Lesson Plan Primary Sources Basic

Lesson Plan

Primary Sources

Basic Information:

This lesson will be divided into five discrete parts, all lead by myself the appointed teacher. The primary focus of this lesson is the successful identification and use of primary sources.

Instructional Setting:

This lesson will take place in the classroom as well as in the school library. Should there be additional time, or should the students not appear to be understanding what a primary source is then a short trip to the town historical society could be added to the program. The students will all perform at grade level and there will be a class of approximately twenty students present.

Description:

The primary objective of this lesson is to teach students not only how to identify primary sources but also to use them effectively as a spring board for further research. The lesson will be divided into five distinct parts and will meet the Montana requirements for Children's Media literacy. The evaluation for the student's success in this lesson will be comprised of the total score accrued throughout the four interactive parts of the total lesson plan. Students will be able to earn a maximum of 100 points throughout the course of the four interactive portions. An additional five points may be awarded for exceptional participation in the lecture module of the lesson. The five modules will be as follows:

Initial lecture in which subject matter (primary sources and their uses) is identified and defined.

Interactive module in which students will be paired and asked to identify which of a given list of sources are primary sources, they will be expected to defend their answer aloud.

Interactive module in which student pairs select a topic for research and identify the types of primary sources which will be necessary for the successful completion of their project- they should also identify potential problems with locating primary sources.

Interactive module in which student pairs will be tasked with collecting one example of a primary source related to their project each.

Students will be asked to create a presentation about their topic which will last approximately 10 minutes. The project will require the use of at least three primary sources in their display and oral presentation of their topic.

Objectives:

The objectives for the first part of the lesson are for the students to:

Operationally understand what a primary source is

Understand the value of primary sources in research

Have a basic understanding of the means through which primary sources are acquired

The objectives for the second part of the lesson are for the students to:

Successfully identify which sources from a list are primary and which are not Successfully defend their decision orally before their classmates

The objectives for the third part of the lesson are for the students to:

Successfully select a realistic topic which they will research and ultimately present

Successfully identify the primary resources which will both be accessible and provide the most useful information

Successfully identify potential barriers for the acquisition of necessary primary resources

The objectives for the fourth part of the lesson are for the students to:

Successfully collect at least one primary source

Selection of a relevant source

The objectives for the fifth part of the lesson are for the students to:

Successfully analyze and integrate the information found in their sources into a comprehensive 10 minute project

The project will include a physical display as well as an oral presentation.

Students will be expected to submit a paragraph detailing their research methods on the date of the presentation.

Standards:

This lesson is intended for students who are capable of conducting independent research and synthesizing the collected information in a meaningful and succinct manner. Also the students will be assessed on their abilities to develop an attractive and informative presentation as well as their ability to speak publicly and respond to questions from their teacher as well as their peers.

Assessments:

At the outset of the lesson students will be presented with a packet including the assignments, lecture, useful guidelines in research, as well as the rubric in which they will be assessed on each of the interactive modules. The instructions packet will be clear and will be intended as an additional guide for students to ensure that they have every possible opportunity to succeed. Module two will be assessed through the successful completion of the work sheet and the clarity and accuracy of the student's supporting arguments. Module three will be assessed by the caliber of suggested topic, and the ability of the students to identify primary source materials. The task also requires that the students identify potential problems locating materials. This is intended as a means of addressing student's ability to plan projects according not only to their desired topic but also the real constraints of acquiring appropriate source material in a timely fashion. Module four will be assessed on the students ability to identify and retrieve a primary source related specifically to their chosen topic. The final module will be assessed on five factors; the essay, the oral presentation, the display, the ability to answer questions, and the successful integration of a minimum of two primary sources into their research. Having made the rubrics for grading available to students at the beginning I will also include abbreviated checklists for each step. Students will be expected to physically check off tasks as they are completed and will be able to ask me at any stage of the lesson should they require assistance.