Lesson 3: Primary & Secondary Sources

I. General Information:
Grade Level: 3rd
Discipline: Socials Studies
Unit Topic: History-Titanic
Time Frame: 45 minutes
Text: National Geographic Readers: Titanic by Melissa Sweet
History Detectives-Primary & Secondary Sources

Other Materials:
o Student iPads
o Printed copy of Primary & Secondary Sources (Titanic)
o Board Space or Anchor Chart Paper
o Padlet (app)
o Paper with Closure questions on it
o pencils

II. Essential Understanding/Questions:

Essential Questions:
How do different sources provide evidence of what life was like in the past?
What causes or influences the choices people make?

Enduring Understandings: There are varying perspectives on the meaning of historical events.

III. Standards/Indicators
English Language Arts:
o RI.3.7
Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the words in a text to
demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why, and how key events occur).
o RI.3.1
Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the
text as the basis for the answers.

Social Studies:
 o 5. A.2 Investigate how people lived in the past using a variety of primary and secondary
sources.
a. Collect and examine information about people, places, or events of the past using pictures,
photographs, maps, audio, or visual tapes and or documents.

IV. Lesson Objectives

o Students will be able to analyze primary and secondary sources to describe
people and events relevant to the sinking of the Titanic.
o Students will be able to use information gained from various sources to
answer questions.

V. Evaluation/Assessment:
Informal: Students will be informally evaluated by observation & discussion of
text questions. Students will also contribute to a group padlet with information
gained from lesson.

VI. Procedures:
Introduction:
Prior to the start of the lesson, cut out various primary and secondary
sources (Titanic). Put 2 resources under student seats or desks. As students
enter the classroom, explain that some students are sitting in the Hot Seat.
Students need to check under their seat/desk for a primary or secondary source.

Teaching/Activities:
1.Explain that today we are going to analyze these resources like Historians.
Historians dont just look at text. They also look at valuable pieces of
information like photographs, audio recordings, maps, illustrations, diagrams, etc.
All of the pieces of information help provide what life was like during a certain
moment in time.
2. Explain the difference between primary and secondary. Primary Resources
were written, taken by someone who experienced the event the day it happened.
Secondary Sources are taken/written after the fact and by someone who wasnt
there.
3. Ask: Which evidence would be more credible? Which kind
primary/secondary can we trust more? Listen to student responses.
 4. One by one, have students in the Hot Seat bring their resource up to
the document camera. Give students time to analyze and look over document. Have
students share what information can they gather from this source about the
people, place, and event. As students share, record thoughts down on class Padlet
(online app).Discuss as a class whether they believe the resource is primary or
secondary. Confirm or adjust student misconceptions as they discuss.
5. Explain that students will analyze and describe the rest of the primary
and secondary resources. Students will record thougths on our class Padlet.
Students may work independently, with a partner, or with a flex group with you
(the teacher) as needed.
6. Circulate the room and observe as students analyze and describe these
resources. Ensure that sudents are describing these resources (people, places,
and events) in complete sentences on Padlet.

Closure: Bring students together back at their seats. Have students access
the text on their ipad: Primary Sources: The Titanic, the Wireless Operators Story .
https://newsela.com/articles/primary-source-titanic-telegraph/id/24900
This text is on NewsEla. Read the text to the students. Then, pass out a paper with the following
questions on it to every student. On their paper, the students need to write down their answers to the
following questions:
o What information does this resource give you about people? Explain using evidence from
text.
o What information does this resource give you about the event? Explain using evidence
from text.
o What kind of resource is this-Primary or Secondary?

Collect these papers. Explain that we will continue to explore more resources about the Titanic.
Ask: Did you enjoy reading like a Historian today? Have a few students share what they found
out and what they enjoyed.

References:

L. (2014, November 12). Titanic History Detectives Lesson. Retrieved April 25, 2017, from
https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/titanic-history-detectives-lesson-6206428

Padlet is the easiest way to create and collaborate in the world. (n.d.). Retrieved April 25, 2017, from
https://padlet.com/
 Primary Sources: The Titanic, the Wireless Operator's Story. (n.d.). Retrieved April 25, 2017, from
https://newsela.com/articles/primary-source-titanic-telegraph/id/24900/