PRIMARY SOURCE INVESTIGATIONS Children of Yesteryear
http://www.cyberbee.com/yesteryear/photo.html
PHOTOGRAPHS Answer the questions below by examining each photograph.
Winter Coats - How would you describe the childrens’ clothing?
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On the Trail – Where was this photograph taken?
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Best Friends – Who are the characters in this photograph?
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Ruffles and Bows – What evidence in this photograph would tell you when it was taken?
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Baby Bunting – What is underneath the baby?
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Mystery Prop – What is the child holding?
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Photo Analysis Guide – Use this guide to help analyze the pictures on the photographs page.
Observation
Describe exactly what you see in
the photo.
What people and objects are
shown?
How are they arranged?
What is the physical setting?
What other details can you see?
Knowledge
Interpretation
Summarize what you already
know about the situation and time
period shown, and the people and
objects that appear.
Say what you conclude from what
you see.
What's going on in the picture?
Who are the people and what are
they doing?
What might be the function of the
objects?
What can we conclude about the
time period?
Further Research: What questions has the photo raised? What are some sources you can use to find
answers?
Directions: Listen to one of the audio recordings on the sounds page. Describe what you hear. Use the
guide below to help you.
What Do You Hear? Listening Guide
Subjective Observations
Objective Observations
Describe what you hear in
the recording by
investigating its parts.
Describe your personal feelings and what you think about the
recording. Always base your subjective reaction on something
that is heard. For example, "I heard ..., and it makes me feel or
imagine ..."
For example:
Is the recording musical or
nonmusical?
Are there any recognizable
instruments? If so, identify
them.
Are the words sung or
spoken?
Is there any slang or
dialect used in the
recording?
Is a story being told? If so,
what is the story about?
Do you have any Questions about the recording?
SOUND RECORDINGS –
Click on the sound icon to listen. Examine the sound recording by using the What Do You Hear? guide. Describe
what you hear for each of the three recordings.
Skater’s Waltz –
I heard _____________________________________________________________________________________________
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I heard ____________________________ and it makes me feel or imagine ___________________________
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Ding Dong The Witch is Dead -
I heard _____________________________________________________________________________________________
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I heard ____________________________ and it makes me feel or imagine ___________________________
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Ring Round Rosey -
I heard _____________________________________________________________________________________________
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I heard ____________________________ and it makes me feel or imagine ___________________________
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MOTION PICTURES –
Click on the preview image to view the motion picture. Examine the film clips below and think of some questions that
would allow students to investigate these primary resources.
Buster’s Dog to the Rescue –
Questions ____________________________________________________________________________________________
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Fun In Camp –
Questions ____________________________________________________________________________________________
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DOCUMENTS –
Click on the image to view the document. Using the How Does It Read? guide, examine one of these documents.
Whiskey Friskey – Story Time of My Book House, Edited by Olive Beaupre Miller, The Book House for Children, Chicago, 1937
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The Earth – Introductory Geography by Alexis Everett Frye, Ginn and Company Publishers, Boston, 1899
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Robbie Rat’s Lesson - Lucy's Dolls and Other Stories, D. Lothrop and Company, Boston, 1884
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Directions: Using the journalistic approach of Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How, examine one of the
documents on the Document Gallery page. Use the guide below to help you describe what you read. Be sure to look
at the vocabulary words.
How Does It Read? Guide
Who is the author or narrator?
Describe any background information you may have found about this person.
Who is the audience?
Why do you think the author chose this audience?
What is the purpose of the writing? Why do you think the author or narrator wrote
or spoke about this particular topic?
Where is the setting for this writing?
When was it written?
How does the writing relate to the time period?
Are there any words that are new to you?
What experiences have you had that relate to what you are reading?
How do you feel about what you read? Why?