Using Primary Sources in the Social Studies Classroom

Using Primary Sources in the Social Studies ClassroomCase Study: Westward Expansion of the United StatesLindsay OakesC&T 4137 - Literacy & Learning in the Content AreasMarch 23, 2010

“We have to restore the multiple voices that populate the past.” - Sam WineburgWineburg, S. (2010, November). Keynote address. Speech presented at National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference, Denver, CO.

“We have to restore the multiple voices that populate the past.” - Sam WineburgHistorical thinking is multivocal. Wineburg, S. (2010, November). Keynote address. Speech presented at National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference, Denver, CO.

Why is it important for students to analyze historical events from multiple perspectives?

Why is it important for students to analyze historical events from multiple perspectives? Learn how to corroborate information from different sources Examine authors’ biases and points of viewDevelop a broader, richer understanding of historical periods and eventsto name just a few…

Davidson, J.W., Castillo, P. & Stoff, M. (2000). The American nation. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.Armento, B., Nash, G., Slater, C. & Wixson, K. (1994). A more perfect union. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Battle of Little Bighorn (“Custer’s Last Stand”) in two middle school history textbooks

Sources of History Instruction for use in Classrooms

Historians Analyze Sources in Multiple WaysHistorians analyze historical sources in different ways. First, historians think about where, when and why a document was created. They consider whether a source was created close in location and time to an actual historical event. Historians also think about the purpose of a source. Was it a personal diary intended to be kept private? Was the document prepared for the public? Some primary sources may be judged more reliable than others, but every source is biased in some way. As a result, historians read sources skeptically and critically. They also cross-check sources against other evidence and sources. - Library of Congress, The Historian’s SourcesLibrary of Congress. (2002). The historian’s sources. Retrieved 7/14/09 from http://memory.loc.gov/learn/lessons/psources/analyze.html#quests

The David Hilton family near Weissert, Custer County, Nebraska, 1887. Solomon D. Butcher, photographer. Courtesy of Nebraska State Historical Society. From Library of Congress American Memory website:http://memory.loc.gov/award/nbhips/lca/145/14567v.jpg

Types of Questions that Historians AskWho created the source and why? Was it created through a spur-of-the-moment act, a routine transaction, or a thoughtful, deliberate process? Did the recorder have firsthand knowledge of the event? Or, did the recorder report what others saw and heard? Was the recorder a neutral party, or did the creator have opinions or interests that might have influenced what was recorded?Did the recorder produce the source for personal use, for one or more individuals, or for a large audience? Was the source meant to be public or private? Did the recorder wish to inform or persuade others? Was the information recorded during the event, immediately after the event, or after some lapse of time? How large a lapse of time?Library of Congress. (2002). The Historian’s Sources. Retrieved July 14. 2009 from http://memory.loc.gov/learn/lessons/psources/studqsts.html

Work with a partner to analyze 2-3 primary sources. Use these questions to analyze the documents: Who created the source and why? Was it created through a spur-of-the-moment act, a routine transaction, or a thoughtful, deliberate process? Did the recorder have firsthand knowledge of the event? Or, did the recorder report what others saw and heard? Was the recorder a neutral party, or did the creator have opinions or interests that might have influenced what was recorded?Did the recorder produce the source for personal use, for one or more individuals, or for a large audience? Was the source meant to be public or private? Did the recorder wish to inform or persuade others? (Check the words in the source. The words may tell you whether the recorder was trying to be objective or persuasive.) Did the recorder have reasons to be honest or dishonest? Was the information recorded during the event, immediately after the event, or after some lapse of time? How large a lapse of time?

Millions of Acres poster, 1872. Courtesy of Library of Congress, Printed Ephemera Collection; Portfolio 134, Folder 13. From Library of Congress American Memory website: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/rbpe.13401300

Pacific Chivalry: Encouragement to Chinese Immigration. Thomas Nast, artist. Harper’sWeekly, August 7, 1869, page 512. From the HarpWeek website: http://immigrants.harpweek.com/ChineseAmericans/Illustrations/021PacificChivalryMain.htm

Every Dog (No Distinction Of Color) Has His Day. Thomas Nast, artist. Harpers Weekly, February 8, 1879, page 101. From HarpWeek website: http://immigrants.harpweek.com/ ChineseAmericans/Illustrations/125EveryDogHasHisDayMain.htm

Miners Bringing in Gold Dust, 1866. Theodore R. Davis, illustrator. From Harpers Weekly, January 27, 1866, page 57. From HarpWeek website: http://thewest.harpweek.com/Illustrations/!ListOfIllusHeader.htm

Population of an Indian Village Moving, 1870. Theodore R. Davis, illustrator. Harpers Weekly, May 21, 1870, page 324. From HarpWeek website: http://thewest.harpweek.com/Illustrations/!ListOfIllusHeader.htm

