What is a primary source? What is a secondary source?

Calendar Circle. Hold up TWO things: (a) a child's completed interview sheet from yesterday, (b) a published children's biography of Helen Keller. Teacher: 'Both of these tell us about long ago. But ONE was made by someone who was THERE, and ONE was made LATER. Today we learn the difference.'

• Hold up both items high
• Affirm 'Both are useful. They are just DIFFERENT KINDS of sources.'
• Build dramatic interest

M-1-F-HIS-09-C Photograph

Side-by-side display: one anonymized completed student interview sheet (with permission) and a copy of Doreen Rappaport's Martin's Big Words children's biography. Used to demonstrate that a primary source can be CREATED by a first-grader (the interview) and a secondary source can be made by a published author (the biography).

Historians use SOURCES to learn about the past. There are TWO MAIN KINDS. A PRIMARY SOURCE was made by someone who WAS THERE. Examples: a photograph taken at the time; a letter Grandma wrote when she was little; a quilt your great-grandmother made; an interview with a grandparent; a moon-landing video filmed in 1969. A SECONDARY SOURCE was made LATER, by someone who tells ABOUT it. Examples: a children's book about the moon landing written in 2010; a Wikipedia entry; a textbook; a documentary; a teacher telling a story.

• Use the mnemonic: WAS-YOU-THERE? If yes, PRIMARY (green). If no, SECONDARY (blue).

  model Teacher demonstrates: hold up an artifact from lesson 6 (slate). 'Was someone THERE when this slate was used? YES. So it is PRIMARY.' Place in green bin. Now hold up a children's book about 1900 schools. 'Was the book-writer THERE? NO. They wrote it now, telling about then. So it is SECONDARY.' Place in blue bin.

  prompt Show MG-5 anchor with TWO LARGE BINS
• You have already MADE PRIMARY SOURCES this week. You are real historians.

  model 'Your interview is a PRIMARY SOURCE - your elder was THERE for the events she described. You wrote down her PRIMARY testimony.'

  prompt Apply to children's interview sheet from yesterday

• A photo from 1925 - primary or secondary?
• A children's book about 1925 written in 2010 - primary or secondary?

M-1-F-HIS-09-A Chart

24x36-inch laminated chart with two large bins. LEFT bin (green): 'PRIMARY SOURCE - was there when it happened' with 5 illustrated tiles (photo from 1925, Grandma's quilt, Grandpa's letter, old toy, recording of voice). RIGHT bin (blue): 'SECONDARY SOURCE - tells about it later' with 5 tiles (history picture-book, teacher storytelling, Wikipedia-like article, history TV show, new drawing of an old event). Velcro tiles included. 'WAS YOU THERE?' mnemonic at the bottom.

MG-5 Chart

Mounted on classroom wall at child-eye-height (24-36 inches) with laminated surface for repeated dry-erase use.

• In pairs, sort 6 source cards into the 2 bins

  scaffold 4 cards pre-sorted as model
• For each sort, partner says 'because someone ___ when ___' (WAS or WASN'T there)

  scaffold Sentence frame strip

• Sort these 3 items into primary or secondary: a photo from 1955, a children's book about 1955, Grandpa's old toy from 1955.

• Hang MG-5 anchor prominently
• Preview: tomorrow we APPLY this with a famous historical photo

• Tonight, find ONE primary source in your home (an old photo, an old object, an heirloom) and ONE secondary source (a children's history book, a documentary clip). Tell your caregiver which is which.