1. Sources?
Information used in the development of this lesson were found at

2. What is a source? Basically, a source is where something comes from.
For example, if you have twenty dollars in your pocket, there must have been a source for that money, or a place where it came from.

3. What is a source?
Maybe the source is your allowance (given to you by your parents).
Or, maybe the source is your Wednesday night babysitting job at the neighbor’s house.

4. What is a source?
In school, we use sources to find answers or information.
To find the capital of China, you may use your textbook as a source, or you may choose to use an atlas or map.

5. What is a source?
In school, we use sources to find answers or information.
To find a description of life in Germany during World War I, you may read an encyclopedia or The Diary of Anne Frank as sources.

6. There are two major types of sources…
primary
secondary

7. Remember from your art classes that on the color wheel, a color is first. It is made up of only ONE color.
primary

8. Remember from your art classes that on the color wheel, a color is second. It is made up of two colors.
secondary

9. In terms of SOURCES, a comes directly from time in which the event happened. No second source is involved.
primary source
EXAMPLE: A book entitled The Tsunami of 2004 written by a person who experienced the tsunami is a primary source. The author is giving “firsthand” information.

10. In terms of SOURCES, a comes from a person or group who did not live during the time of the event. More than one source is involved.
secondary source
EXAMPLE: You spend the weekend writing a report about Thomas Jefferson. Your report would be a secondary source, because you’re getting the information from another source. This makes your report secondhand information or a secondary source.

11. Read the chart on the next screen.

12. PRIMARY SOURCES SECONDARY SOURCES
Diary
Encyclopedias
Letter
Biographies
Photograph
Geography textbook
Journal
Cliff Notes
Map
Social Studies book
Birth Certificate
Public television documentary
College diploma
Census Records
What do the items in each list have in common?

13. What is the difference between the two lists?
PRIMARY SOURCES
SECONDARY SOURCES
Diary
Encyclopedias
Letter
Biographies
Photograph
Geography textbook
Journal
Cliff Notes
Map
Social Studies book
Birth Certificate
Public television documentary
College diploma
Census Records
What is the difference between the two lists?

14. What kinds of information do primary sources provide?
SECONDARY SOURCES
Diary
Encyclopedias
Letter
Biographies
Photograph
Geography textbook
Journal
Cliff Notes
Map
Social Studies book
Birth Certificate
Public television documentary
College diploma
Census Records
What kinds of information do primary sources provide?

15. What are the benefits of both primary and secondary resources?
PRIMARY SOURCES
SECONDARY SOURCES
Diary
Encyclopedias
Letter
Biographies
Photograph
Geography textbook
Journal
Cliff Notes
Map
Social Studies book
Birth Certificate
Public television documentary
College diploma
Census Records
What are the benefits of both primary and
secondary resources?

16. What are the challenges of using both primary and secondary resources?
PRIMARY SOURCES
SECONDARY SOURCES
Diary
Encyclopedias
Letter
Biographies
Photograph
Geography textbook
Journal
Cliff Notes
Map
Social Studies book
Birth Certificate
Public television documentary
College diploma
Census Records
What are the challenges of using both
primary and secondary resources?

17. Which type of resource do you use most often? Why?
PRIMARY SOURCES
SECONDARY SOURCES
Diary
Encyclopedias
Letter
Biographies
Photograph
Geography textbook
Journal
Cliff Notes
Map
Social Studies book
Birth Certificate
Public television documentary
College diploma
Census Records
Which type of resource do you use
most often?  Why?

18. Can you think of other resources to add to the list?
PRIMARY SOURCES
SECONDARY SOURCES
Diary
Encyclopedias
Letter
Biographies
Photograph
Geography textbook
Journal
Cliff Notes
Map
Social Studies book
Birth Certificate
Public television documentary
College diploma
Census Records
Can you think of other resources
to add to the list?

19. Treasures for Classroom Use
Imagine that you have accidentally wandered into the basement of your school. It is dark. You begin to search for the light and trip over something.

20. After investigating, you realize that you have tripped over a large wooden box. Inscribed on the box are the words "Pieces of the Past."  You try to open the box, but it is locked.

21. You search for the key and eventually find it taped to the bottom of the box. You open it and inside you find four pieces of primary source materials; a photograph, a map, a letter, and an old book. 

22. You quickly gather basic information about the materials
You quickly gather basic information about the materials. The letter was written by Theodore Roosevelt. The photograph documents a 19th century profession. The map was made in The book was published in Baltimore in 1825.

23. You guess that these materials are not related to each other, but you are curious about each one. There is no other information in the box so you look to the resources for clues. 

24. Work with a partner to examine each resource from the box
Work with a partner to examine each resource from the box.  Click on the links below to view each object.  For each object there are questions to help you examine the resource.  You can print the questions to have handy.
Map
Letter
Rare Book
Photograph

25. After you and your partner have finished examining the "treasures," meet with another set of partners to share your findings. 
Are there any differences in the way each pair interpreted the materials?  Each group should support their ideas with evidence from the source.

26.   Now, select a reporter from your small group to share your answers with the whole class. Did all students analyze the materials the same way?  As a class, consider the following questions:  
How can you explain the fact that you have different ideas?

27.   Is it possible for more than one idea to be correct?

28. C. What other resources can you use for more help?

29. D. What types of information can you get from primary sources that you can't get from other types of resources?

30. E. Did you notice any particular difficulties when you were analyzing primary source materials?  

31. Presentation created by Cheryl Johnson @ Arnold Middle School
The Internet is filled with primary source materials like the ones you have just explored. You can find sources to help you learn about things you are studying in school or you can explore personal interests and hobbies. Click on the first link below to explore the table of contents of  The Library of Congress American Memories web site. To practice exploring primary source material, click on the second link, Today in History, to get a random selection of primary source material from political speeches to baseball cards.  
American Treasures of the Library of Congress
Today in History
Copyright © 2004 Stevens Institute of Technology, Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education, All Rights Reserved
Presentation created by Cheryl Arnold Middle School