Rationale

This lesson plan is for teachers and students. It is directed toward the use of primary documents within the curriculum and includes a lesson plan and materials, as well as links to many other sites for plans such as this one. These materials have become necessary as state standards are asking for more active learning, and teaching of higher order thinking skills. Beyond the need for access to the documents, there is a need for teacher resources on how to effectively use these documents within the classroom and curriculum, and how to teach students the needed skill sets to effectively evaluate, analyze, and synthesize the material presented at all educational levels.

Using Digital Primary Documents within the Classroom

Why Use Primary Sources?

See the Learning Page handout, Why Use Primary Sources? . The Getting Started section of the Learning Page also provides resources for using primary sources.

How Did Using Primary Sources Suddenly Become so Essential?
(Note: This lesson was created based on New York state learning standards)

New York state learning standards:

"The education our children receive under New York's revised learning standards will be designed to develop their problem-solving abilities, helping them become more independent thinkers."

"Our children will be better equipped to use their knowledge of all subject areas to solve real-life problems and to handle real work situations."

Revised New York state standards

• Throughout the revised standards, use of primary materials is recommended.
• Analyzing, evaluating & synthesizing their findings "encourages close observation, enhances thinking and research skills".

Math, Science & Technology

Standard 4:

Standards will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science."

The Arts

Standard 4:

Understanding the Cultural Dimensions and Contributions of the Arts: Students will develop an understanding of the personal and cultural forces that shape artistic communication and how the arts in turn shape the diverse cultures of past and present society.

English Language Arts

Standards 1, 2, 3:

"Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding."

"Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression."

"Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation."

Social Studies

Standard 1: History of the US & NY

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding

Standard 2: World History

Standard 3: Geography

Standard 4: Economics

Standard 5: Civics, Citizenship & Govt

Then

Now: More Published Documents

Now: Unpublished Documents

Now: Business Records

Now: More Sources

Necessary Skills to Succesfully Interpret Primary Documents

Time and Place Rule - Closer is Better

• Direct traces of the event.
• Real-time accounts by firsthand observers and participants.
• Post-event accounts by firsthand observers and participants.
• Post-event accounts from interviews or evidence from the time of the event.

Bias Rule

• Read every piece of evidence and every source skeptically and critically.
• Never take evidence at face value.
• Cross-check and compare evidence and sources with related evidence and sources.
• Bias can tell you about the event, historical period, or place.

Questioning Quality

1. Who created the source and why?
2. Firsthand knowledge of the event?
3. Neutral party?
4. Produced for personal use? One or more individuals? Large audience?
5. Meant to be public or private?
6. Wish to inform or persuade others? Reasons to be honest or dishonest?
7. Recorded during the event? Immediately after? After some time? How long?

Source: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/psources/studqsts.html

Analyzing a Life History

1. What is the title of the life history that interests you?
2. What is the state where this life history was recorded?
3. What is the name of the person who was interviewed?
4. What is this person's profession?
5. Who was the interviewer?
6. What interests you about this person's life history?
7. Did the interviewer describe the setting where the interview took place? If yes, briefly describe the setting.
8. Does the description help you to visualize the place? If no, where do you think the interview took place?
9. Describe the place you imagine and why you think it took place in that setting.
10. How does the description help you to visualize the place? Did the interviewer:
• Quote the person interviewed telling their story?
• Mix with quotes from the person interviewed?
• Re-tell the story without quoting the person interviewed?

Source: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/97/florida/examine.html

Analyzing Photographs - Material Culture Analysis Guide for Object or Document

Observation

• What do you see in the object?
• Describe everything you can about it - content, imagery, text,style, craftsmanship.

Analysis

Creator

• Who created the object?
• What can you infer from the object about the purpose for which it was created?

Audience

• Who was the object for?
• What can you infer from the object about its intended use?

Topic

• What specific information about African Americans and their lives does the object convey?

Interpretation

• Based on the evidence of this object or document, what was it like to be African American in the years during and after the Civil War?
• How do you make sense of this document's testimony alongside the other evidence you have?

Questions

• What questions do you have?
• What other kinds of information would you like to see in order to understand the context more thoroughly?
• Whose voices would you like to hear?

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