Dr. Michael Calvert
Assistant Superintendent, South Allegheny School District, Pennsylvania
Been using Humy in his district since 2024
“We enjoyed the program last year and used it frequently.”
Interview assignment
From Prisoner to President: An Interview with Nelson Mandela on the Struggle Against Apartheid
With Nelson Mandela
Grade 9English Language ArtsCommunity
A ready-made interview for Grade 9, shared by a teacher on Humy. Students question an AI Nelson Mandela in a live chat. Humy grades the conversation against the rubric below.
Free teacher account · 20 AI messages a month · No credit card
- Format
- Interview
- Grade
- 9
- Grading
- Per criterion
From Prisoner to President: An Interview with Nelson Mandela on the Struggle Against Apartheid
PreviewInteract responsibly with the AI and verify facts. Note that teachers have access to these conversations.
Hello, I'm Nelson Mandela. I'm ready for your interview. What's your first question?
The assignment
How does one endure twenty-seven years of imprisonment without surrendering to bitterness? Nelson Mandela's life demonstrates how moral conviction can overturn systemic oppression and reshape the modern world.
Your Mission: Interrogate Mandela's strategic shift from militant resistance to peaceful reconciliation, analyzing how his confinement fueled his vision for South Africa's post-apartheid democracy.
Mandela challenged the apartheid regime through civil disobedience before his 1964 sentencing at the Rivonia Trial. Imprisoned in the tiny Robben Island cell pictured below, he transformed harsh confinement into a crucible for leadership, emerging in 1994 as South Africa's first democratically elected president.
Probe deeply into his daily struggles, his political decisions, and his reconciliation policies. When you have prepared your inquiry strategy, select the start assignment button below to begin your interview with Nelson Mandela.
Rubric
Students see this rubric before they start. Humy scores the conversation against it and writes feedback for each criterion.
IB Middle Years Programme (Grade 9) • Maximum Score: 16 Points
| Criteria | Exemplary (4 pts) | Proficient (3 pts) | Developing (2 pts) | Beginning (1 pt) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Analysis of Protests & Strategic Shifts Evaluates Mandela's evolution from militant resistance to peaceful reconciliation. | Skillfully interrogates Mandela's strategic transition from armed struggle to peaceful reconciliation. | Questions clearly examine Mandela's protest strategies and shifting resistance tactics. | Asks basic questions about protests without examining strategic tactical shifts. | Mentions resistance or protests superficially with little historical connection. |
2. Investigation of Imprisonment & Daily Struggles Examines Robben Island confinement and endurance without bitterness. | Probes deeply into daily prison hardships and ethical leadership development. | Inquires meaningfully into prison conditions and personal endurance during confinement. | Mentions prison life broadly without exploring personal struggles or endurance. | Refers to imprisonment minimally without addressing conditions or impact. |
3. Exploration of Post-Apartheid Vision & Governance Investigates presidential dreams, democracy, and reconciliation policies. | Thoroughly investigates Mandela's presidential policies and vision for multiracial democracy. | Asks focused questions about post-apartheid governance and reconciliation dreams. | Touches on presidency or reconciliation goals in a general manner. | Asks vague or disconnected questions about Mandela's presidential era. |
4. Responsive Dialogue & Critical Inquiry Measures conversational flow, active follow-ups, and probing persona claims. | Sustains dynamic multi-turn dialogue, continuously building upon and challenging claims. | Builds follow-up questions on responses and maintains a coherent dialogue. | Asks disconnected questions with limited responsiveness to persona replies. | Submits pre-scripted questions in bulk without engaging persona responses. |
How to Calculate Your Final Score
Your overall grade is calculated by simply adding the points earned across all four criteria:
Total Score = Criterion 1 + Criterion 2 + Criterion 3 + Criterion 4
- Maximum Possible Score: 16 points.
- Score Values per Criterion: 4 points (Exemplary), 3 points (Proficient), 2 points (Developing), or 1 point (Beginning).
- Unsubmitted / Empty Work: 0 points are awarded for missing or empty submissions where no interview takes place.
Note: You are evaluated solely on the depth, structure, and responsiveness of your questioning—not on the AI persona's generated answers.
The historical figure in this assignment
Meet the AI Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Anti-apartheid revolutionary and former President of South Africa.
