Interviews & Beyond

Get to know classmates, campmates, or clubmates by interviewing each other. Connect with new friends and stand them up in colorfully creative categories!

• 1.

  It could be the new school year, start of summer camp, or beginning of a new club. How do kids get to know each other? Try these cool interviews!

• 2.

  <STRONG>Choose questions.</STRONG> What would you and your classmates like to know about each other? In small groups, narrow down ideas to questions with four choices for answers. For example, "In what season is your birthday?" can be answered by fall, winter, spring, or summer. Choose one new question a week for at least the first 4 weeks of school.

• 3.

  <STRONG>Interview your partner</STRONG>. Ask each other questions and record your partner's answers in a mini notebook with Crayola® Erasable Colored Pencils. If you make a mistake, they erase easily!

• 4.

  On a recycled file folder, use the colored pencils and Crayola Gel Markers to draw and color a small, realistic stand-up figure of your partner. Cut it out with Crayola Scissors. Cut a strip of file folder to make a half-circle stand. Cut slits in the base and put your figure in its stand.

• 5.

  <STRONG>Create interview boxes</STRONG>. In four teams, coordinate assignments to design recycled tissue boxes. Decorate each side to represent one of the four answers to each week’s interview question. Use Crayola Twistables, colored pencils, and markers

• 6.

  <STRONG>Display your findings</STRONG>. Partners place each other’s figures beside the box depicting the correct answer to the interview question of the week. Who shares similar interests? Get to know your new friends!

• 7.

  Repeat for the next 3 weeks. Want to continue with more interviews? Just choose more questions, decorate more boxes, and do more interviews!

Benefits

• Students engage in peer interviews, using questioning skills to get to know each other.
• Students write and refer to their notes taken during interview process to classify classmates’ responses.
• Students create small, detailed figures representing their partners.

Adaptations

• Create pie charts, bar graphs, or other graphic representations of each week’s findings. Analyze the results. Form interest groups, such as a mystery club or music group.
• Prepare a speech to introduce your partner. Revise each other's remarks. Practice with your partner. After you present your introductions to the group, get back together to talk about your speeches. What went well? What could be improved?
• Use a tissue box to make a "Get to Know…" box for your partner. Use information from an extended interview to creatively design your box. Use all six sides if you like.
• Build on your interview skills by talking with others in your community about their careers, family history, or perspectives on a topic you are studying.