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Analyzing Primary Sources

This document provides a teacher's guide for analyzing primary sources with students. It outlines an observe, question, reflect framework to have students engage with primary sources. Students are encouraged to make observations about details, generate and test hypotheses, and ask questions to lead to further observations and reflections. Sample questions are provided for each stage to help students engage in close examination and analysis of primary sources. The guide also offers some follow-up activity ideas for different grade levels, such as comparing sources, expanding textbook explanations with sources, and considering how sources support or challenge understandings of history.

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564 views1 page

Analyzing Primary Sources

This document provides a teacher's guide for analyzing primary sources with students. It outlines an observe, question, reflect framework to have students engage with primary sources. Students are encouraged to make observations about details, generate and test hypotheses, and ask questions to lead to further observations and reflections. Sample questions are provided for each stage to help students engage in close examination and analysis of primary sources. The guide also offers some follow-up activity ideas for different grade levels, such as comparing sources, expanding textbook explanations with sources, and considering how sources support or challenge understandings of history.

Uploaded by

api-290449168
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ST

QU

OBSERVE

Analyzing Primary Sources

REFL

Teachers Guide

BSERVE

ION

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.

REFLECT

Have students identify and note details.

QUESTION

Encourage students to generate and


test hypotheses about the source.

Have students ask questions to lead to


more observations and reflections.

What do you notice first? Find something small

Where do you think this came from? Why do you

What do you wonder about...

but interesting. What do you notice that you

think somebody made this? What do you think

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

didnt expect? What do you notice that you cant

was happening when this was made? Who do you

explain? What do you notice now that you didnt

think was the audience for this item? What tool

earlier?

was used to create this? Why do you think this

Sample Questions:

item is important? If someone made this today,


what would be different? What can you learn from
examining this?
F U R T h E R I N V E S T I g AT I O N

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

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

A few follow-up
activity ideas:

Beginning
Have students compare two related primary source items.
Intermediate
Have students expand or alter textbook explanations of history
based on primary sources they study.

LOC.gov/teachers

Advanced
Ask students to consider how a series of primary sources support
or challenge information and understanding on a particular topic.
Have students refine or revise conclusions based on their study of
each subsequent primary source.

For more tips on using primary


sources, go to
http://www.loc.gov/teachers

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