1 Using Primary Sources in the Classroom

Using Primary Sources in the Classroom

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Objectives: Participants will: • Understand the use of the inquiry method • Use analysis sheets to develop students’ critical thinking skills • Understand the use of the Backward Design method • Use primary sources from the Library of Congress to develop an engaging standards-based lesson plan using effective practices • Prepare a 3-5 minute presentation that highlights the use of primary sources in your lesson plan


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Using Primary Sources in the Classroom The digitized primary resources on the Library of Congress website enable us to make the activities we use in the classroom more engaging and effective for the learner. Through the use of a photograph, map, document, sound recording, and/or movie clip we can help the learner better connect to the content being taught. We can utilize

essential questions that encourage students to carefully observe what they see and hear, to draw on prior knowledge, and to stimulate their critical thinking skills by encouraging further questioning and research. For example, the following essential questions can be very engaging for students at all grade levels:

• What do you observe? • What do you think you know? • What do you want to find out? Asking these types of essential questions, while utilizing primary sources will help us as teachers to refrain from merely using primary resources to adorn the activities we already do. In other words, we want to find meaningful ways to integrate primary sources into instruction that go beyond adding a photograph to the cover our an existing lesson or unit plan.

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Teaching with Primary Sources

Suggestions for Integrating Primary Sources into The following suggestions for student activities can help you enhance your curriculum using authentic artifacts, photographs, audio clips, music, and documents from the Library of Congress and other sources.

Artifacts Make a hypothesis about the use of an unknown artifact pictured in an old photograph. Use online and library research to support or refute the hypothesis. Make a presentation to the class to “show and tell” the object, hypothesis, search methods, and results. Study an artifact and trace the development of this invention over time (examples: automobiles, tractors, trains, airplanes, weapons). What can you find about the technology, tools, and materials available through time? Who used the invention in the past? How is the invention used today? Select a piece of fine art that appeals to your senses. Research the artist, the date of the piece, and the medium. What does information about the artist; the medium, the subject, and the composition tell you about the prevailing attitudes and conditions of the time period? (For example, What symbolism is used? How is perspective used? In what roles are people portrayed? What is left out of the composition?) Use resources to study fashion trends. How has fashion changed over time? How did clothing styles reflect people’s work and their roles in society? What clothing styles have carried over into present times?


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Photographs Use an historic photograph or film of a street scene. Give an oral description of the sights, sounds, and smells that surround the scene, presenting evidence from the photograph itself and other sources about the time period. Examine the image to find clues about the economics and commerce of the time. Select a historical photograph or film frame. Predict what will happen one minute and one hour after the photograph or film was taken. Explain the reasoning behind your predictions To encourage focus on detail, show a photograph or film frame to the classroom for three minutes and then remove it. Have students draw the contents of the image on a piece of paper divided into a grid of nine sections. Repeat this exercise with new images and watch students’ ability to recall detail improve

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Audio

Research your family history by interviewing relatives. Use letters, audio recordings, and videotape to compile a report on an important time for your family. Make note of differing recollections about the same event. Work in teams to record interviews of older citizens in the community. Focus on and compile interviews on one aspect of community life such as work, family, or schools. Combine class reports with historical images and documents to produce a documentary on the history of your community. Introduce an audio recording of a famous political speech. Ask students to think about and write down impressions while they listen to the speech. What is the speaker’s key message? What is the speaker’s point of view? How does the speaker’s oratory style affect the impact of the message? If the text of the speech is available, have students compare impressions from hearing the speech to impressions from reading the speech. Have students listen to audio recordings from old radio broadcasts. Compare the language, style of speaking, and content to radio and television programs of today. How does the content of the older radio broadcast exemplify the events and prevailing attitudes of the time? How does modern radio and television programming exemplify events and attitudes of the present time?


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Music Research and study lyrics of popular songs from the periods of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. What do the lyrics tell you about public attitudes toward the war? Interview veterans of these wars about their perception of the accuracy of the information in the lyrics. Have students search for events that have inspired lyrics in current popular music. Have students compare present day events and music to lyrics from the past inspired by historical events. What are the similarities and differences between present day and historical songs and the events that inspired them?

Documents Study historical maps of a city, state, or region to find evidence of changes in population, industry, and settlement over time. Use other resources to find and report on causes for the changes you find. Use maps to illustrate your descriptions of these changes. Choose a famous, historical, public building in your area. Research blueprints or architectural drawings of the building.

