Name__________________________________

DUE DATE_________________
Grandparent Interview Assignment
The Fourth Commandment
The purpose of this assignment is to connect and learn something NEW about your grandparents. It is my hope
that you come away with a better sense of your grandparent’s values and family histories. It should provide
you with something to discuss in class as well.

DIRECTIONS: Have a discussion with your grandparent(s) interview-style. You need to ask questions so that you
get more than simple answers. You will take notes on their answers and turn those notes into a well-written
report with complete sentences and paragraphs.

1. You must interview at least one grandparent. If you have no grandparents you can reach (even by phone)
then you may call an aunt, uncle or another OLDER (than 60 years old), extended family member.
2. Final report is to be typed, 11- or 12- point Calibri font, double-spaced. It should be one and a half pages
or longer. Do not waste space on a title; only write your name and “Grandparent Interview” at the top of
the page.
3. Report should include:
A. a summary of your discussion and
B. your personal reaction in a separate paragraph at the end.

The following questions are a guide to get you started. Please adapt them to your family situation and your
grandparents. Ask as many additional questions as YOU need to have enough material for your report.

Opening questions: (choose only 1 or 2, or ask your own)

How were holiday celebrations different in our family when you were little or my age?
What is your earliest memory?
Do you remember YOUR grandparents? What were they like? How did you interact with them? What stories
did your family tell about them or other relatives?

Moving into the Interview:

What are some of the highlights you remember from being a parent with small children?
What challenges did you face when your family was young and my parent a small child?
How did those challenges change as the children grew?
What (do you think) made family life easier for your generation? What made family life more difficult?
As you think about life a generation ago, what values do you want to make sure my generation does not
forget?
Do you have any words of wisdom, important ideas or messages you want to make sure our family remembers
and lives by?

REMEMBER: Report MUST end with your own reactions in a separate paragraph - recall our reflection
questions: What was new to me? What challenged me? Does what I learned call me to change something
about my life?