Author: Mr. Toliver

Primary and Secondary Source Website Research Sites

| Mr. Toliver

Let’s practice doing some research! Pick and partner and use your Google doc and searching skills to find fun facts!

Please go to each one of these websites, search each topic, read the article, and find at least 3 facts about each topic by copying and pasting each item into a google doc that you will save into your Google drive.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CRjBymlCqBg5sgirY5YGjxuWj76TgXe5Jac4cLGcebI/edit?usp=sharing

1. Library of Congress – Primary Source Collections
Website: https://www.loc.gov

Type: Primary Source
Topic to Research: Life of Abraham Lincoln
Student Task:

Find three facts about Abraham Lincoln’s life using letters, photographs, or speeches on the site.

Look for one photo, one document, and one quote that tell about his presidency.

2. National Archives – DocsTeach

Website: https://www.docsteach.org

Type: Primary Source
Topic to Research: The Declaration of Independence
Student Task:

Locate the original Declaration of Independence and find three facts about its creation (such as who wrote it, when it was signed, and what it declared).

3. Ducksters History for Kids

Website: https://www.ducksters.com/history/

Type: Secondary Source
Topic to Research: The Civil War
Student Task:

Read about the Civil War and record three key facts (for example, when it happened, who fought, and why).

Bonus: Identify whether the article links to any primary sources like speeches or letters.

4. Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History – “OurStory” or “History Explorer”

Website: https://historyexplorer.si.edu

Type: Primary and Secondary Source Mix
Topic to Research: Everyday Life During the American Revolution
Student Task:

Explore the artifacts and exhibits to find three facts about what daily life was like for colonists or soldiers during the Revolution.

Include one artifact (primary source) and two facts from the background information (secondary sources).

5. Britannica School (or Kids)

Website: https://school.eb.com/levels/elementary

Type: Secondary Source
Topic to Research: The Wright Brothers and the First Airplane
Student Task:

Read the article and note three important facts about the Wright brothers’ invention and how it changed travel.

evaluating websites for research

Good Research Websites:
www.loc.gov (Library of Congress)
www.kids.nationalgeographic.com (National Geographic Kids)
www.si.edu (Smithsonian Institution)
www.mountvernon.org (George Washington’s estate)

Poor or questionable websites:
www.wikipedia.org
historyfanblog.blogspot.com
www.buycheapessays.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_conspiracy_theories

You decide!
www.whitehouse.gov
www.americafunfacts.net
www.myhistoryopinionblog.weebly.com

Now, you pick a topic you like, like animals, ping pong, history, space, etc
Now, pick 2 websites, one bad one good and tell why it is good or bad using this format:

1. Website Name
2. Who wrote it?
3. Why it’s good or poor for research

Unit 2-Think Like a Historian

| Mr. Toliver

This week we will begin a new unit that covers using primary and secondary sources for research.

Here are our vocabulary words we will be using this week:
constitution – document that outlines the fundamental principles and structures of a government.

unalienable rights – basic rights people are born with, also called natural rights.

preamble – an introductory part of a document.

amendments – additions made to a document.

pledge – a promise.

allegiance – loyalty.

primary source – first-hand accounts of an event created by eyewitnesses or first recorders at the time of the event.

secondary source – accounts of events created at a later date and by someone who was not present at the event.

point of view – an opinion or perspective presented by the author of a document, influenced by the author’s personal circumstances.

historical context – the circumstances of the time in which an event occurred or in which an author lived that may have influenced his/her point of view.

Rubric for Map Group Project

| Mr. Toliver

Here is the grading rubric for the map project. Each part will be worth 10 points max, and 5 points minimum.

1. Each state will have its abbreviation in the map:

40-50 10
35-40 9
30-35 8
25-30 7
Less than 25 5

2. Each state will have a dot and the name of the capital:

40-50 10
35-40 9
30-35 8
25-30 7
Less than 25 5

3. A)Each of the 5 regions will be colored in a different color.
B)The map will have a key indicating each region and its color
All 5 colored 10
4 colored 9
3 colored 8
2 colored 6
Less than 2 colored. 5

4. Key detailing all 5 regions 10
Key detailing 4 regions 9
Key detailing 3 regions 8
Key detailing 2 regions 7
No key or less than 2 5

5 Draw the 10 major rivers on the map, with each river identified and its length also identified:
All 10 rivers identified w/ lengths 10
8-9 rivers identified w/ lengths 9
7-8 rivers identified w/ lengths 8
6-7 rivers identified w/ lengths 7
Less than 6 rivers identified 5

6. Draw and label the Great Lakes:
Draw and label all 5 10
Draw and label 4 9
Draw and label 3 8
Draw and label 2 7
Less than 2 drawn and labeled 5

7. Draw and label the major mountain ranges:
Draw and label all 3 ranges 10
Draw and label 2 ranges 9
Draw and label 1 range 8
No ranges drawn 5

8 Label the oceans on each coast and the Gulf of Mexico:
Label both and the Gulf of Mexico 10
Label one ocean and the Gulf 9
Label the Gulf 6
Label no oceans or the Gulf 5

9. Draw a compass rose and each of the ordinal directions:
Draw and label the compass rose 10
Draw the compass rose only 9
No compass rose 5

10. Neatness and readability of the map: 5-10 points

There will also be an individual grade, based on team participation. Each team member will grade themselves and the other team members.