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With help from an architect or librarian, compare the plans to the building as it exists today. What changes do you see? Why do you think the changes occurred? Suggestions for using primary sources were compiled from the National Digital Library’s Educators’ Forum held in July, 1995 and from the Library staff. Educators at the Forum, like many throughout the country, know that history comes alive for students who are plugged into primary sources. These suggestions for student activities can help you enhance your curriculum using authentic artifacts, documents, photographs, and manuscripts from the Library of Congress and other sources.

Inquiry Learning

“Inquiry is a process of learning that is driven by questioning, thoughtful investigating, making sense of information, and developing new understandings”. How can we apply inquiry learning to the integration of primary sources into our everyday teaching and learning activities? 1. Read the article “Inquiry: Inquiring Minds Want to Know” by Barbara Stripling. 2. Use the inquiry checklist to review a lesson to see if it includes the complete inquiry cycle. Go to the following link to find a lesson to review. http://teachingprimarysources.illinoisstate.edu/Resources/ISU_Lessons/isu_lessons.shtml


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Inquiry Checklist Learning from primary sources involves moving through an inquiry process. Barbara Stripling’s Inquiry Model has six elements. In most cases learners use the elements more than once and they should reflect throughout the inquiry process. Use Barbara Stripling’s Inquiry Model to evaluate a lesson from the Teaching with Primary Sources at Illinois State University database. http://teachingprimarysources.illinoisstate.edu/Resources/ISU_Lessons/isu_lessons.shtml Effective Practice Using an Inquiry Model Name of Lesson: Connect

Included in lesson Yes

Comments

No

• Connect to self, previous knowledge • Gain background and context • Identify key concepts, themes, and vocabulary • Observe, experience

Wonder

• Develop questions • Make predictions, hypothesis

Investigate

• Use questions and background knowledge to develop search strategies • Find evaluate and select sources • Find and evaluate information to answer questions, test hypothesis • Identify main ideas and supporting evidence • Think about information to illuminate new questions and hypothesis

Construct

• Construct new understandings connected to previous knowledge • Draw conclusions about questions and hypothesis

Express

• Apply understanding to new context, new situations • Express new ideas to share learning with others

Reflect

• Reflect on own learning • Ask new questions


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Analysis We can learn from and about history by analyzing historic primary sources, like letters, photographs, maps, drawings, sheet music, advertisements, recordings, and political cartoons. Learning from primary sources involves moving through an inquiry process with defined goals in mind. Inquiry involves observation, reflection, and questioning to analyze primary sources. Click on the link below and complete Chapter 4 of the online module. http://www.loc.gov/teachers/professionaldevelopment/selfdirected/introduction/index.html • Click on Begin Program. • Click on Chapters in upper right corner. • Click on the plus sign in front of Chapter 4. Click on “Overview”. Explore the different analysis worksheets available (i.e.artifact, cartoon, document, map, photograph, poster, and sound). http://www.loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/guides.html City Point, Va. “Gen. J. C. Robinson” and other locomotives of the U.S. Military Railroad, Between 1860 and 1865, Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, [reproduction number, LC-DIG-cwpb-01858 DLC] http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/cwar:@field(NUMBER+@band(cwp+4a39718))

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ION

ST

happening in the image? · When do you think it was made? · Who do you think was the audience for this image? · What tools were used to create this? · What can you learn from examining this image? ·

· What people and objects are shown? · How

are they arranged? · What is the physical setting?

· What, if any, words do you see? · What other

details can you see?


who? · what? · when? · where? · why? · how?

What do you wonder about...

LOC.gov/teachers

Intermediate Select an image. Predict what will happen one minute after the scene shown in the image. One hour after? Explain the reasoning behind your predictions.

Beginning Write a caption for the image.

What more do you want to know, and how can you find out?

A few follow-up activity ideas:

Sample Question:

Advanced Have students expand or alter textbook or other printed explanations of history based on images they study.

http://www.loc.gov/teachers

For more tips on using primary sources, go to

Help students to identify questions appropriate for further investigation, and to develop a research strategy for finding answers.

F U R T h E R I N V E S T I g AT I O N

the same?

this today, what would be different? · What would be

What’s missing from this image? · If someone made

Why do you think this image was made? · What’s

Describe what you see. · What do you notice first?

Sample Questions:

Have students ask questions to lead to more observations and reflections.

QUESTION

Guide students with the sample questions as they respond to the primary source. Encourage them to go back and forth between the columns; there is no correct order.

Encourage students to generate and test hypotheses about the image.

