| Full lesson | Create for a teacher a set of content for giving a lesson, beginning with the lesson plan. Each new block of materials must begin with an H1 heading (other subheaders must be H2, H3, etc). When you describe required pictures, write those descriptions in curly brackets, for example: {A picture of a triangle} |
| Which subject | History |
| What topic | Thinking Like a Historian: Historical Skills 101 (Pacing 12- 15 days) |
| What length (min) | 30 |
| What age group | Year or Grade 6 |
| Class size | 20 |
| What curriculum | |
| Include full script | |
| Check previous homework | |
| Ask some students to presents their homework | |
| Add a physical break | |
| Add group activities | |
| Include homework | |
| Show correct answers | |
| Prepare slide templates | |
| Number of slides | 5 |
| Create fill-in cards for students | |
| Create creative backup tasks for unexpected moments |
Thinking Like a Historian: Historical Skills 101
Year 6 (Grade 6)
History
20 Students
This lesson aligns with the national curriculum by fostering critical skills in historical analysis, encouraging evidence evaluation, and enhancing interpretation techniques among students.
| Step Number | Step Title | Length | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Historical Skills | 5 minutes | Briefly discuss the importance of historians and the skills they use. Introduce the day's objectives. |
| 2 | Overview of Primary and Secondary Sources | 5 minutes | Explain the differences between primary and secondary sources with examples. Use the projector for visuals if available. |
| 3 | Distributing Printable Cards | 5 minutes | Hand out printable cards to each student, explaining that they will fill them out during the lesson. |
| 4 | Group Activity: Analyzing Sources | 10 minutes | Split the class into small groups. Each group analyzes designated sources, recording their findings on the printable cards. Teachers circulate to provide guidance and assistance. |
| 5 | Collecting Cards for Evaluation | 5 minutes | Call for students to submit their completed cards. Randomly check a selection of the cards to ensure understanding without a formal presentation. Discuss findings as a class. |
Assign students to find a historical event of their choice and write a short paragraph explaining how they would analyze it using the skills learned in class. This homework will be submitted without a presentation requirement.
"Good morning, everyone! Today, we’re going to dive into an exciting topic: Thinking Like a Historian. Historians use specific skills to analyze events from the past, and understanding these skills helps us become better thinkers. By the end of today’s lesson, you will understand what historians do and how to engage with historical evidence critically. Are you ready?"
"Let’s start by discussing two crucial types of sources historians often use: primary and secondary sources.
A primary source is an original document or piece of evidence created during the time under study—such as letters, photographs, or official documents.
On the other hand, a secondary source interprets or analyzes primary sources. Examples include textbooks or articles written by historians after the events occurred.
I’m going to show you some examples on the projector, and I’d like you to think about how these sources might differ in terms of reliability and perspective."
"Next, I have some printable cards for each of you. These cards will help you analyze the historical sources we’re going to look at later.
Please take a card, and as we go through the lesson, I’ll guide you on how to fill it out. You’ll have space for notes on what type of source you’re analyzing and your observations.
Make sure to follow along closely!"
"Now it’s time for a fun group activity! I’m going to split you into small groups. Each group will receive a designated primary or secondary source to analyze.
As you work, I want you to fill out the printable cards with your findings. Discuss each source within your group, considering what information it reveals and how reliable you think it is.
I’ll be walking around to help you and answer any questions you might have, so don’t hesitate to ask for guidance!"
"Time's up! Please hand in your completed cards now. I’ll randomly select a few cards to share with the class, not for judgment but to ensure everyone is on the right track.
Who would like to share their findings? Each of your perspectives is valuable and can help us think more critically about historical analysis as a whole.
Let’s have a discussion about what we discovered today and any questions you might have!"
"For homework, I’d like you to think of a historical event that interests you. Write a short paragraph explaining how you would analyze it using the skills we learned in class today.
Remember to identify whether you would use primary or secondary sources and why.
This assignment will not require a presentation, but I’m excited to see what events you choose! If you have any questions, feel free to ask."
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is the difference between a primary source and a secondary source? | |
| Can you give an example of a primary source? | |
| How does a secondary source interpret historical events? | |
| Why are primary sources considered more reliable in some cases? | |
| What types of documents can be classified as primary sources? | |
| How might perspective affect the reliability of a secondary source? | |
| In your group activity, what did you discover about your assigned source's reliability? | |
| Why is it important for historians to analyze different types of sources? | |
| What skills do historians use to engage with historical evidence critically? | |
| How would you apply the skills learned in class to analyze a historical event of your choice? |