Professional Documents
Culture Documents
II.
Content Outline
A. Primary sources
i. Define what a primary source is
information recorded by a person who was there
ii. Identify types of primary sources
reports, maps, letters, photographs, census data, drawings, memoirs,
etc.
iii. Explore primary sources for U.S. immigrants
Ellis Island immigration documents, photographs, etc.
iv. Identify why primary source documents are useful
B. Secondary sources
i. Define what a secondary source is
information recorded by a person who was not there
ii. Identify types of secondary sources
journal and magazine articles, textbooks, etc.
iii. Explore secondary sources for U.S. immigrants
textbook, books, etc.
iv. Identify why secondary source documents are useful
provide analysis or historical perspective since original event
C. Primary and secondary sources
i. When to use primary and secondary sources
ii. How to determine the difference between primary and secondary sources
iii. Where to find primary and secondary sources
III.
Standards
PDE SAS Standards PA Civics, History, Geography;
NCSS Thematic Strands and Performance Indicators
Lesson Objectives
A. After lesson, students will be able to identify and validate their reasoning when
analyzing the difference between primary and secondary sources.
B. After lesson, students will be able to compare and analyze primary and secondary
sources when using a graphic organizer.
V.
Teaching Procedures
1. Introduction/Anticipatory Set
i. Ask students if they have ever taken a photograph or written a diary.
ii. Talk about famous primary source documents Anne Franks diary, ocean liner
passenger lists, photographs.
2.
3.
4.
5.
iii. Explain that many sources we use are actually secondary sources, and they do not
come directly from a specific time period, but are created or written after the event
has occurred.
Lesson Input (Teacher talk is italicized)
i. Open your textbooks to page 175. Based on what we just mentioned, can you find a
primary source in your textbook? [Students answer: photographs.] Thats correct! The
photographs are considered a primary source because they show what immigrants
and that time period looked like and the photos were actually taken back then. Would
you consider the text in your textbook to be a primary source? [Allow students to
answers and debate/defend their answer.] Even though the text is talking about what
happened a long time ago, it is considered a secondary source because it wasnt
written by the people who lived during that time period. It is important to learn the
difference between primary and secondary sources, and also important to use them
when doing research.
ii. Can anyone think of examples of primary sources and reasons why primary
sources are useful? [Allow students to answer. Write their answers on whiteboard
under a heading titled primary sources.]
iii. Now can you think of examples of secondary sources and reasons why secondary
sources are useful? [Allow students to answer. Write their answers on whiteboard
under a heading titled secondary sources.]
Guided Practice
i. During this unit we have been studying people from many places. We are now going
to practice looking up primary and secondary sources about the immigrants who
traveled to the East and West coasts of the United States.
ii. Can anyone identify a secondary source we already are using? [Students answer:
textbooks.] Thats right! How do we know it is a secondary source? [Students answer:
it wasnt written back then.] In our textbooks we have photographs of the people back
then, are the photographs a primary or secondary source? [Students answer: primary
source.] Why? [Students answer: it is from that time period.]
iii. I am going to search online for some sources are we are going to talk about
whether they are primary or secondary sources and why. [Project web search on
SmartBoard from laptop. Search photographs, writings, and immigration logs from
Ellis Island. {See materials list for links.} Find 2-3 examples of primary and
secondary sources to talk about.] Now that we have practiced as a class identifying
primary and secondary sources, you will have a chance to analyze sources and
describe what type of source you think it is and why.
Independent Practice
i. Students will be given a graphic organizer and printouts of different types of
sources to study and analyze. They will sort the sources and provide a rationale for
their choice. If they do not complete the graphic organizer at school, they can finish
the work as homework.
Differentiation
Lesson will be differentiated based on the specific learning and behavioral needs of
students in classroom, such as ELL, gifted (above level), and remediation (below
level).
http://www.k
idsdiscover.c
om/shop/issu
es/ellisisland-forkids/
http://www.a
Influence used to
guide students
knowledge about
the different
between primary
and secondary
sources.
website.
2) Spelling and
vocabulary are oldfashioned.
3) Cites who wrote the
poem and where it is
from, including the
date.
main access
guide, but
students and
parents can
look at
website as
well.
Significant
Influence used to
guide students
knowledge about
the different
between primary
and secondary
sources.
1) From an archival
website.
2) Article from
magazine from time
period.
3) Cites specific
magazine issue and
date.
Teacher is
main access
guide, but
students and
parents can
look at
website as
well.
1) Though the
document is from a
blog, blogger has
personal interest in
authenticity of
document.
2) Handwriting
consistent with other
similar documents.
3) Demonstrates
rigorous record
keeping.
Significant
1) Website links to
Influence used to purchase of kidguide students
friendly issue.
knowledge about
2) Similar to their
the different
textbook.
between primary
3) Provides lots of
and secondary
information.
sources.
Teacher is
main access
guide, but
students and
parents can
look at
website as
well.
Teacher is
main access
guide, but
students and
parents can
look at
website as
well.
Significant
Teacher is
Significant
Influence used to
guide students
knowledge about
the different
between primary
and secondary
sources.
1) Website is a .gov
Influence used to
guide students
knowledge about
the different
between primary
and secondary
sources.
address.
2) Pictures are primary
sources (have dates).
3) Text is secondary.
main access
guide, but
students and
parents can
look at
website as
well.
6
dont think I
would use this
outside of the
Social Studies
lesson.
VII.
Formative/Summative Assessment(s)
A. Formative Assessment
i. The teacher will observe and monitor the students discussion and debates
during the lesson input, guided practice, and independent practice and provide the
necessary changes to the lesson as needed.
B. Summative Assessment
i. The teacher will collect the graphic organizers once they are completed.
VIII.
Technology/Materials/Equipment
Computer or laptop with internet and audio capabilities
Projection capabilities to a SmartBoard (or whiteboard) for the
computer/laptop
Classroom computers (for above level students)
Classroom textbook (one per student)
Whiteboard and dry erase markers
Graphic organizer (one per student) *see below
Guided practice websites
o Primary sources
http://www.gjenvick.com/Immigration/EllisIsland/1900-AtEllisIslandAPoemForALovedOne.html#axzz3TfToV2fq
http://www.gjenvick.com/Immigration/EllisIsland/1906-12HelpingIrishGirlsAtEliisIsland.html#axzz3TfToV2fq
http://stephendanko.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/MPAChmielewska-Stefania.jpg
Secondary sources
http://www.kidsdiscover.com/shop/issues/ellis-island-for-kids/
http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2009/summer/angel.html
http://www.amazon.com/Coming-America-Immigration-BetsyMaestro/dp/0590441515/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425708023&sr=81&keywords=coming+to+america+book (Use actual copy of book)
Independent practice websites print out examples (one per student)
o Primary sources
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/documentedrights/exhibit/section3/detail/ellis-island-immigrants.html
http://www.gjenvick.com/Immigration/EllisIsland/1904PhotographsOfEllisIslandImmigrants.html#axzz3TfToV2fq
http://www.libertyellisfoundation.org/peopling-of-america-center
Reflection on Planning
While the concept was easy to come up with, it was actually difficult to search for
primary and secondary sources. Also, I found how to go about teaching the subject
matter a bit tricky. I did not want to lecture students, but rather wanted to provide
opportunities for them to discuss and debate the differences to reach a better
understanding. If I directed the conversation, I could be a resource for the students,
but they will remember the content more if they come up with the conclusions on
their own.