Primary sources are materials from, or directly related to, the past. In History, primary sources are usually records, letters, or other documents created during the period that is being studied, such as legal notices, diaries, or first hand accounts. Primary sources; however, can include photographs, audio recordings, jewelry and other items. Finding primary sources can be exciting whether a student is searching electronically or actually examining the primary source.
The NARA website http://www.archives.gov/index.html is a valuable tool for finding primary source materials electronically. According to Dr. November’s book, this organization is an independent Federal agency that houses and manages all Federal records, and has developed a web site to provide public electronic access to thousands of documents. Some of the available links on this web site include military service records, World War II photos, genealogy databases, and historical documents such as the Declaration of Independence, Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights. There are also links to the Federal Register, Presidential Libraries and Museums.
As a sixth grade Social Studies teacher, primary sources and the NARA website are exciting teaching tools. These teaching tools will help students to use their higher order thinking skill to critically analyze information. Using primary sources will help the students utilize research skills to learn more about their personal genealogy, their country, and the world. Primary sources can be used to teach main idea for Reading, writing exercises for grammar skills, statistics for math, and historical aspects for Social Studies. I will utilize primary sources and websites such as the NARA to provide my students with a higher order educational environment that promotes life long learning.
Picture Source: http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/FIP/PR-00023-C~Lincoln-with-Text-of-Gettysburg-Address-Posters.jpg
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