Primary and Secondary Sources Lesson Plan - Allison Ball
Time frame: One 35-40 minute class period
Age: 6th-8th grade
Materials: 8 copies of each of the following documents: Boston Gazette article, Jefferson's vote chart,
Washington's letter, Constitution draft with Washington's notes, map of Philadelphia; 8 secondary
sources related to the Constitution (encyclopedia articles, books, magazine articles from the library); 8
copies of Primary/Secondary Sources graphic organizer; 8 copies of Chart template; 8 sets of grab bags
with index cards including primary/secondary source scenarios
Objectives: This lesson supports several standards from both the TN Language Arts and Social Studies
curriculum standards, focusing on distinguishing between primary and secondary sources relating to a
focused topic:
6th grade Social Studies:
6.5.spi.8. identify conclusions about early world historical events using primary and secondary sources
6.5.tpi.3. study examples of primary and secondary sources about the same event.
6th grade Language Arts:
SPI 0601.4.4 Distinguish between primary (i.e., letters, interviews, diaries, newspapers) and secondary (i.e.,
reference books, periodicals, Internet, biographies) sources.
7th grade Language Arts:
SPI 0701.4.4 Distinguish between primary (i.e., interviews, letters, diaries, newspapers,
personal narratives) and secondary (i.e., reference books, periodicals, Internet, biographies) sources.
8th grade Social Studies:
8.5.07 Use historical information acquired from a variety of sources to develop critical
sensitivities such as skepticism regarding attitudes, values, and behaviors of people in
different historical contexts.
a. Read and analyze a primary source document such as diaries, letters and
contracts.
8.5.spi.3. differentiate between a primary and secondary source.
8th grade Language Arts:
SPI 0801.4.4 Distinguish between primary sources (i.e., interviews, letters, diaries,
newspapers, autobiographies, personal narratives) and secondary sources (i.e., reference
books, periodicals, Internet, biographies, informational texts).
Plans:
-Anticipation Guide (~5 minutes): In groups, students will spend around 5 minutes answering questions
in an anticipation guide which ask them to define primary and secondary sources, name examples, and
differentiate between the two. We will not discuss answers yet, but students will be told that we'll revisit
the guide at the end of class.
-Define and Explain (~5 minutes): I will hold up examples of primary and secondary sources and define
them according to the background information listed below.
A primary source is a direct record of some time or event in the past. Most often, primary sources are a
firsthand account, like a diary or newspaper story, from someone living in the historical period being
studied. But a primary source can also be an object that was created in the past that now provides some
insight into the lives of people who lived at the time. Museum artifacts, government documents, even
original movie poster can be used as primary resources.
Primary resources aren’t necessarily created in the time frame being researched. For example, a witness to
an important historical event might write about their experience later in their life in an autobiography or
talk about the experience in an interview 30 years later. Even though time has passed, the person is
providing a first-hand account that is a direct record of the event.
Depending on when they originated, all of these could be used as primary sources: diaries, autobiographies,
letters or other correspondences, photographs, newspapers, magazines, government documents, maps,
movie footage, oral history interviews, museum artifacts, artwork, literature, even music.
A secondary source is an account of the past created by someone who wasn’t present at the event. The
most obvious example of a secondary source is a textbook. A textbook writer researches hundreds of
sources and summarizes them into one short narrative that is quick and easy to read.
A secondary source often uses primary sources or even other secondary sources to construct their story.
Sometimes, usable primary sources might be found within a secondary source. Some examples of
secondary sources are: encyclopedias, biographies, textbooks, current magazines or newspapers that
feature stories about the distant past, and most web sites.
Primary sources shouldn’t be thought of as better than secondary sources. Either can contain false or
misleading statements. A good historian uses both kinds of resources to do research because they each
provide different types of information. A primary source provides a direct link from the researcher to a past
event. You can think of the search for primary sources like a detective finding clues at the scene of the
crime. The detective uses these clues to try to reconstruct an event and guess what really happened. A
secondary source, on the other hand, can help researchers summarize a huge amount of information and
put it into context. This can be very useful when approaching a complex topic for the first time. Secondary
sources can also provide exciting ideas and points-of- view from scholars who have already examined an
issue critically.
-Sort and Stack (~5 minutes): In groups, students will sort through a stack of index cards and categorize
them on the chart located at their table (primary or secondary). Groups will discuss to make decisions
together. After 3-4 minutes, we will discuss each example and why it is that type of source.
-Artifact Analysis (10 minutes): In groups, students have 7 sources related to the Constitution. These
sources are both primary and secondary examples. Students are to view each source, decide the type,
and defend their choice in three reasons. The group will note this on their graphic organizer.
-Group Share (5 minutes): As a whole group, we will share answers for each document. Each table will
share their response for one source, and we will discuss why the response is or is not correct, as well as
additional reasons to defend the choice of primary or secondary.
-Anticipation Guide, round two (5 minutes): Groups have 3 minutes to revisit their anticipation guide
and change any answers. After 3 minutes, we will share as a whole group. Students' exit slip is to tell me
one example of a primary source as they leave.