You don't have to travel far for a good history lesson. Every neighborhood is filled with history and small business shop owners who want to share their stories, especially with young people! Old storefronts often have intriguing stories behind them and new stores opening up do, too.

Subjects

English, social studies, photography

Estimated Time

One 45-minute class

Grade Level

Middle and High School

Introduction

Some young people enjoy getting out and about while others may need a good excuse to get outside. To help students get to know their community a little more, this lesson asks students to interview shopkeepers or community members about buildings (stores, rec centers, houses of worship, etc.) in the town/city they live in. We would love to hear about your students' experiences. They can post their photos to Instagram using #StoryBeyondTheStore and share what they learned about small businesses where they live.

Above is a photo of the famous (now closed) Heller's Bakery in Washington D.C. Heller's opened more than 80 years ago in a diverse, immigrant-friendly neighborhood by German immigrants. At one point the bakery employed 50 people and had stands around the city.

Small businesses located in small towns to big cities in the U.S. are filled with stories of success and struggle. Several people who walked by as we were taking these photos had a story about the sweet potato pie or donuts they'd eaten there as a kid. Many shared their feelings about Heller's closing its doors, and how high rents had forced other long-time businesses to shutter.

THE CHARGE: Have students take a picture of a storefront sign in their neighborhood and see if they can find out the story beyond the store. Send pics to our Instagram account @newshourextra and the hashtag #StoryBeyondTheStore. Include a short description of what students were able to learn about the business they chose and what made them most want to share its story. Email education@newshour.org, if your students don't have Instagram, and we'll share for you!

by Victoria Pasquantonio, PBS NewsHour Education Editor, History Teacher