4. Primary Source Sets
OVERVIEW:
What is a Primary Source?
Primary sources are the voices of the past. They are the raw materials of history — original documents and objects which were created at the time under study. They are different from secondary sources, accounts or interpretations of events created by someone without firsthand experience. Documents, letters, posters, film, artifacts, photographs, maps, etc. can be primary sources that tell the story of people, places, an events of the past.
Why Use Primary Sources in the Classroom?
Examining primary sources gives students a powerful sense of history and the complexity of the past. Helping students analyze primary sources can also guide them toward higher-order thinking and better critical thinking and analysis skills (from the Library of Congress).
THINK:
- How does using primary sources in the elementary classroom help student reading comprehension?
One of the methods for developing disciplinary literacy is through the use of primary sources. Primary sources should be used at both the elementary and secondary levels. Analyzing primary sources provides students with opportunities to build background knowledge and engage with the stories of the past.
Primary source sets for elementary students have been developed and are available here:
Take a few minutes to peruse these resources.
- Can you find any primary source sets for the topic you are currently teaching?
- How might you incorporate a primary source set into a unit you are already teaching?
- What strategies might you employ to engage students with the primary sources?