REFLECT

E

Have students identify and note details.

OBSERVE

BSERVE

QU

Analyzing Photographs & Prints

O

T

Teacher’s Guide C

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REFL

Integrating Primary Sources Visit at least one of the following web sites and read the articles posted about curriculum design. Keep the questions below in mind as you read the articles. http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v2n1/helm.html http://www.fno.org/oct05/images.html http://www.ascd.org/ed_topics/el200009_tomlinson.html http://www.fno.org/feb01/pl.html Questions to consider: 1. Why do you suppose this process asks you, as the educator, to think as an assessor before designing units and lessons? 2. Why do you think that assessment of understanding should be thought of in terms of a collection of evidence over time instead of an event? Do you see assessment being thought of this way in your classroom? At your school? 3. Why would educators want to document progress toward a standard instead of just measuring achievement of that standard? 4. What is the difference between integrating technology into standards-based curriculum and simply using technology? 5. How might the integration of primary source materials, into meaningful instruction, parallel efforts to integrate technology? 6. Do you think that standards-based teaching practices conflict with or support best teaching practices? 7. What is the difference between a standards-based curriculum and aligning the standards to your curriculum?


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Backward Design As educators, we regularly face the challenge of designing suitable standards-based curriculum for our students. One added challenge, introduced through this course, is to integrate primary source materials in a meaningful way throughout these standards-based learning experiences. These tasks may present a challenge because they represent a shift from matching standards to activities that we enjoy doing with our students to designing curriculum that begins with standards.

Q: A:

What happens when you want to facilitate an Illinois Learning Standard using primary sources, but can’t find an online activity that you can adapt to fit your needs? Follow a systematic process to create an engaging learning experience that integrates primary sources from the Library of

Standards: Desired Results Essential Questions Evidence of Learning Curriculum & Instruction With a partner, use the activity found on the Library of Congress website to complete the Curriculum Design Template provided on the pages that follow:

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons/great-war/

If you have Internet access you may download and complete this template from this website: http://teachingprimarysources.illinoisstate.edu/Resources/tps_handouts.shtml

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Curriculum Design Template Step One What are the standards?

Identify Desired Results What are the essential questions?


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Step Two

Determine Acceptable Evidence

What evidence will show that students understand ... Performance Tasks, Projects

Quizzes, Tasks, Academic Prompts

Other Evidence (e.g., observations, work samples, dialogues)

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Student Self-Assessment


Step Three

Plan Learning Experience and Instruction

What knowledge and skills do students need to own, in order to successfully complete the assessment tasks? Students will need to know ...

Students will need to be able to ...

What teaching and learning experiences will equip students to demonstrate the targeted understandings?

Adapted from Understanding by Design by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe


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?

Essential Questions as Compared to Objectives

One or 2 essential questions are a reasonable number for a lesson.

An instructional unit that might take 3-12 weeks to complete may include between

3 to 5 essential questions.

Frame the questions in “kid friendly” language.

Make the questions engaging and thought provoking.

Design essential questions that reflect the standards and “big ideas” of your content area.

Write essential questions with “how” or “why” instead of “what.”

Sequence the questions so they lead naturally from one to another.

If a question is too specific, or could be answered with a few words or a sentence, they are probably not essential questions.

Conduct a web search to find examples of essential questions

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From Concept to Framework The previous activity provided an opportunity for you to work with a partner while brainstorming some essential questions, assessment techniques, and learning experiences that would help to facilitate the Illinois Learning Standards at a particular grade level. This activity should have resulted in a number of ideas that can be fully developed into meaningful learning experiences on your own, or with a colleague.

Select one or more of the standards that you want to facilitate and fully develop into a lesson plan for an engaging learning experience that integrates primary source materials from the Library of Congress. Include all of the components found in the framework on the pages that follow. Develop at least one activity you included for the student (e.g., webquest, student handouts, etc.). When you have completed this task, prepare a 5 minute presentation that will highlight the components of your standards-based learning experience and be ready to present your learning experience to workshop participants.


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Lesson Plan Rubric

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY Heading

10

8

6

4

Overview

Overview contains objectives, time frame grade, curriculum fit, and consumable materials.

Overview contains 4 components (objectives, time frame grade, curriculum fit, and consumable material).

Overview contains 3 components (objectives, time frame grade, curriculum fit, and consumable material).

Overview contains 2 or less components (objectives, time frame grade, curriculum fit, and consumable material).

