Learning Experience Plans

History Hunt: Using Primary & Secondary Resources

Objectives | Hook; Initiation; Building Inclusion | Activities / Strategies | Reflection Questions | Appreciations

Grade level: 2nd

How does this lesson fit within a larger unit of study?
This lesson supports the development of knowledge needed to research individuals or groups who have made a difference in society and how and why we remember the past.

Timeframe: This learning experience consists of three thirty-minute sessions.

Download this Learning Experience Plan

Objectives

CT State Social Studies Standards:

HIST 2.6 Identify different kinds of historical sources.

HIST 2.7 Explain how historical sources can be used to study the past. HIST 2.8 Identify the maker, date, and place of origin for a historical source from information within the source itself.

HIST 2.9 Generate questions about a particular historical source as it relates to a particular historical event or development.


Additional CT CORE Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.3 Describe the connection between a series of historical events, scientific ideas or concepts, or steps in technical procedures in a text.


Lesson’s Collaborative/Social Objectives:

  • Participate fully
  • Listen attentively
  • Express appreciation of others’ ideas
  • Reflect on group interaction
  • Think constructively
  • Make group decisions
  • Respect and value different skills and opinions

Compelling Questions Engaged:

What historical sources can we use to study the past?

How do different sources of information tell us about the past and about how people and groups made a difference in the past?


Lesson’s Content Objectives:

I can ask and answer questions.

I can ask and answer questions about an image.

I can identify primary and secondary resources.

I can tell how different sources tell us about the past.

Materials & Prep Required

Day One:
large paper magnifying glass, pencils, chart paper for anchor chart, crayons and/or markers, and student reflection sheets.


Day Two:

collage of historical sources (one collage per group), paper to mount collage, chart paper with see, think, wonder headings, pencils, chart paper for anchor chart, crayons and/or markers, and student reflection sheets.


Day Three:

student activity sheet “History Hunt”, anchor chart from Day One, and student reflection sheets.

Activities / Strategies

How will you have students interact with each other about the lesson content? How will students be engaged in inquiry and creativity? What assessment strategies will be employed?

Day 1

30 minutes

How will you connect students to their prior learning or experiences?

History Hunt Day 1: Students work in small groups to identify the resources they would use to gather or hunt for information about an historical event or person.


Day 2

30 minutes

How will you have students interact with each other about the lesson content? How will students be engaged in inquiry and creativity? What assessment strategies will be employed?

See Think Wonder inquiry activity using collage of historical sources: Students work in small groups to reflect upon and ask questions about a collage of historical sources.


Day 3

30 minutes

History Hunt Day 3 activity using the painting Seven Miles to Farmington: Students will develop knowledge of primary and secondary sources and answering questions about a primary source.

Activities / Strategies

Notes & Details

Day 1:

Students will review guidelines for working in a group effectively and respectfully. Students will form groups and receive materials.

Students will activate and share their prior knowledge about materials/resources they have used to study non-fiction topics.

Student groups will generate lists of these resources.

Student groups will contribute to the class list of resources during sharing. (Keep this chart for use on Day Three.)

Students will discuss and decide which resources might provide information about an historical event or person.

Students will reflect upon their participation and group dynamics.


Day 2:

Students are introduced to See Think Wonder Inquiry task.

Students will form groups and receive materials.

Students will use the See Think Wonder strategy to generate observations, thoughts, and questions about the collage of historical sources.

Students will share their three most important things about which they are wondering.

Students will draw conclusions about the collage.

Students will reflect upon their participation in the group.


Day 3:
Students will develop knowledge of historical sources.

Students will develop knowledge about primary and secondary sources and practice identifying each.

Students will use the website to answer questions about a primary source. Students will identify other historical sources on the website.

Students will determine which of their sources from the anchor chart they created on Day One are primary or secondary.

Students will explain how the painting helps them learn about the past.

5 minutes

Reflection Questions

Content:

Which objects are primary sources and which items are secondary sources? What did you learn about the past from this painting?


Collaborative:

Students reflect upon and indicate how well their group worked together.


Personal:

Students reflect upon their own behavior and how it did or did not contribute to the group dynamics.

Content:

What did we learn about using primary resources?


Collaborative:

In what ways was your group successful today?


Personal:

How did you contribute to the work of your group?

Reflection Questions

Notes & Details

Content questions are addressed on Day 3.

Collaborative and personal questions are addressed all three days.

2 minutes

Appreciations

Invite appreciations. “What did you notice about our work together today?”

Appreciations

Notes & Details

Students will reflect upon their participation and the groups’ cohesiveness after each lesson. (Part of each 30 minute lesson)