faqs

=**Frequently-Asked Questions** =

===//So I've checked out tips on using primary sources, and I've looked at the resources, but just where can I find primary source documents to use in my classroom?// === ====While many primary documents are held in private collections, most often by the families of the people who created or owned them, many documents are held in public archives. Archives can be located at libraries, historical societies, government buildings, and colleges or universities, depending on the care required to maintain them and the topics they are most relevant to. For example, the [|Maine State Archives] are located in Augusta, Maine's capitol, and are available to the public with a prior appointment. However, there are several movements in the United States and throughout the world to digitize primary documents to be included in online archives and databases. This means that more and more documents are becoming available from the comfort of your home computer on a daily basis. Check out some of the resources listed on this wiki for more information.====

//Are there currently any textbooks on the market that deal with using primary source documents to teach history?//
====That's a definite no. There are several [|books] on the subject aimed toward helping teachers, but having a textbook for this specific topic would defeat the purpose of using primary documents in the first place! Of course, check out your local library for these books before buying them.====

//How does primary source learning line up with state or local learning standards?//
====At least in Maine, the [|Maine Learning Results] in Social Studies //specifically// require that students work with and acquire knowledge from a variety of sources, both primary and secondary. The standards also use wording such as "compare and contrast," "analyze," "interpret," and "trace." In my opinion, there is no better way to trace the roots and evolution of American democracy than through the documents and manuscripts that helped to establish the U.S. government. As listed on the resources page, there are several links for websites that provide graphic organizers designed to help students interpret, compare, and analyze primary documents, from letters and manuscripts, to photographs and newspaper articles. As always, be creative with the way you interpret learning standards and take the liberty of exposing students to primary source research; their learning will be far richer and more exciting, and that's a risk any educator should be willing to take.====

//What are some difficulties or challenges involved in teaching with primary source documents?//
====Some teachers are afraid to teach without using textbooks because the gathering of resources, construction of graphic organizers and assessments, and finding just the right balance of reading levels for your students can be very difficult and time-consuming. These, coincidentally enough, are also challenges faced by teachers who choose to teach using primary documents. As stated before, however, finding documents to use in the classroom according to your topics is becoming easier day-by-day with the amount of documents being digitized and cataloged online. Sometimes it is also necessary for teachers to annotate sections of documents, as the English language has changed extensively over time, and students might not be familiar with expressions and grammar used in historical documents, especially prior to the 19th century. Since teaching with primary documents is a fairly new field, there are not many pre-fabricated graphic organizers or assessments available to use with students. In creating these pieces yourself, make sure to focus on the important parts of research: analysis, comparison, contrasting, and interpretation, not meaningless elements such as recall and drill. Remember, be creative, and make sure to follow through with authentic assessments that require students to actually reconstruct history and create their own interpretations. For students with reading levels above and below the "norm," make sure that you offer extra assistance or extra stimulation to those students who require it. In providing annotations for sections of texts, you may prevent this issue at the very beginning. Also remember that photographs, paintings, and cartoons, are valuable primary documents, and can be very helpful to students who are not very linguistically-inclined.====