Stanford University
Close Reading
Here's a poster that highlights the skills needed for the close reading of primary source documents when gathering evidence to support historical claims.
National Park Service
Making Choices
What factors go into a decision to enter a war? Use a collection of primary source documents and images to prompt a discussion about the American Revolution and the reasons for entering a war against Britain.
Curated OER
The Impact of the Civil Rights Movement
Deepen understanding of the Civil Rights Movement with this collection of primary documents. This resource contains 22 video transcripts about desegregation, voting rights, black power, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and more. You might...
Stanford University
Sourcing
What questions do historians ask when sourcing a document? Here's a poster that models these questions.
Stanford University
Corroboration
How do historians corroborate the information in a primary source document? They use the questions features on this poster!
Stanford University
Contextualization
Part of a series of posters designed to be used with a unit fostering the skills needed to read like a historian, this template models the questions researchers need to ask to contextualize a primary source document.
National Park Service
The Power of Remembrance
On every July 4th, we watch fireworks and celebrate our independence, but how is the history of the American Revolution preserved? Four social studies lesson guide learners through different memorials, commemorative objects, and restored...
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
Inside India
What can a Ganesh statue, hand ornament, and print block tell you about India? Introduce your learners to the geography, history, and culture of India by analyzing primary sources and using the well-designed worksheets provided in this...
Student Handouts
Guy Fawkes Night
What happened on the fifth of November that has prompted an annual, national commemoration in Great Britain? Young historians look at a traditional English rhyme and folk tale from the seventeenth century that...
University of California
The Civil War: Secession of the South
Was the Southern states' decision to secede from the Union protected by the United States Constitution? Eighth graders discuss the constitutionality of the South's justification for secession, particularly the secession of South...
Federal Reserve Bank
Barbie in the Labor Force
How have the women's share of the labor force and chosen occupations evolved in the United States over the last century? Using census reports, graphs detailing the gender makeup of the labor force, and analysis of the careers of...
Media Smarts
Advertising All Around Us
Here is a set of advertising lessons, explore language, techniques, representation, and target audiences. Discuss the impact ads have on our daily lives. What do we see and how do they make us feel? Observe ads from around the...
PBS
Democracy in Action: Freedom Riders
This is a must-have resource for every social studies teacher covering the civil rights movement. Through an engaging video and detailed viewing guide, young historians learn about the Freedom Riders, and discover how everyday...
Tutankhamun
Pharaohs, Pyramids and the World of the Gods
Your young historians will learn all about the pharaohs, pyramids, and gods of ancient Egypt with these informational text worksheets, each of which are accompanied by hands-on, follow-up activities.
University of Georgia
Would Your Cat Eat This Stuff?
Processed foods use inorganic compounds for flavoring and preservation. This take-home laboratory challenges scholars to find 20 different compounds identified on the labels of foods to list on their data collection sheet. The activity...
Other
Links to Primary Documents & Classified Transcripts
Check out this page for a list of links to primary source documents regarding the last years of U.S. involvement in Vietnam, many of which are declassified transcripts of conversations between Gerald Ford and Henry Kissinger.
Online Writing Lab at Purdue University
Purdue University Owl: Analysis
This entry focuses on using analysis to interpret primary resources; it provides methods and examples of analysis. W.9-10.10 Write Routinely
University of Groningen
American History: Documents: Documents
Browse U.S. historical documents according to historical period or search documents via search engine.W.11-12.9b US Doc Analysis
Other
Mapof us.org: Maps of Mississippi
A collection of interactive maps and primary source documents including atlases and maps of Mississippi.
University of California
Uc Berkeley Library: Critical Evaluation of Resources
Questions to ask yourself when determining if a source is reliable. Discusses difference between primary and secondary source. List of reference sources and links to other sites that teach you how to evaluate sources....
Wisconsin Historical Society
Wisconsin Historical Society: The Career of Robert M. La Follette
Robert M. La Follette was a popular Republican from Wisconsin in the Progressive Era. He was a Congressman, a governor of Wisconsin and a Senator who advocated direct primaries to thwart the political machines. In addition to his...
National Library of France
National Library of France: Hector Berlioz: The Voice of Romanticism
A richly illustrated site that explores the life and influences of the romantic composer Hector Berlioz. Primary source documents, such as letters, musical scores, and manuscripts, populate the site. Other useful images that help tell...
Internet History Sourcebooks Project
Fordham University: Ancient History Sourcebook: Religion in Ancient Rome
This site, from the Internet Ancient History Sourcebook, provides a series of primary source documents on Rome's religious history. It includes prayers and hymns as well as writings from Cato, Cicero, Livy, and Plutarch.
Other
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission: Pennsylvania State History
Find an extensive history of the state of Pennsylvania, along with illustrated essays on Pennsylvania people, places, and events. Visitors can also access an interesting mix of primary source documents related to Pennsylvania's heritage,...