Students talk to an AI version of Nelson Mandela, grounded in a curated biography and selected historical sources. As with any AI, students should check important claims.
In your classroom
Ready for your class in three steps.
Open it in Humy
Create a free teacher account, open this assignment and choose Copy to my assignments to make it yours.
Share the link
Students open it and type their first and last name. No email, no password.
Humy grades the conversation
Each chat is scored against the rubric, with feedback for each criterion. You see every result.
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What educators are saying
Jacob Chisom
World and American History, Monticello High School, Arkansas
Been using Humy in his classroom since 2024
“My students say it’s a welcome change of pace. I’m not a fan of the “sage on the stage” model, so I try to incorporate research-oriented and self-paced activities. With Humy, students have to take charge of their learning. They’ve become more adept at critical thinking, forming better questions, and improving their reading comprehension. The interview feature has been my go-to tool. I create assignments where students must ask historical figures a set number of questions, then summarize the responses to ensure they’re truly absorbing the material. This approach lets them actively explore the past rather than passively consuming information.”
Roger Campbell
7th-grade World History, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Been using Humy in his classroom since 2024
“Humy has helped me bring historical figures, sometimes long past, to life. When my students interact with these figures in real-time, it eliminates some of the perceived “ancient” characteristics of my curriculum. This has shifted my students’ thinking away from viewing history as abstract or irrelevant. Real-time interactions make historical figures relatable, even allowing students to ask off-topic questions that help put historical lives in a more relevant context for 13-year-olds. The feature I use the most is the interview feature. After teaching a topic, most recently Gandhi and Joan of Arc, I have the students ask pointed, focused questions. We practice good conversation techniques beforehand, teaching them to listen (or read) carefully and formulate thoughtful follow-up questions rather than just interrogating. It helps students practice effective conversation skills.”
Dr. Michael Calvert
Assistant Superintendent, South Allegheny School District, Pennsylvania
Been using Humy in his district since 2024
“We enjoyed the program last year and used it frequently.”
Jacob Chisom
World and American History, Monticello High School, Arkansas
Been using Humy in his classroom since 2024
“My students say it’s a welcome change of pace. I’m not a fan of the “sage on the stage” model, so I try to incorporate research-oriented and self-paced activities. With Humy, students have to take charge of their learning. They’ve become more adept at critical thinking, forming better questions, and improving their reading comprehension. The interview feature has been my go-to tool. I create assignments where students must ask historical figures a set number of questions, then summarize the responses to ensure they’re truly absorbing the material. This approach lets them actively explore the past rather than passively consuming information.”
Roger Campbell
7th-grade World History, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Been using Humy in his classroom since 2024
“Humy has helped me bring historical figures, sometimes long past, to life. When my students interact with these figures in real-time, it eliminates some of the perceived “ancient” characteristics of my curriculum. This has shifted my students’ thinking away from viewing history as abstract or irrelevant. Real-time interactions make historical figures relatable, even allowing students to ask off-topic questions that help put historical lives in a more relevant context for 13-year-olds. The feature I use the most is the interview feature. After teaching a topic, most recently Gandhi and Joan of Arc, I have the students ask pointed, focused questions. We practice good conversation techniques beforehand, teaching them to listen (or read) carefully and formulate thoughtful follow-up questions rather than just interrogating. It helps students practice effective conversation skills.”
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What do students do in "From Prisoner to President: An Interview with Nelson Mandela on the Struggle Against Apartheid"?
They read the task and the rubric and ask their questions in a live chat. When they finish, Humy scores the conversation against the rubric with feedback for each criterion.
How is it graded?
Automatically against the rubric on this page. Each criterion gets a score and written feedback that points to the student's own work. You see every result. Students see their scores too.
Who made this assignment?
A teacher on Humy who shared it with every school. Shared assignments are listed only after they pass Humy's automated content review, and Humy can take one down if it's reported.
Can I change it for my class?
Yes. Open it in Humy and choose Copy to my assignments. You get your own copy of the task, rubric, grade and questions to change before you share it.
Do my students need accounts?
No. Students open the link you share and type their first and last name. No email, no password.
Is Humy free to try?
Yes. A free teacher account includes 20 AI messages a month, shared with your students, plus all five assignment formats and auto-grading. No credit card.
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