Defining Primary and Secondary
Sources and How to Interpret and
Process Documents.
By: Billie Lynch
Instructional Goal and Objectives
Demonstrate the ability to interpret and
process complex reading material by
analyzing primary source documents and
compare different points of view.
 Define key terms
 Process factual information
 Analyze documents
 Apply information
 Compare points of view
Introductions
7th grade
Ancient World History
29 student
Average to high average
Good attitudes
Minimum behavior problems
Needs Analysis
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Smith and Ragan Model
◦ Students were given a pretest to evaluate
prior knowledge.
 20 questions
 average score 17
Pre-test/Post-test
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1. A biography of the marriage between Princess Diana and Prince Charles.
(primary / secondary)
2. Charles Darwin's book on evolution, The Origin of Species. (primary /
secondary)
3. Excerpts from the Declaration of Independence. (primary / secondary)
4. The autobiography of John Scopes, the biology teacher who was tried and
convicted in 1925 for teaching the theory of evolution in a Tennessee public
school. (primary / secondary)
5. An interview with your grandfather about your great-grandfather's
childhood. (primary / secondary)
6. An editorial attacking the Republican position on social security. (primary /
secondary)
7. An interview with a survivor from the Titanic. (primary / secondary)
8. A survey you conducted to see if the majority of students commute to
school. (primary / secondary)
9. A book by an astronomer providing precise experimental data illustrating
that the universe began with a "Big Bang." (primary / secondary)
10. A book by a journalist that highlights the major historic events of the 19th
century. (primary / secondary)
Learner Analysis
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Dick, Carey, and Carey
◦ Identifies characteristic of the learners
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Prior knowledge
Behavior
Attitude
Ability
Progression of Problems
Define Primary and Secondary Source
Dictionary
LINC TABLES
Engage Students
Create a list
Answer question
Analyze documents
Analysis worksheets
Gather and read documents
Apply Information
Create artifacts
Discuss
Compare points of view
Choose a topic
Collect documents
Compare
Engage Students
Records Today
List of Trash
Objects in Locker
Analyze Documents
http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons
worksheets/
Things that worked
Defining key terms and using the LINC
TABELS
 Identify and creating a list of primary and
secondary sources
 Using analysis worksheets
 Creating artifacts
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Things that did not work
The classroom set-up while analyzing
documents
 Responses to the assessment
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◦ More detail needed
Evaluation
Primary Source: ________________________________________________________________
1. Determine the type of source:
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________
2. Summarize the source:
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________________________________________________________________________________
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________________________________________
3. Evaluate the reliability
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________________________________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
4. Draw a conclusion about the source as it relates to the topic:
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________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________
References
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Brown, A. & Green,T.G. (2006). The Essentials of Instructional Design. Connecting
Fundamental
Principles with Process and Practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.

Document Analysis Worksheets. The National Archives and Records Administration Retrieved
April 4, 2009, from http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets

Ellis, Edwin S. (2001). The Vocabulary Lincing Routine (pp.38). Lawrence, KS: Edge Enterprise.

Harford County Content Standards. 2008 7th grade Ancient World History. Retrieved April 4,
2009, from http://www.hcps.org/departments/curriculum/SocialStudies.aspx
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Maryland Techonolgy Literary Standards for Teachers. 2007 Maryland State Department of
Education. Retrieves April 15, 2009, from
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/programs/technology/techstds/

Voluntary State Curriculum. 1997 -2008 Social Studies Grade 7. Retrieved April 4, 2009,
from
http://mdk12.org/instruction/curriculum/index.html