Preparing Supper, 1866. James F. Gookins, illustrator. Harpers Weekly, October 13, 1866, page 644. From HarpWeek website: http://thewest.harpweek.com/Illustrations/!ListOfIllusHeader.htm

Work on the Last Mile of the Pacific Railroad: Mingling of European with Asiatic Laborers, 1869. Alfred R. Waud, illustrator. Harpers Weekly, May 29, 1869, p. 348. From HarpWeek website: http://thewest.harpweek.com/Illustrations/!ListOfIllusHeader.htm

Pilgrims of the Plains, 1871. Alfred R. Waud, illustrator. Harpers Weekly, December 23, 1871, page 1200. From HarpWeek website: http://thewest.harpweek.com/Illustrations/!ListOfIllusHeader.htm

Sylvester Rawding sod house, north of Sargent, Custer County, Nebraska, 1886. Solomon D. Butcher, photographer. Courtesy of Nebraska State Historical Society, RG2608.PH-1784. From the Nebraska State Historical Society website: http://www.nebraskahistory.org/lib-arch/research/photos/digital/newlook.htm

Advertising poster for the ship Galatea, c1854. Poster courtesy of Library of Congress, digital ID mymhiwe 431278. From the Library of Congress American Memory website: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/I?mymhiwebib:5:./temp/~ammem_zqXb::displayType= 1:m856sd=mymhiwe:m856sf=431278:@@@

Indian sisters, between 1880 and 1900. Photographer unknown. [Studio portrait of Ute (Native American) sisters and their children.] Courtesy of Western History/Genealogy Department, Denver Public Library. Digital ID codhawp 10030541. From the Library of Congress American Memory website: http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?10030541+X-30541

Using Primary Sources in the Social Studies Classroom

Ute Chief Monk Shavanah and relations, between 1870-1890. Courtesy of Western History/Genealogy Department, Denver Public Library. Digital ID codhawp 10030558. From the Library of Congress American Memory website: http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?10030558+X-30558

Pine Ridge Agency, S. D. trooper, Buffalo Soldier Corporal, 1891. C. G. Morledge, photographer. Courtesy of Western History/Genealogy Department, Denver Public Library. Digital ID codhawp 10031308. From the Library of Congress American Memory website: http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?10031308+X-31308

Dakota Indian mission school, photograph c. 1880-1900. Thomas Lawrence Riggs, photographer, possibly taken on the Ponca Reservation, Nebraska. Courtesy of Western History/Genealogy Department, Denver Public Library. From the Library of Congress American Memory website: http://photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?10031782+X-31782

Indian Land for Sale poster, c. 1910. Courtesy of Library of Congress, Broadside Portfolio 240, Number 24, Rare Book Collection. From Montana Historical Society website: http://www.his.state.mt.us/education/textbook/chapter11/Ch11Educators.asp

What are the verbs of history?What were you doing as you read and analyzed the sources?

The Verbs of History in use: A student historianThe following video clip shows high school student Andrew reading primary sources relating to the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955. Historical Thinking Matters. (2008). Rosa Parks. Retrieved 7/10/2010 from http://historicalthinkingmatters.org/rosaparks/1/studentwork/ta2/

Once students have read, analyzed, and interpreted information from multiple sources…

…what do they do with this information that is meaningful, creative, and addresses an authentic audience?

Teaching into Multiple Perspectives using Multigenre WritingTom Romano’s Blending Genre, Altering Style: Writing Multigenre Papers (2000).

What is a multigenre project?A project that uses many different types of writing to tell a story about one topic.A project containing a series of pieces written in a variety of genres that are connected by the same theme or topic and make up a coherent narrative.Excerpts from Anchi’s project, The Famine of Ireland (2008): letter, essay, journal entry, poem, drawing, an annotated primary source illustration from the 1840s, and a monologue.

Please read through some sample projects at your table. Background:7th grade students U.S. History classInterdisciplinary collaboration with Social Studies and English Language Arts Thematic units of study on Immigration or Westward Expansion Excerpts from Anchi’s project, The Famine of Ireland (2008): letter, essay, journal entry, poem, drawing, an annotated primary source illustration from the 1840s, and a monologue.

