Materials

Recording Device

You will ideally have access to a device to record audio and take photographs and/or video, such as a smartphone or tablet. If this equipment is not available, you can record your oral history with pen and paper. See the “Garden Toolshed” at the end of this module for online resources and technical specifications for images, audio, and video.

Consent Forms

In order for a teacher to submit your garden story to the Community of Gardens archive, your parent or legal guardian must sign the parent/guardian consent form. Interviewees must also sign the interviewee consent form to give their permission for their story to be submitted to Community of Gardens. Teachers should retain both sets of these consent forms for their own records; they do not need to be submitted to Smithsonian Gardens.

To respect your privacy, and the privacy of the interviewees, publishing interviews to the Community of Gardens archive is optional. You or your interviewee may request to keep your interview private.

Download the Parent/Guardian Consent Form.

Download the Interviewee Consent Form.

Download the Sample Interview Planning Sheet.