloom or object holds special meaning? (Describe it)
15. How are religious or spiritual practices observed? (Brief description)
16. What role does humor play in family interactions? (Give an example)
17. How does your family support a member in need? (Specific action)
18. What tradition did you start that continues today? (Explain its origin)
19. How does your family document important events? (Photo, journal, video)
20. What lesson did you learn from a family conflict? (Summarize)
School, Work, and Community
1. What was your first job after leaving school? (Job title and duties)
2. Who was a mentor or boss that influenced you? (Name and impact)
3. How did you choose a career path? (Key deciding factor)
4. What community activity did you participate in as a teenager? (Organization and role)
5. How did you balance schoolwork and extracurriculars? (Strategy used)
6. What was a memorable project you completed at work? (Brief description)
7. Who did you work with most closely? (Team or colleague name)
8. What skill did you learn on the job that you still use? (Skill and application)
9. How did you celebrate a promotion or success? (Celebration style)
10. What challenge did you face in your career and how did you overcome it? (Situation and solution)
11. How did you stay connected with classmates after graduation? (Method of contact)
12. What volunteer work has been most meaningful to you? (Organization and role)
13. How did you handle a difficult customer or client? (Approach taken)
14. What was a typical workday schedule for you? (Start, breaks, end)
15. Who inspired you to pursue further education? (Name and reason)
16. How did you manage work‑life balance during a busy period? (Techniques used)
17. What technology changed the way you performed your job? (Tool and impact)
18. How did you decide to retire or change careers? (Decision point)
19. What piece of advice would you give to someone entering your field today? (Concise tip)
20. How did you stay motivated during a long‑term project? (Motivation method)
Life Lessons, Beliefs, and Advice
1. What event taught you the most about resilience? (Brief story)
2. How do you define success in your own life? (Personal definition)
3. What belief has guided your decisions? (Explain with an example)
4. How did you cope with a loss or disappointment? (Coping mechanism)
5. What habit has contributed most to your wellbeing? (Describe the habit)
6. How do you stay connected with friends over the years? (Method)
7. What mistake do you wish you could redo, and what did you learn? (Mistake and lesson)
8. How do you approach making big decisions? (Decision‑making process)
9. What value would you like future generations to keep? (Specific value)
10. How did you handle a situation that made you angry? (Response)
11. What book or article changed your perspective? (Title and impact)
12. How do you practice gratitude in daily life? (Practice)
13. What advice would you give to a young person starting a career? (Key point)
14. How have you adapted to a major technological change? (Adjustment)
15. What tradition do you hope will continue after you? (Describe)
16. How did you find purpose after retirement or a career shift? (Path)
17. What question do you wish younger people would ask you more often? (Question)
18. How do you keep learning new things now? (Method)
19. What legacy do you hope to leave behind? (Specific goal)
20. How would you summarize the most important lesson of your life? (One sentence)
Processing and Sharing the Interview
1. After the interview, what stood out to you the most? (Write a short reflection)
2. Which answer surprised you, and why? (Note the surprise)
3. How would you describe the overall tone of the conversation? (Adjective)
4. What detail would you like to explore further in a follow‑up? (Identify)
5. How will you organize the audio file and notes? (Folder structure)
6. What method will you use to transcribe the recording? (App or manual)
7. How will you check the transcription for accuracy? (Compare with audio)
8. What visual element could accompany the story in a booklet? (Photo, drawing)
9. How will you format the final write‑up for a school project? (Layout idea)
10. Who will you share the finished piece with first? (Audience)
11. How will you store the original recording for future use? (Backup plan)
12. What permission do you need before publishing the story? (Written consent)
13. How will you credit the interviewee in the final product? (Attribution format)
14. What simple archive could hold all interview materials? (Folder, cloud drive)
15. How will you present the story in a family booklet? (Page order)
16. What feedback will you ask from classmates or family after sharing? (Specific question)
17. How will you incorporate any suggested edits? (Revision process)
18. What lesson did you learn about interviewing yourself? (Self‑assessment)
19. How could you reuse this worksheet for another family member? (Adaptation tip)
20. What next step will you take to preserve more stories? (Plan)
Worth remembering: The most useful thing to remember is that each question should be clear, concrete, and paired with a simple visual cue or follow‑up prompt, allowing a young interviewer to stay on track while the interviewee feels heard and respected.
Common questions
What should this resource include?
It should include a concise introduction, a set of themed question blocks with numbered prompts, follow‑up suggestions, practical tips for recording and handling unexpected answers, and brief guidance for processing and sharing the material.
Can I use it digitally and on paper?
Yes, the worksheet can be printed as a handout for face‑to‑face interviews or displayed on a tablet or laptop for digital note‑taking. The same numbered prompts work in both formats, and the recording instructions apply regardless of the medium.
How should I customize it for my family?
Replace generic placeholders with specific names, places, or traditions that are unique to your family, add or remove questions that fit the interviewee’s life stage, and adjust the visual cue cards to match the visual style your young interviewers prefer.