This is a sample introduction. In a finished essay, this paragraph introduces readers to the family: who they are, where they came from, where they settled, and when they moved. This sample imagines a family that arrived in a new city, found neighbors from the same region, and helped start a place of worship, a small business, and a network of mutual support. A student would write about 100 to 120 words here, naming the people, places, and years that matter most to the story.
How communities take root
This sample paragraph connects one family’s story to the wider history of migration. It might explain how newcomers often settled near others from the same region, how chain migration brought relatives and friends, and how shared institutions such as religious centers, mutual aid groups, and local businesses helped people adjust. It might also discuss the obstacles families met, including discrimination, language barriers, and restrictive laws. A real essay draws on class readings and other secondary sources here and cites them in Chicago style, in about 150 to 250 words.
In their own words
Listen
Sample placeholder. A family member remembers their first months in a new community. Interview by the student, City, Month Day, Year.
Use a sentence or two to introduce the clip and explain why you chose it.
The journey, an object, and a sense of home
This sample paragraph describes the journey as a whole, from the decision to leave through the first years of settling in. It would introduce an object that holds the story, such as a piece of clothing, a cooking tool, or a religious item, and explain why it matters. It would reflect on identity and place: how the family stayed connected to their heritage while becoming part of a new community. Students draw directly on the oral history and cite it. This section runs about 300 to 350 words.
Sample placeholder. Describe what the image shows, why it matters to the story, and where it came from.
Other stories of community and belonging
This sample paragraph compares the family’s story with other migration stories from class. It might note how earlier groups also built neighborhoods and institutions, and how the circumstances of each group differed. Students name specific readings or examples and cite them. This section runs about 125 to 175 words.
Sample placeholder. Describe the archival image, how it relates to other migration stories, and cite its source.
What this project taught me
This sample conclusion reflects on what the student learned about their family, about migration, and about history. It might note how community shapes the experience of arriving somewhere new. A student would write about 70 to 85 words here.
References
Primary sources
Last name, First name. Oral history interview. Interviewed by Student Name. City, Month Day, Year.
Secondary sources
Sample citations go here, in Chicago style.