State Learning Standards

State Goals match State Goals are present, State Goals or sub-goals No State Goals are curriculum area, includes sub-goals are not present. do not match curriculum present. appropriate sub-goals Or State Goals are not area. present, sub-goals are present.

CATEGORY Procedure

35

30

25

20

Evaluation

Rubric or Assessment sheet is easy to follow and measures lesson objectives.

Rubric or Assessment is clear but does not measure lesson objectives.

Rubric or Assessment is some what clear but does not measure lesson objectives.

Rubric or Assessment is not clear and does not measure lesson objectives.

Heading contains title, authors, school, description, 1image of a primary source from the LOC, correct citation.

Procedure is clear and easy to follow. All components are present and easy to access.

Heading contains 5 components (title, authors, school, description, 1 image of a primary source from the LOC, correct citation).

Procedure is clear but components are missing (handouts, PowerPoints, image table).

Total Rubric Score

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Heading contains 4 components (title, authors, school, description, 1 image of a primary source from the LOC, correct citation.

Heading contains 3 or less components (title, authors, school, description, 1 image of a primary source from the LOC, correct citation.

Procedure is some what Procedure is not clear clear and assumptions and lesson is difficult to need to be made in follow. order to use the lesson. Components are missing (handouts, PowerPoints, image table, etc.).

Score

Replace This Text With The Title Of Your Learning Experience Copy and paste one of the thumbnail images related to this learning experience from your resource table. Resize the image to fit within this frame

Type your first and last name here Type your school name here Type the date here

Replace this text with the citation information for the image.

Replace this text with a brief description of your learning experience. Overview/ Materials/LOC Resources/Standards/ Procedures/Evaluation/Rubric/Handouts/Extension

Overview Objectives

Back to Navigation Bar

Students will:

Recommended time frame Grade level Curriculum fit Materials

Replace this text with a list of all materials/links needed for this learning experience such as, markers, poster board, books, analysis forms, worksheets, etc. If resources, such as analysis forms, need to be downloaded from specific web sites, provide the hyperlink to that site. If forms need to be printed for student use, add a master copy after the handout page at the end of this file.

Illinois State Learning Standards


Replace this text with the goal(s) and grade appropriate benchmark(s) Use the following example: Language Arts: GOAL 3: Write to communicate for a variety of purposes. 3.B. The learner will compose well-organized and coherent writing for specific purposes and audiences.


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Procedures


Replace this text with step by step instructions for what students are to do. Provide enough details to allow a novice teacher to use this learning experience. If students are to visit a specific web site, provide the hyperlink to that site. Example: Day One:

Evaluation


Replace this text with directions for how this learning experience will be evaluated. There is a separate page for posting your assessment rubric. Create a link to the rubric page.

Extension


Replace this text with directions for an extension activity. Create a link to the extension activity.

Primary Resources from the Library of Congress Back to Navigation Bar

Replace this text with the resource table you generated while managing the primary resources used in this learning experience. You can do this by selecting the entire table at once and copying it to your computer’s temporary memory, (i.e., clipboard) then pasting it here.

Rubric Back to Navigation Bar

Replace this text with an assessment rubric for your learning experience. There are some excellent web sites such as http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php that simplify rubric development.

Handouts Back to Navigation Bar

Insert each handout as a separate page so that it can be printed for student use. We have provided four blank pages for you to copy and paste your student handouts. 86


Writing Good Objectives Domain

Emphasis

Cognitive

Knowledge

Cognitive

Relevant Verbs Recall, identify, recognize, acquire, distinguish, state, define, name, list, label, reproduce, order

Translate, extrapolate, convert, interpret, abstract, transform, Comprehension select, indicate, illustrate, represent, formulate, explain, classify, comprehend

Cognitive

Application

Apply, sequence, carry out, solve, prepare, operate, generalize, plan, repair, explain, predict, demonstrate, instruct, compute, use, perform, implement, employ, solve

Analysis

Analyze, estimate, compare, observe, detect, classify, discover, discriminate, explore, distinguish, catalog, investigate, breakdown, order, determine, differentiate, dissect, contrast, examine, interpret

Synthesis

Write, plan, integrate, formulate, propose, specify, produce, organize, theorize, design, build, systematize, combine, summarize, restate, argue, discuss, derive, relate, generalize, conclude, produce

Cognitive

Evaluation

Evaluate, verify, assess, test, judge, rank, measure, appraise, select, check, judge, justify, evaluate, determine, support, defend, criticize, weigh, assess

Affective

 

Agree, avoid, support, participate, cooperate, praise, help, offer, join

Psychomotor

 

Adjust, repair, taste, bend, measure, perform, operate, use, move

Cognitive

Cognitive

 

Avoid using verbs that are difficult to measure objectively. The following verbs are difficult to assess, thus should be used with caution: know

familiarize

gain knowledge of

comprehend

study

cover

understand

be aware

learn

appreciate

become acquainted with

realize


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The following questions are quoted from the LOC’s “The Learning Page” (http://memory. loc.gov/learn/lessons/fw.html#ration). They give you something to think about when selecting primary sources for your students.

