This is a guest post from Ruth Ferris, an elementary school librarian from Billings, Montana, and a grantee in the TPS Regional Grant Program. I originally learned about the TPS-Barat Primary Source Thinking Triangle through Martha Kohl of the Montana Historical Society. I loved it! I work with K-6 students and many of them struggle academically so I am always looking…
We know that primary sources engage students, helping them to personally relate to persons and events of the past and develop a deeper understanding of history as a series of human events. One way to enhance the connection and empathy is to have students analyze a primary source image, then create tableaux or frozen living pictures. The goal is…
This campaign ad lists 10 pledges Senator Warren G. Harding promised to uphold. Which 3 do you think are most important for a politician to keep? Explain the reasoning for your choices. What pledges would you make if you were running for political office? Explain the reasoning for your choices. This campaign ad says the United…
Check out a larger view of this map. Is this the view you would see from the northern or the southern hemisphere? How do you know? What were or will be the dates of the moon phases for April of this year? If you can, print out this map and follow the directions in the bottom, left…
What is the definition of radicalism? Do you agree with the cartoonist’s choice to represent radicalism with a snake? Why or why not? Read the notes for this political cartoon. Do you think the elephant was a good choice to represent the G.O.P, or Republican party during this time period? Why or why not? Use…
Look carefully at all the elements included in this scene. What do you think the photographer wanted the audience to think and feel? Be sure to back up your conclusion with evidence from the image. Choose two sources (see links below) to review. What arguments did they make against woman suffrage. Use what you learned…
The last word in the sign next to Martin Luther King, Jr. is mostly covered by a microphone. List the word that you think is on the sign and why you think that. The words on the sign were the title of a book King published the year before the photograph was taken. Investigate the sources…
Leonard Bernstein was a famous American composer and conductor. Don’t read the words, just study the illustrations. Zoom into the images online. What is the setting? What is the story? Now read the letter. Challenge yourself to decipher the writing on the pages, then read the transcript. How does the actual letter compare with the…
Review this synopsis of the fugitive slave law. Choose one of the synopsis points and find which part(s) of the fugitive law text the author drew from to create the summary. Use the text from the fugitive slave law to create your own synopsis using modern-day language. In the objections, the author states that the fugitive…
Your assignment is to prepare to write an article to accompany the image you were given. Take time to carefully study the image details. Then brainstorm a list of questions you would need answered in order to write the article about this image. Be deliberate and creative about the point of view from which you…
Who do you think is pictured on the cover of this atlas? Why do you think that? How many years does this atlas cover? Review the list of pages below and choose one title to investigate further. Click the image above to access the digital pages. What did you discover about the topic and time…
The Americans who participated in the liberation of France were shocked by the devastation and the suffering of French civilians who had lost their homes, their livelihood, and their lives during the war. The compassion of the soldiers of the American Expeditionary Forces for the French people generated many popular songs such as “The Tale…