Students investigate “How can we improve community?” by meeting with elders to hear stories and observe how community support affects mental health. They practice interviewing, active listening, note-taking, collaborative discussion, and short research while reflecting on sympathy and respectful community care. Peers and elders provide mid-project feedback to strengthen interview questions, listening habits, notes, and written reflections. Students demonstrate learning through a quiz and a public gallery event showcasing interview displays, annotated notes, and reflections.

Students will investigate “How can we improve community?” by interviewing elders and researching how community support affects mental health. They will practice respectful interviewing, active listening, collaborative discussion, accurate note-taking, and communicating with sympathy. Students will use peer and elder feedback to revise questions, notes, annotated displays, and short reflections for a gallery showcase event. They will demonstrate understanding through their final products, presentation, ongoing reflection, and a brief quiz.

Students will create photo-prompt observations, elder interview questions, active-listening notes, and annotated research from several credible sources about community support and mental health. After a mid-project critique circle with peers and elders, teams will revise their interview plans, questions, listening strategies, and notes. Each student will complete a brief content quiz and write a reflection expressing sympathy while answering, “How can we improve community?” Teams will present elder interview displays, annotated notes, and reflections in a gallery-style community showcase, with elders’ consent and privacy protected.

Invite elders to a Community Connection Kickoff for a story circle about belonging, support, and well-being, allowing anyone to pass on personal questions. In small groups, students practice active listening, ask simple pre-approved interview questions, and take notes without recording sensitive information. Students and elders then complete a photo-prompt walk, using images of community spaces to discuss where people feel connected or supported. Students close by reflecting with sympathy and generating questions around “How can we improve community?”

Host a community gallery event where students showcase revised elder interview displays, annotated notes, and reflections on how community care supports mental health. Invite participating elders, families, and community members to view the work and discuss the question, “How can we improve community?” Students present their research, practice active listening, and explain how elder feedback strengthened their interviewing and note-taking. Close with a brief content quiz and a written reflection on how sympathy shaped each student’s understanding and proposed action.