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The stories we inherit. The stories we carry. The stories we choose to tell.
The Things They CarryThe Things They Carry invited students to explore the stories, histories, identities, and experiences that shape who we become. Through literature, historical inquiry, oral history interviews, and digital storytelling, students examined the connections between personal narratives and larger social forces, culminating in original animated films that honored the voices, memories, and wisdom of their families and communities.
❋ Essential Questions
What stories, histories, and experiences do we carry that shape who we are and how we move through the world? What responsibility do we have to care for one another and challenge injustice when we encounter it? How can listening to and honoring people's stories deepen empathy, belonging, and understanding? In what ways do the past and present remain connected through the experiences we inherit and carry forward?
❋ What Students Learned
Students explored how identity is shaped by personal experiences, family histories, culture, and larger social forces. Through the study of literature, historical events such as the Eugenics Movement and Japanese American Internment, and oral history interviews, they examined the relationship between individual stories and systemic injustice.
Students developed skills in literary analysis, historical inquiry, interviewing, narrative writing, and digital storytelling. They learned how to gather, interpret, and amplify community stories while creating original animated films that honored the experiences and wisdom of others.
❋ Why It's Liberatory
This project positioned students as historians, storytellers, and meaning-makers rather than passive recipients of information. By centering lived experiences and community narratives, students explored how identity, belonging, privilege, and oppression shape people's lives and developed a deeper understanding of their own place within those systems.
Rather than studying history as something distant, students connected historical injustices to contemporary issues and used storytelling as a tool for empathy, healing, and humanization. The project affirmed that every person's story has value and that understanding one another's experiences is essential to building a more just and inclusive society.
❋ TLC Values in Action
Liberation emerged as students examined how systems of power, privilege, exclusion, and injustice have shaped both history and contemporary society. Community came alive as students conducted interviews with family and community members, honoring lived experiences and strengthening intergenerational connections. Wild Potential was reflected in students' growth as storytellers, historians, and creators who transformed complex ideas into original animated narratives. Through the blending of historical inquiry, personal reflection, and digital storytelling, the project embodied Alchemy, while the deep listening, empathy, and humanization at its core reflected Love in action.
THE EXHIBITION
Inspired by StoryCorps, the project culminated in students interviewing family members, editing podcasts, and creating animated short films of their stories. Exhibition night was a movie premiere of all the films for all 8th grade families. Here are just a few.
I Forgive You
A Town Hero
Garbage City
A Mother’s Heart
