Picture Books and Primary Sources


PROCESS
What is a Primary Source?
Analysis of primary sources. Types of Primary Sources Analysis of primary sources. Types of Primary Sources Before beginning the assignment, take a worksheet What Are Primary Sources (worksheet #1). Read the material. Read also the article “How To Read Old Documents” by Susan McGowan, pages 17-19. Discuss differences between primary and secondary sources. Explain how the historical record can be huge and limited at the same time. What do you think are the strengths of the historical record? What are the limitations of the historical record?
Analysis of Primary Sources In this section, you will review rules and questions to use when evaluating primary sources. Read Analysis of Primary Sources (worksheet #2). Discuss the Time and Place Rule and the Bias Rule. Review Questions for Analyzing Primary Sources (worksheet #3).
Pre-read the questions. You will answer these questions using historical documents in the next section of the lesson.
Types of Primary Sources In this section, you will learn about different types of primary sources and you will analyze primary source documents. Read Types of Primary Sources (worksheet #4). Team with another student and review two documents from Primary Sources List (worksheet #5). You should look at two different kinds of primary sources to allow for comparison. Analyze the documents using Questions for Analyzing Primary Sources (worksheet #3). Discuss primary source analysis with the entire class and compare and contrast analysis results. Discuss primary source analysis with the entire class and compare and contrast analysis results. Comment on the credibility of the source.
You have examined at least two different primary source documents. Summarize your findings. Did other students in the class examine the same documents? Do they have the same observations that you and your group do? What is different? What is the same? What do you think about the sources of the documents? Are they believable? Why or why not? Conclude the lesson with a general discussion of the following questions:
What was being a member of the 54th like for African-Americans?
Next discuss: Was any document completely believable? Completely unbelievable? Why or why not? Did some types of primary sources seem less believable than other kinds of sources? Why do you think this is true? What information about all black regiments did each document provide? How did looking at several documents expand your understanding of the importance on and off the battlefield for the 54th regiment? If you found contradictory information in the sources, which sources did you tend to believe? Why? What generalizations about primary historical sources can you make based on this document set? What additional sources (and types of sources) would you like to see to give you greater confidence in your understanding of slavery?
Use Study Guide Key Facts (Worksheet #6) and list the facts that you will use for the book.
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PROCESS

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