Interest - What kinds of sources are of particular interest to my students? Reading Level - How difficult is the reading level of the primary source compared to my students’ abilities? What might help my students comprehend this material (a glossary of terms, for example)? Length - How long is the source? Do I need to excerpt a portion of the source given my students’ abilities and/or classroom time constraints? How do I ensure that the original meaning of the source is preserved in the excerpt? Points of View - Are various points of view on a given topic, event, or issue fairly represented in the sources I have chosen to use? Have I achieved proper balance among the competing points of view? Variety of Sources - Have I included a variety of types of sources (e.g., published, unpublished, text, visual, and artifacts)? Location - Where can I or my students find the sources we need (the school or public library, the local history society, over the Internet)?

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Creating a Primary Source Set Primary source sets provide a way to gather and present a variety of primary sources on a particular topic or theme. These resources can then be used in a variety of ways to introduce and/or examine the topic or theme more deeply. In analyzing the primary sources students become actively involved and use their critical thinking skills to make connections with previous knowledge, develop questions or make predictions and construct new understandings. 1. Do an “advanced Google” search of the Library of Congress for primary source sets and review several of the listed sets 2. Create a primary source set that includes: • at least 12 primary sources • 3 different types of sources (photos, maps, audio, etc.) • important historical background • questions that can be used with your students to guide discussions or lead to further inquiry **In looking at other primary source sets, you will notice that there is no one set way to create the set. Using a primary source table might be an easy and efficient way to organize these resources.

“Abraham Lincoln.” 1865 PDF version (197 KB)

Abraham Lincoln’s Student Sum Book, 1824-1826 PDF version (135 KB)

Poem, My Child-hood Home I See Again, 1846 PDF version (76 KB)


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Project: Topic: Author: Image 1

Description

Citation

URL

Description

Citation

URL

Description

Citation

URL

Description

Citation

URL

Description

Citation

URL

Description

Citation

URL

Description

Citation

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Description

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URL

Teaching Strategies: Image 2 Teaching Strategies:

Image 3 Teaching Strategies: Image 4 Teaching Strategies: Image 5 Teaching Strategies: Image 6 Teaching Strategies: Image 7 Teaching Strategies: Image 8 Teaching Strategies:

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Creating a Book Backdrop A Book Backdrop uses primary sources to not only develop historical background but to bring books alive. Combining primary sources with literature makes learning memorable, meaningful and engaging for students. 1. View the PowerPoint “Book Backdrops: Bringing Historical Fiction to Life with Primary Sources” created by Gail Petri to gain a better understanding about combining primary sources with literature. www.aea267.k12.ia.us/media/files/AEA_267_Primary_Doc.ppt 2. Look at examples of Book Backdrops create by other educators. http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/digitalclassroom/eight/BookBackdrops_Short.pdf 3. Read through the six step process for using primary sources in the classroom to enhance literature. 1. Content: Select a topic(s) you will be studying in your classroom. Check your state and local school district standards and curriculum guides for content and skills suggestions. 2. Learning Objective: Determine what you want students to learn from working with the primary sources associated with the book you select. What is the enduring understanding? 3. Book Selection: Choose a book that aligns with your topic and is appropriate for your grade level. 4. Read: As you read the book, compile a list of dates, people and events that might have primary source connections. 5. Primary Sources: Search across LOC for primary source items that connect with your book. 6. Teaching Strategies: Determine how you will incorporate the primary sources into your lessons. 4. Create your own Book Backdrop using the six step process. Remember to identify the time period of the book and connect primary sources to the cultural setting.

Wintrhop, Elizabeth. “Counting on Grace”. Book. 2006. New York: Yearling.

Hine,Lewis W. August 1910. Addie Card, anaemic little spinner in North Pownal Cotton Mill. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. 6/16/2010. http://www. loc.gov/pictures/item/ncl2004001719/PP


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Notes, Doodles, etc.

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