further investigation
observe
Analyzing Primary Sources
teacher’s guide
question
reflect
Ask students to identify and note details.
Sample Questions:
What do you notice first? • Find something small
but interesting. • What do you notice that you didn’t
expect? • What do you notice that you can’t explain?
• What do you notice that you didn’t earlier?
Encourage students to generate and test
hypotheses about the source.
Where do you think this came from? • Why do you
think somebody made this? • What do you think
was happening when this was made? • Who do
you think was the audience for this item? • What
tool was used to create this? • Why do you think this
item is so important? • If somebody made this today,
what would be different? • What can you learn from
examining this?
Invite students to ask questions that lead
to more observations and reflections.
What do you wonder about...
who? • what? • when? • where? • why? • how?
Help students to identify questions appropriate for further investigation, and to develop a research strategy for finding answers.
Sample Question: What more do you want to know, and how can you find out?
A few follow-up
activity ideas:
Beginning
Have students compare two related primary source items.
Intermediate
Have students expand or alter textbook explanations of history
based on primary sources they study.
Advanced
Ask students to consider how a series of primary sources support
or challenge information and understanding on a particular topic.
Have students refine or revise conclusions based on their study of
each subsequent primary source.
For more tips on using primary
sources, go to
http://www.loc.gov.teachers
| LOC.gov/teachers
Guide students with the sample questions as they respond to the
primary source. Encourage them to go back and forth between
the columns; there is no correct order.
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