Incorporating Primary Sources in the Classroom

1. Why Use Primary Sources?
2. • "History in the Raw" (Offsite link)
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     Summary::An article by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) that provides a persuasive rationale for teaching with primary sources, including recordings, documents, maps, artifacts, among other materials. NARA writes: "Primary sources fascinate students because they are real and they are personal; history is humanized through them. Using original sources, students touch the lives of the people about whom history is written."
3. Making primary sources work in the classroom
4. • Ideas for Using Primary Sources/ ShowMe Standards in the classroom
   • Example of using Primary Sources in classroom projects:
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     (Developed by Project WhistleStop Classrooms)
     • 6 months in the life of a President (September 1948 - February 1949)
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       Summary:Student-generated summaries of the President Truman's day-by-day doings, covering a 6-month period in his presidency. Among other materials, the materials reference speeches and photographs.
5. Supporting materials for using primary sources in the classroom
6. • Introductory Exercise
   • (Offsite Link)
     Summary:This NARA exercise introduces students to historical documents found in their daily lives
   • Document Analysis Worksheets (Offsite Links) These NARA worksheets guide students to analyze the following types of documents:
     
   • • Written Document
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     • Photograph
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     • Cartoon
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     • Poster
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     • Map
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     • Artifact
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     • Sound Recording
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     • Motion Picture
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   • Establishing a School Archives: by Larry J. Hackman
7. Examples of online lessons and activities that incorporate primary sources
8. • Truman and the White House Learning Activities(Dianne Schrik)
   • Berlin Airlift Classroom Unit(Jean Chirnside)
   • Information on President's Plane "Independence"
   • The U.S. Recognition of the State of Israel: NARA commemorates the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Israel with teaching activities.(See Project WhistleStop's Recognition of Israel collection for documents pertaining to this theme)
   • Political Cartoons in the Classroom
   • • Seven Cartoons for Senior High Classroom Research
     • Developing Questioning Skills by Investigating Political Cartoons
     • Summarizing Political Cartoons by Using Standard Parts of Speech
     • Political Cartoons: Introduction to Symbols
   • Inaugural Quiz:
9. Materials and ideas for creating lessons that incorporate primary sources
10. People at War: Activities and Documents pertaining to personal perspectives of WWII
11. Powers of Persuasion: Poster Art from World War II (NARA)