Elementary My Dear Watson
Organizing your Unit Plans and
Analyzing Primary Sources with the
World’s Greatest Detectives:
Your Students!
Anthony Fitzpatrick
Vice-President of Professional Development Services
The American Institute for History Education
Elementary My Dear Watson
• This power point presentation is for educational
purposes. It may contain copyrighted material.
Please do not post, redistribute or copy without the
permission of the author or Dr. Kevin Brady at the
American Institute for History Education.
221B Baker Street & Your Classroom
• Introducing himself to
a would be client in
The Adventure of the
Blue Carbuncle, Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle’s
famous super sleuth
Sherlock Holmes
famously declared,
“Here is my lens. You
know my methods.”
221B Baker Street & your classroom
• One of the best known literary
characters of all time, Sherlock
Holmes was indeed the
World’s Greatest Detective.
Unlike the superheroes of
today who owe their enormous
strength or intellect to
mysterious super powers,
Holmes acknowledged that
most of his powers of sleuthing
grew out of the art of
observation and deduction.
221B Baker Street & your classroom
• But just what exactly
were those “methods?”
More importantly how
can we apply them in
our classrooms to make
our students historical
detectives on the trail of
the past through the
reading and
interpretation of various
types of evidence?
Holmes Rules # 1
• In solving a problem of this sort,
the grand thing is to be able to
reason backwards. That is a
very useful accomplishment,
and a very easy one, but people
do not practice it much. In the
everyday affairs of life it is more
useful to reason forward, and
so the other comes to be
neglected. There are fifty who
can reason synthetically for one
who can reason analytically.
• A Study in Scarlet
Applying Holmes Rules # 1
• Begin with the end in mind
by problematizing the
content. Instead of asking
students to “Discuss the
historic election of 1800 and
its consequences for the
United States”. Why not
begin with a problem? Why
did John Adams lose the
election of 1800? What
social, political, and
economic developments
over the course of his
presidency helped to cost
him the White House?
Holmes Rules # 2
• “It is a capital mistake
to theorize before one
has data. Insensibly
one begins to twist
facts to suit theories,
instead of theories to
suit facts.”
• A Scandal in Bohemia
Applying Holmes Rule # 2
• Make use of primary
and secondary sources
to enhance your
instruction. With your
outcome in mind, plan
and create exciting
units that flow from
student interpretations
of these types of
sources. Which
Primary Sources are
most important to your
classroom?
Holmes Rules # 3
• “Crime is common. Logic
is rare. Therefore it is upon
the logic rather than upon
the crime that you should
dwell.”
• The Adventure of the
Copper Beeches
• Approach the use of
primary sources in a logical
fashion applying the same
filters each time in order to
be able to compare and
contrast and draw
conclusions.
Applying Holmes Rule # 3
• Use teaching methods that
will provide your students
with a familiar lens to view
history. Over the course of
the past year, you were
exposed to several teaching
methods from. Using
methods can allow students
to review content in a
logical way looking for
important content and
connections on the path to
becoming independent
thinkers and learners.
Holmes Rules # 4
• “We balance
probabilities and
choose the most likely.
It is the scientific use
of the imagination.”
• The Hound of the
Baskervilles
Applying Holmes Rule # 4
• Remember to be creative!
Sources of information come
from many places. Whether is it
the thesis of a textbook yearning
to be proven, or a memorial
sitting silently by the town hall
waiting to be seen. Don’t rely
on simple text. Make history
come alive through heroes,
music, art, memorials, mysteries
and problems.
• Which methods and resources
from the grant experience can
you use?
Holmes Rules # 5
• “Always look at the
hands first, Watson.
Then cuffs, trouserknees, and boots.”
• The Adventure of the
Creeping Man
Applying Holmes Rule # 5
• First, in terms of primary source
analysis remember to use those
strategies!
• Second remember that you have
the power to place the entire world
at your students’ fingertips by
integrating technology into your
instruction. How have you been
doing that so far? Are you
incorporating collaborative learning
through technology into your
teaching?
Holmes Rules # 6
• “Circumstantial evidence is
a very tricky thing. It may
seem to point very straight
to one thing, but if you shift
your own point of view a
little, you may find it
pointing in an equally
uncompromising manner to
something entirely
different.”
• The Boscombe Valley
Mystery
Applying Holmes Rule # 6
• The interpretation of evidence
and opening your students up
to the process of historical
investigation by selecting
primary sources that support
multiple interpretations is the
richness that we can add to
our classrooms. Recognizing
Point of View, Bias, historical
circumstance can enliven your
students’ experience. Have
you been using this in your
instruction? If so how?
Holmes Rules # 7
• “There is nothing
more stimulating
than a case where
everything goes
against you.”
• The Hound of the
Baskervilles
• Always make it a
point to challenge
your students with
sources.
Applying Holmes Rule # 7
• Sometimes the best units
are the ones we have to
work a little harder to
develop. Be sure to use
the research and lesson
writing techniques you
have acquired to infuse
your lessons with new life
and vitality. Delve into
areas of hidden, forgotten
or problematic history. In
short: challenge yourself
and the rewards will be
even greater for your
student detectives.
Fun Additions
Elementary Eagles
• Elementary teachers
consider making your
students library badges
for the library when
conducting “interviews”
with librarians or
interrogating sources
such as reading primary
sources or viewing
historical cartoons or
photographs.
Middle School Markers
• Use historical markers and consider
unleashing your middle school detectives
on a campaign to make historical markers
for the classes and other rooms in your
school.
Set them out in the world!
• Whether in the
physical or virtual
world – have your
students go out in
search of historical
mysteries.
• We are no longer
limited to time and
space!
In a nutshell
•What is the content, concepts
and skills your students should
master?
•Problematize the content.
•Determine which content and
sources will engage your
students based on your
standards.
•Decide on a logical strategy to
approach the analysis.
•Reconsider the sources – are
there any other type of media
you could employ?
• Integrate collaboration
and technology into the
analysis and final
product.
• Have students examine
point of view/ bias and
employ critical thinking.
• Add extension to the
lesson by infusing
research, writing and
other skills to promote a
dynamite finished
product.
Brainstorming Time
• What concepts are
central to your
standards?
• What documents or
sources/ images etc.
can we infuse into
your classroom?
• How can we include
collaboration and 21st
century skills?
Thank You!
Questions? Comments?
afitzpatrick@aihe.info