Queso, Just in Time

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In Queso, Just in Time, Queso discovers that his father was once just a kid who copied homework, cheated on tests, and goofed off in class. Help students discover that the adults in their lives were once students with their own stories to tell—no time travel required—by having them interview a family member or another adult from an older generation about their experiences in school.

As a class, decide on a set of open-ended questions that all students can ask in person, over the phone, or via video chat. Questions might focus on what school was like, favorite subjects or teachers, friendships, activities, challenges, rules, technology, or what has changed since they were students. After modeling how to conduct an interview, give students an opportunity to practice asking questions in pairs and listening for details that help tell a story. Send a note home to families about the oral history interview, along with a form containing the questions. Encourage students to ask for copies of photographs, yearbook pages, or other items that can help them compare school experiences over the years.

After students conduct their interviews, have them share and compare what they learned. Discuss what surprised them about school in the past and what stayed the same across generations. To extend the activity, have students create their own oral histories about their school experience today for future students to learn what school was like during this time.

Questions for Discussion or Reflective Writing

• How does Queso feel about his name and nickname? How do his feelings about his name change after spending time with twelve-year-old Pancho?
• What surprises Queso most about meeting Pancho? How does seeing his father as an ordinary kid with fears, dreams, and struggles change the way Queso thinks about him? Have you ever learned something about an adult in your life that changed how you saw them?
• How does spending time in 1985 help Queso better understand the people in his life? What does he discover about growing up during that time? What do you think kids fifty years from now will find surprising about growing up today?
• Why does it matter that people can find characters and stories that reflect their own lives? What surprises Queso about the books he finds available in the library in 1985?
• When Queso makes his wish, what is he hoping for? How does Queso’s travel back in time help him move forward?

Related Resources

Queso, Just in Time Educator’s Guide from HarperStacks

Principles and Best Practices for Oral History Education from the Oral History Association