Why use multigenre writing?Students understand and remember ideas better when they have to transform those ideas from one form to another. Apparently it is in this transforming process that author’s ideas become reader’s ideas, rendering them more memorable. (Pearson & Fielding, 1991)The Multigenre writer uses varying styles of writing to give a new birth to the subject of his or her research.(Putz, 2006)Pearson, P. D., & Fielding, L. (1991). Comprehension instruction. In R. Barr, M. C. Kamil, P. M. Mosenthal, & P. D. Pearson (Eds.), Handbook of reading research (Vol. 2, pp. 815-860). White Plains, NY: LongmanPutz, M. (2006) The teacher’s guide to the mutligenre research project. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Why use multigenre writing in a history class?Writing a multigenre project encourages students to:Consider multiple perspectives and write in multiple voices;Develop empathy for people in times, places, and situations far removed from students’ own experiences;Engage in rigorous, self-directed research;

Why use multigenre writing in a history class?Writing a multigenre project encouragescurriculum and instruction to:Address all of the Historical Thinking Standards: chronological thinking, historical comprehension, historical analysis and interpretation, historical research capabilities, and historical issue analysis and decision-makingAddress the Common Core Standards for Literacy in History/Social StudiesNational Center for History in the Schools, UCLA. (2005). Overview of standards in historical thinking. Retrieved July 21, 2009, from http://nchs.ucla.edu/standards/thinking5-12.html.Common Core State Standard Initiative. (2010). “Common core state standards for English language arts & literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects.” Retrieved on December 7, 2010 from http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards.

Designing an interdisciplinary unit around multigenre writingScheduled within a thematic unit of study (e.g., Immigration, Westward Expansion) Task: “Research an event, person, or place significant to the history of immigration [or Westward Expansion], and present the story of that event, person, or place from a number of different perspectives and in a number of different genres.”Scaffolded instruction and provided in-class time for research and writing

Partial list of genres generated by students…EssayShort storyPoemSongCartoonMapNews articleScript or screenplayPrayer Photograph Biography Advertisements Timeline Monologue Inventory listSketchbook Historical fictionMemoirComic bookPoster MagazineTelegramTo Do listRecipeBlogAIM or text conversationLetterInvoiceJournal entry …and many more

Studying Multiple GenresBefore and during writing, students studied:multigenre texts

texts in multiple genresStudying Multiple Genres Texts were woven throughout the writing process as models for students’ writing. Teachers and students provided examples of texts in additional genres to share with the class.

Researching using multiple genres of informational textStudent-selected topics Research utilized informational books, biographies and autobiographies, websites, audio-visual materials, interviews and oral histories.Research included study of primary and secondary sources.

Writing the Multigenre ProjectStudents used the information from their research to try out writing in different genres. Students wrote the same content in different genres, and rewrote pieces in the same genre as they developed broader and deeper understandings of their topics.

End NotesEnd notes explained how students integrated historical content into each genre.Excerpts from Alexander’s end notes for his project, Voices, Stories, & Writings from the History of Jamestown (2008)

RevisingDuring revision, students were expected to:Add additional content information to their writingSmoothly integrate the content information into their writing.Refine their writing in the style and structure of the genres they used. Revision was differentiated based on students’ genre choices and needs.

Assessing Students’ Research and Writing

ReferencesArmento, B., Nash, G., Slater, C. & Wixson, K. (1994). A more perfect union. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Bierman, Carol. (1998). Journey to Ellis Island. Toronto: Madison Press Books.Davidson, J.W., Castillo, P. & Stoff, M. (2000). The American nation. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.Common Core State Standard Initiative. (2010). “Common core state standards for English language arts & literacy in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects.” Retrieved on December 7, 2010 from http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards. Draper, Sharon. (1996). Tears of a Tiger. New York: Simon Pulse.

ReferencesNational Center for History in the Schools, UCLA. (2005). Overview of standards in historical thinking. Retrieved July 21, 2009, from http://nchs.ucla.edu/standards/thinking5-12.html.Pearson, P. D., & Fielding, L. (1991). Comprehension instruction. In R. Barr, M. C. Kamil, P. M. Mosenthal, & P. D. Pearson (Eds.), Handbook of reading research (Vol. 2, pp. 815-860). White Plains, NY: LongmanPutz, M. (2006) The teacher’s guide to the mutligenre research project. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.Romano, Tom. (2000). Blending genre, altering style: Writing multigenre papers. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook.Wineburg, S. (2010, November). Keynote address. Speech presented at National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference, Denver, CO.

Suggestions for Further ReadingMultigenre books for students: Avi. (1993). Nothing but the truth: A documentary novel. New York: Avon Books. Bierman, C. (1998). Journey to Ellis Island. Toronto: Madison Press Books.Draper, S. (1996). Tears of a tiger. New York: Simon Pulse. Resources for teachers:Allen, C. (2001). The multigenre research paper: Voice, passion, and discovery in grades 4-6. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Putz, M. (2006) The teacher’s guide to the mutligenre research project. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.Romano, T. (2000). Blending genre, altering style: Writing multigenre papers. Portsmouth, NH: Boynton/Cook.

Using Primary Sources in the Social Studies Classroom

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