Students learn how to analyze life histories from American Life Histories, 1936-1940 in American Memory. They apply their experience by conducting interviews with people in the community and collecting their life histories. The Living History Project has involved students in oral history for two school years, each with a different theme (transplants, heroes). The oral histories collected become part of an archival collection which tells the stories of individuals in the community during the mid-twentieth century.

Transplants: Stories of Individuals Who Migrated to Central Florida

Most people in Central Florida have come from somewhere else. Students interview and photograph these 'transplants' and collect their life stories. With this process, students learn of the diverse experiences of people who now call Central Florida home.

Heroes: A Museum Celebrating Heroic Traits in the Lives of Ordinary People

Students explore the idea of a hero and interview people they admire whose lives exemplify heroic traits. Interviews are then condensed into heroic stories that are published as an anthology. Students also create a memorial to the person and exhibit it to the community at a Living History Gala event.