Classroom Connections
Use this chart to consider topics or units you will teach on Colorado history, community or culture and ways to engage students.
Start with the first two columns – add to the topics as we move through the first two days.
Add primary sources later as you become more familiar with www.loc.gov
Background Knowledge
Inquiry*
Primary Sources
Evaluating your primary sources
What are the facts?
Once students have background
List possible primary sources that can
This is a preliminary step to building your
What is the context?
knowledge, in what investigations and
provide evidence for claims students
primary source packet
discoveries will they be engaged?
make during their investigations
Topic I
Topic I
a. background knowledge
Inquiry – what do you want your students
to discover about this topic?
Topic I
[remember primary sources
are…original, biased, incomplete, parts
of a puzzle, engaging, and authentic]
b. where students will get it
Sample investigative question(s):
Instructional Scaffolding needed:
Topic II
Topic II
a. background knowledge
Inquiry – what do you want your students
to discover about this topic?
b. where students will get it
Sample investigative question(s):
Instructional Scaffolding needed:
Topic II – primary sources:
Zero in on your choice of topic from
among those you are considering.
Check the primary sources you have
been selecting:
 What multiple perspectives are
represented?
 How many different types of files?
Can you think of others you might
add?
 Which ones of these sources lend
themselves best to matching with an
analysis tool?
 How can you adapt the Library of
Congress analysis tool to better
reach your students’ abilities and
level of understanding?
Topic III
Topic III
a. background knowledge
Inquiry – what do you want your students
to discover about this topic?
Topic III– primary sources:
Sample investigative question(s):
b. where students will get it
Instructional Scaffolding needed:
Topic IV
Topic IV
a. background knowledge
Inquiry – what do you want your students
to discover about this topic?
Topic IV– primary sources:
Sample investigative question(s):
b. where students will get it
Instructional Scaffolding needed:
*inquiry: Focus on the use of questions to spark curiosity, guide instruction, deepen investigations, acquire rigorous content, and apply
knowledge and ideas in real world settings to enable students to become active and engaged citizens in the 21 st century.