This paper describes two activities used in a course that implemented the "Foxfire" approach for studying the local community of Rock Hill, South Carolina. The first activity, a unit on the family, encouraged discussion of students' families, presented poems exploring the details of family experience, and provided the opportunity for students to compose character sketches and poems. The second activity, based on students' interviews of old people at the local senior citizens' center, resulted in written compositions about the experience. Examples of students' poems and their written interviews with senior citizens are included. (KS)