UCI Libraries SPIRIT Program Instructors: Melanie Sellar, Nicole Gilbertson Exploring History and Social Science through Primary Sources

What are our objectives today? By the end of today’s class, you will : Understand the role of primary sources in building historical thinking skills Distinguish primary sources versus secondary sources Learn techniques for analyzing primary sources and discover the kind of historical information that can be extracted Become familiar with some online primary source libraries Gain ideas for incorporating primary sources into the classroom

By the end of today’s class, you will :

Understand the role of primary sources in building historical thinking skills

Distinguish primary sources versus secondary sources

Learn techniques for analyzing primary sources and discover the kind of

historical information that can be extracted

Become familiar with some online primary source libraries

Gain ideas for incorporating primary sources into the classroom

Solve your puzzle! Instructions: Take your piece, find others with which it fits, and assemble your puzzle pieces to form the picture. Look at your picture: what kind of historical information can you extract? Use these questions to guide you: When was it created and what do you think it’s about? Where does your eye go first? What details are most striking? For what topic(s) would this photo be a good resource?

Instructions:

Take your piece, find others with which it fits, and assemble your puzzle pieces to form the picture.

Look at your picture: what kind of historical information can you extract? Use these questions to guide you:

When was it created and what do you think it’s about?

Where does your eye go first? What details are most striking?

For what topic(s) would this photo be a good resource?

What does Historical Thinking look like in your classroom?

What distinguishes a primary source from a secondary source? Secondary Primary

Secondary

Common characteristics Primary Secondary Creator actually witnessed event, participated in it, or lived at the time it happened Created when events happened, or just after Variety of formats, e.g. photos, diaries, letters, clothing, government info A source that analyzes, interprets, or synthesizes info about a historical event One-step removed; reporting usually by someone who wasn’t there Sample formats: a textbook or encyclopedia

Primary

Secondary

Creator actually witnessed event, participated in it, or lived at the time it happened

Created when events happened, or just after

Variety of formats, e.g. photos, diaries, letters, clothing, government info

A source that analyzes, interprets, or synthesizes info about a historical event

One-step removed; reporting usually by someone who wasn’t there

Sample formats: a textbook or encyclopedia

Activity: Examine your Primary Source Take a few minutes to examine your primary source borrowed from the UCI Libraries Special Collections. -Why is it a primary source? -For what kind of research topics could it provide evidence about? -Note anything of particular interest to you

Take a few minutes to examine your primary source borrowed from the UCI Libraries Special Collections.

-Why is it a primary source?

-For what kind of research topics could it provide evidence about?

-Note anything of particular interest to you

Q1: Which type of source is recorded near or at the time of the actual event? primary source secondary source

primary source

secondary source

Q2: Which of the following IS a primary source? a book discussing the Oregon Trail a pioneer woman’s diary that she wrote while traveling west a US history text

a book discussing the Oregon Trail

a pioneer woman’s diary that she wrote while traveling west

a US history text

Q3: Which of the following is NOT a primary source? a birth certificate a census record a memoir minutes from an organization they are all primary sources

a birth certificate

a census record

a memoir

minutes from an organization

they are all primary sources

Q4: Events in secondary sources are typically….? recorded by someone who witnesses the event recorded by someone who hears about the event

recorded by someone who witnesses the event

recorded by someone who hears about the event

Q5: The movie “Titanic” can be used as a primary source for a history paper on turn of the century travel. true false

true

false

Q6: Is recorded historical information on a marriage certificate always accurate? yes only if the couple doesn’t lie about the information no

yes

only if the couple doesn’t lie about the information

no

Q7: How can secondary sources best be used by students when exploring history? Provide unfiltered interpretations of the past Serve as a good starting point for investigation Help back up a student’s arguments

Provide unfiltered interpretations of the past

Serve as a good starting point for investigation

Help back up a student’s arguments

Q8: A recorded interview with your father on facts about your grandfather’s childhood is a primary source. true false

true

false

Q9: Primary sources only report the facts, never a bias or opinion. true false

true

false

Q10: Primary sources such as magazines and posters can provide what kind of historical information? what was considered luxury current technology social norms all of the above

what was considered luxury

current technology

social norms

all of the above

Muddiest point?

Techniques for Analyzing Primary Sources

Finding Primary Sources Online Challenges? Try these portals: Spend hours searching Information overload Can’t determine quality Can’t determine accuracy Can’t determine authority

Challenges?

Try these portals:

Spend hours searching

Information overload

Can’t determine quality

Can’t determine accuracy

Can’t determine authority

Activities for using Primary Sources in the Classroom

Please complete evaluations: Go to this web site: http://tinyurl.com/ynt4wq Thank you!!

Go to this web site:

http://tinyurl.com/ynt4wq

Thank you!!