Using Primary Sources in Lesson Planning

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Using Primary Sources in Lesson Planning

• Maria Abalos
• Christopher Van Dyke

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Objectives

• By the end of this session, participants will be
  able to
• Determine the credibility and bias of primary
  sources.
• Use primary sources to teach state performance
  objectives.

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What are primary sources?

• Materials produced at specific periods in
  history.
• Created by a witness or participant of an event.

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Types of Primary Sources

• Historical documents
• Political cartoons
• Firsthand accounts letters, diaries
• Photographs, art and artifacts
• Posters and newspapers
• Maps

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Sheltered Strategies for Social Studies

• Provide materials in native language
• Work in partners or small groups
• Use graphic organizers
• Make connections to previous learning
• Use nontraditional methods of assessment

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Why use primary sources?

• Allows students to examine evidence firsthand
• Builds analytical skills in students
• Comprehensible input English Language Learners
  need visuals

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What skills are used when analyzing primary
sources?

• Describing how point of view affects evidence
• Analyzing the motives and intended audience of
  the originator
• Interpreting historical sources and recognizing
  what contradictions and other limitations exist
• Comparing, contrasting and synthesizing multiple
  perspectives
• Participating in the process of history through
  debate

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Websites for Primary Documents

• National Archiveshttp//www.archives.gov
  Educators Students, Online Exhibitshttp//www.
  archives.gov/exhibits/powers_of_persuasion/powers_
  of_persuasion_home.html http//www.archives.gov/
  education/lessons/fed-indian-policy/
• Digital Historyhttp//www.digitalhistory.uh.edu
  Primary Sources, eXplorations
• History Mattershttp//historymatters.gmu.edu
• AmDocshttp//www.vlib.us/amdocs

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Websites for Primary Documents (continued)

• The Authentic History Centerhttp//authentichisto
  ry.com
• Archiving Early Americahttp//www.earlyamerica.co
  m
• Library of Congresshttp//www.loc.gov American
  Memory, Exhibitions
• HistoryCentral.comhttp//www.historycentral.com

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Primary Documents and ELL Students

• Google in Spanish (Mexico) for Kids
  http//www.google.com.mx http//espanol.paraninos
  .yahoo.com
• Yahoo in Spanish (Telemundo)http//espanol.yahoo.
  com
• U.S. Constitution Amendments in
  Spanishhttp//www.constitutioncenter.org/explore/
  TheU.S.Constitution/Enespanol.shtml
• Google Language Toolshttp//www.google.com/langua
  ge_tools

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Strategies for using Historical Documents

• Identify the document.
• Identify when it was written.
• Identify the purposes of the document.
• Find and look up any unfamiliar words.
• Identify the main idea of each section.
• Tell how the document reflects what is going on
  during the time period.

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Strategies for using Political Cartoons

• Find each symbol and tell what it stands for.
• Identify the main character.
• Tell what the main character is doing.
• Read all the text in the cartoon.
• Read the caption, or brief description of the
  picture.
• Describe how the cartoon reflects what is going
  on during the time period.

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Political Cartoons
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Strategies for using Photographs and Art

• Identify the artist/photographer.
• Determine the setting by describing the
  surroundings and climate.
• Pay attention to detail.
• Find objects and determine what they were used
  for.
• Read the caption for historical context.
• Draw conclusions about what life might have been
  like during the time period.

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Photographs
http//www.archives.gov/education/lessons/brady-ph
otos
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Strategies for using Firsthand Accounts

• Identify the title and author.
• Identify the main idea of the account.
• Determine the setting of the account.
• Determine the authors role in the event and
  his/her opinion of the event.
• Explain how this firsthand account gives
  information about the time period.

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Firsthand Accounts
Primary Sources Letter from Manuel Reyes to
Alice McGrath                                  
                                       Manuel
ReyesBox 69597San Quinten, CalifJuly 12,
1943 Dear Alice, Recived your very nice letter
and was glad to hear from you. Well I am getting
along fine, and I am in good health. I am still
working at the C.P.A. we will finish with that
work this week some time. After I am out of that
job I am going back to the tailor shop, there I
have a good office job, working in the cutting
room. I have my oun desk, and a radio, all I do
is type and keep the stock in order, and also the
filles. But when I don't have anything to do I
help at the cutting table, cutting out suites.
Well to change the I am very glad to hear that
the pepole out side are still helping us. Boys, I
cant tell you how glad I am to know that the
pepole out side are helping us. I recived the
book that was written about our case, I think it
was a good idea to let the people know what
really happened in out trail. Well to change the
subject, we had a good time here on the 4th of
July, we seen the figths that rae put on for the
boys, it was pretty good five of the boys,
fougth, but only two of them won, the best figth
was put on by Smiles. Well any way I had a good
time. I hope you had a good time also. Well I am
runing out of words, so ill close now, so until I
hear from you again, I remain yours trulyManuel
Reyes PS Give my Regards to all of the
Committee.(Excuse the typing) http//www.pbs.org/
wgbh/amex/zoot/
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Strategies for using Advertisements (Posters
Propaganda)

• Look at the title or slogan.
• Look at the artwork.
• Determine the setting.
• Determine the audience.
• Read the caption.
• Determine what is being promoted and why.

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Evaluating Propaganda

• Institute for Propaganda Analysis (IPA)
• http//www.propagandacritic.com/
• 7 propaganda devices
• name-calling technique
• glittering generality
• transfer
• plain-folks technique
• Testimonial device
• band wagon
• fear appeal

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Propaganda

• A woman--someone who could resemble the viewers
  neighbor, sister, wife, or daughter--was shown on
  a "wanted" poster as an unwitting murderess.
• At least one viewer voiced objection to the
  choice of a female model. A letter from a
  resident of Hawaii to the Office of War
  Information reads, in part, "American women who
  are knitting, rolling bandages, working long
  hours at war jobs and then carrying on with
  womens work at home--in short, taking over the
  countless drab duties to which no salary and no
  glory are attached, resent these unwarranted and
  presumptuous accusations which have no basis in
  fact, but from the time-worn gags of newspaper
  funny men."
• Wanted! For Murder by Victor Keppler, 1944NARA
  Still Picture Branch(NWDNS-208-PMP-91)

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Activity

• With a partner, choose a performance objective
  from the handout.
• Choose a primary source.
• List 3 activities using the primary source to
  teach the PO.
• Using Blooms Taxonomy question starters, list 3
  questions you could use with the primary source.

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Additional Resources

• Educational Materials Center bibliography
• National Archives document analysis worksheets