Arm your class members with the six C's of primary source analysis—content, citation, context, connections, communication, and conclusions—and help them to establish a solid system for analyzing historical sources of...

Analyze Martin Luther King Jr.'s famous and powerful "I Have a Dream" speech as a primary source document. After reading up on rhetorical devices and working in small groups to define terms, class members identify and explain the use of...

Study and research the American Civil War in this explanatory writing lesson. Middle schoolers complete six activities to learn about the American Civil War and soldiers' views of the war. The lesson includes several options to complete...

Elementary and middle schoolers examine and evaluate different perspectives concerning events leading to the American Revolution. In this case, they hone in on the Stamp Act. They research controversial bills, laws, or events of the time...

Who is the Donner Party? Find out why this group of pioneers lives in infamy. A lot of information is provided in this resource, but you will have to copy and paste the text to acquire the handouts. Learners will look at primary sources,...

Develop an online newspaper covering the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The class publishes their newspaper on the school's Web site and analyze both primary and secondary sources.

Explore the U.S.S. Nevada. Researchers use primary sources, secondary sources, children's books and websites to study the naval ship. Their study commences with a class alphabet book on the ship. Intended to be part of a lesson on...

Learn about the events that helped shape the United States of America. Elementary schoolers explore the Civil War with six different activities. Each activity has a different focus: literature connections, primary sources, vocabulary,...

Fourth graders write about the forced Potawatomi migration. In this primary source lesson students are read journal entries from an emigrating party of Potawatomi Indians. Students reflect on the items the Indians might have taken with...

Students use primary documents to analyze the events surrounding black soldiers joining the Union Army. In this content area reading lesson, students view multiple primary documents, analyzing and answering questions about them.

Young scholars analyze primary source documents to learn about World War II. In this world history lesson, students use cheese and bread rationing coupons issued during the second World War to gather information about the documents and...

Suggestions for using primary sources.

Student examines the role of the Underground railroad. In this Post-Civil War lesson, 7th graders read and analyze primary sources. Students create a timeline that details the events of the stories.

Students draw conclusions from primary sources and share information and interpretations with a small group. They are introduced to the Jigsaw technique. Students discuss why a grocery receipt would be a primary source. They...

Students read and analyze two primary source documents written by Christopher Columbus.

Students determine the importance of primary source history information. They differentiate between primary and secondary source information and conduct an interview with a primary source. They gain a real life perspective about recent...

Learners use primary resources in order to investigate the historical New Deal era. They describe the measures about housing instituted in the legislation. An evaluation of the measures is written by students. The incorporation of the...