What Do Historians Do?
Suggested Teaching Instructions
This activity can be completed on Consider the Source or with the attached Google Slidedeck. For best results, utilize the Google Slidedeck to facilitate the lesson.
Google Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1mCrcbEiVS-r03ZwfyDqPS9T8RdM2BTVuYEAk9f2NQ5w/edit?usp=sharing
Example IDM: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14zFLCat1oqEpsXwfbSSS5IU75RjTMqqGFob5XdY3nVo/edit?usp=sharing
Title: What do historians do?
Overview: This is an introductory lesson that will help teachers and students learn the job of a historian and how they can also analyze and interpret historical documents and artifacts.
Goal: To teach students how to use, analyze and interpret various historical documents and artifacts (to think like an historian).
Objectives: Students will understand that:
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Historians use various documents and artifacts to understand and write about the past.
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Studying historical documents and artifacts will help them better understand the world around them.
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Primary Sources bring history to life. They build interest in a topic. Your students will understand how images of real people and specific events will be more relevant to their lives
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Recognizing different forms of evidence can be used to make meaning in social studies (including sources such as art and photographs, artifacts, oral histories, maps, and graphs).
Investigative (Compelling) Question: What do historians do? How can you think like an historian?
Time Required:
3 - 4 Sessions
20 - 30 minutes
Recommended Grade Range: K-2 (but can be used with grades 3-6) for teachers who want to introduce how to analyze primary source documents with their students. .
Subject: Social Studies
Standards:
Next Generation ELA Standards:
Key Ideas and Details 1. Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text
NYS Framework:
K.2 Children, families, and communities exhibit cultural similarities and differences
1.2 There are significant individuals, historical events, and symbols that are important to American cultural identity.
2.6 Identifying continuities and changes over time can help understand historical developments.
Social Studies Practices: A. Gathering, Interpreting and Using Evidence, B. Chronological Reasoning and Causation, C. Comparison and Contextualization, D. Geographic Reasoning
Credits: Jill Rogovic
PREPARATION
Materials Used:
National Archives: https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets
Inquiry Design Model: https://c3teachers.org/inquiry-design-model/
Kid Citizen: https://www.kidcitizen.net/
Video: How do historians know about the past?: https://video.link/w/zNC4d
Video: What Are Primary Sources? - Kid Citizen: https://www.kidcitizen.net/episodes-blog/what-are-primary-sources
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Primary Source video from Kid Citizen. What are Primary Sources?: https://www.kidcitizen.net/episodes-blog/what-are-primary-sources
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Photograph Grand Street School Class, Newburgh, NY (NY Heritage Digital Collection). Please note: This photograph from 1916 was intentionally chosen as way to show that schools were not integrated at that time. This is an important understanding of education in the early 1900s and can lead to rich discussions when you compare and contrast your class pictures to this one. More information and other photos can be found here: Hudson River Valley Heritage: https://nyheritage.org/collections/early-education-hudson-valley Early Education in the Hudson Valley
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Map - Kid Citizen: A Bird’s Eye View: Wondering with Maps (blog and teacher resource guide): https://www.kidcitizen.net/episodes-blog/wondering-with-maps
Aerial Photo Slider application allows a user to compare two aerial photos side by side: https://gis.westchestergov.com/apps/featured-map-aerial-photo-slider/explore
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Poster: Spring Household Drop Off Recycling Days: https://environment.westchestergov.com/images/stories/pdfs/HRD_FDR_SRPING_2019.pdf
Inquiry Design Model template for inquiry.
What do Historians Do? IDM Template: https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1-uNU0ZufGI7voFKY0yqlLlWK42r3HMKRbZFVfxVZmy0/edit
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Document analysis worksheets from the National Archives .
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Photograph: https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/photo_analysis_worksheet_novice.pdf
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Written Document: https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/written_document_analysis_worksheet_novice.pdf
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Artifact or Object: https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/artifact_analysis_worksheet_novice.pdf
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Poster: https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/poster_analysis_worksheet_novice.pdf
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Map: https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/map_analysis_worksheet_novice.pdf
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Cartoon: https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/cartoon_analysis_worksheet_novice.pdf
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Video: https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/video_analysis_worksheet_novice.pdf
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Sound Recording: https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/sound_recording_analysis_worksheet_novice.pdf
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Artwork: https://www.archives.gov/files/education/lessons/worksheets/artwork-analysis-worksheet-novice.pdf
See these Worksheets in Spanish: https://www.archives.gov/espanol/recursos-para-docentes/hojas-de-ejercicios
Resources Used:
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Slides with Primary Sources (forced copy)
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Inquiry Design Model template for inquiry. What do Historians Do?
13. Description of Procedure: Teacher note: These tasks are meant to be done as a whole group or in small groups. Images can be displayed under a document camera or on a screen. Photographs can also be printed and shared in small groups with magnifying glasses.
See Inquiry Design Model Template What do Historians Do? to teach this lesson as an inquiry.
Compelling Question
Staging the Question
Supporting Questions
Performance Tasks
Resources
Summative Assessment
Call to Action
Extensions : N/A
EVALUATION
15. Evaluation: The teacher will use student responses and observation to evaluate if students understood the activity.