Baltimore County Public Schools
Concept
Unit Title
Explore an Issue or Problem
Theme Statement/
Enduring
Understandings

Essential
Question(s)

Suggested
Timeframe
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Lesson: 8
“Primary vs. Secondary
Sources”
Researchers will conduct preliminary research in order to develop a content
specific context within which to begin designing an original research topic while
affording an opportunity to build significant background knowledge.
How can students conduct meaningful and efficient preliminary research
connected to their chosen topic of study?
Seven Period Day: 1 day
Four Period Day: ½ day
Staff Teaching
Responsibility
Teacher &/or Media Specialist
General Notes:
The purpose of the lesson is to teach students about the differences between primary and secondary sources.
Teacher Note: Students will need to have their topic in mind.
Learning preferences addressed: Active, Visual
Objective:
The teacher should keep in mind that this lesson includes suggestions for meeting the stated objectives. The
teacher should adjust the lesson based on the needs of his or her students; however, all objectives should be
covered.
Students will be able to identify the differences between primary and secondary sources in order to
determine the application of a source to their research process.
Standards
Alignment
1.1.4
1.1.5
Find, evaluate, and select appropriate sources to answer questions.
Evaluate information found in selected sources on the basis of
accuracy, validity, appropriateness for needs, importance, and social
and cultural context.
Formative
Assessment
Digital Content,
Tools, and
Resources
Recognizing Primary and Secondary Sources worksheet, Journal entry
Before Direct
Instruction


Unit 2, Lesson 8
Computers
http://www.princeton.edu/~refdesk/primary2.html
http://scholar.google.com
Be sure that students are comfortable with logging on to a computer and accessing the internet.
Photocopy Recognizing Primary and Secondary Sources worksheet.
1
Summer 2013
Baltimore County Public Schools
Suggested Activity
 Write the following terms
Sequence:
o Primary






Differentiation
Suggestions
Unit 2, Lesson 8
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
on the board and ask the kids to define them:
o Secondary
Use their responses as a lead into the types of sources: primary and secondary.
Explain to students that a primary source is one that comes firsthand from the person
or source. Explain to students that a secondary source is an analysis, interpretation, or
discussion of a primary source (or several primary sources).
Ask the students what types of sources may be used in research. Make a list of the
student responses on the board. (ex. books, encyclopedia, magazine, etc.)
Next, pass out a Recognizing Primary and Secondary Sources worksheet. Ask the
students to compare their list of sources to the list on the worksheet. Ask the students
to add sources that are on the list from the board to their worksheet as needed. Then,
working with a partner, ask the students to identify the sources as primary, secondary,
or either type of source. Tell your students to make sure that they can defend why
they put a source in a particular category.
As students finish, discuss the columns in which the students placed the sources as a
class.
Allow the students to log on to the computers or use other sources in their possession
to identify one example of a primary source and one example of a secondary source
related to their topic.
Closure: Ask students to write an entry in their journal in response to the following
statement. I will come across both primary and secondary sources in my research. It
is important in the evaluation of my sources to recognize the difference between a
primary and secondary source. Today I learned….
Components
Content
Process
Product
Curriculum Resources



Brief Description



2
Summer 2013