Content Review

Engagement in Teaching History by Fredrick D. Drake & Lynn R. Nelson

Take-aways:

Sources with discussion Use focus questions Use of primary and secondary sources (edited for age appropriate) Historic consciousness Casual explanations Frame of reference of sources Need to help student contextualize Need to have student comparative thinking Look toward different cultures, patterns of change and repetition Use of narrative sources to tell story Use media to allow thoughtful discussion Make sure materials and sources meet standards Use of projects like letters, journals and posters Use of primary source with analysis guides Use alternative sides with indicated sources, ideas and values to support discussion.

Use of images, (between Purdue source and crash course in history allows media images of history)

Historical Thinking

I think studying history comes down to the following statement: Why should our children study history? Should children learn of Patriotism, heroism and ideals of the nation, or the injustices, defeats, and hyprocrises of its leaders and nation. In looking at history we have to look at the context of the sources and the levels of the sources.

In studying history, one has to look at the psychology of the time and context of the source, edited for the audience in the study. Allowing for cultural and socioeconomic diversity and primary and secondary sources used in histories study. The student in reading the text to be studied, one has to look at the skill levels of the reader, reading and understanding of the text and the criterion of the text being presented. Also, one needs to look at the readings and the editing of the text or if it is secondary or third source.

Purdue Review of Primary and Secondary sources Purdue has numerous primary and secondary sources but would have to be edited for middle school use. They have good old English sources which could be used with an explanation of the language which would make a good discussion. Both the

Salem Witch trials, colonial, Civil War would make good primary sources and the ability of the students to understand the context of the language and arguments at the time. I find that use of these text help with the understanding of history and understanding it in the time period it happened.

Primary sources go through United States history and can be used to on various levels to understand history without a historian twist.