Teaching Strategies for Analyzing Primary Sources

Analyzing primary sources is a critical strategy to teach in any history classroom. Teaching students how to "think like historians" is essential to help them comprehend what historians actually do. The best way to learn about past events is to actually study historical documents - journals, letters, auto-biographies, newspapers, artwork, etc.

Teaching students how to analyze documents can be a difficult task. I found two helpful strategies that I often use in my history classes; SOAPStone and APPARTS.

Here is a FREE SOAPStone analysis worksheet for the Berlin Blockade. Click HERE to get this FREE resource.

Check out my other SOAPStone worksheets below:
The Great Depression
American Isolationism in WWII
The Korean War
The Cuban Missile Crisis
The Russian Revolution - Lenin

Happy Teaching!

Anticipation Guides to Check Prior Knowledge

Before I begin a new unit in my secondary history class, I often begin with an Anticipation Guide. An Anticipation Guide consists of agree/disagree statements designed to activate what students already know, arouse curiosity about the topic, and foster thinking. Students read each statement and decide if if they agree or disagree with the statement.  If a statement is false, I often have them rewrite the statement to make it true. 

 

 Click HERE to get this FREE Anticipation Guide for the Cold War

Anticipation Guides are an excellent introductory activity to a unit, a lesson, a reading selection or a video. Students weigh their preconceptions before the learning activity, and can revisit the Anticipation Guide later in the unit to reevaluate their earlier decisions. 

Suggested Use:
* The statements you choose should reflect major concepts, events, feelings, or conflicts that will come up in the unit, lesson, reading or viewing.

* Have students share their answer with a partner. 

* Have students complete the "agree" or "disagree" statements either after the first discussion or after the unit or lesson is complete. 

Check out all my TEACHING STRATEGIES by clicking here!

Happy Teaching!

Teaching Strategies for the NEW YEAR!

As most teachers head back to school after winter break, we realize how difficult it may be to get our students back into the routine of school. Therefore, instead of immediately beginning with the current unit of study, I often begin with a "Growth Mindset" activity and/or a a goal-setting strategy.

My "Growth Mindset" activity includes not only a presentation to teach about growth mindset, but also a reading strategy that gives examples of the difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset.

 

Link HERE 

SMART Goals and Time Management is a FREE resources for the secondary classroom. It reviews the SMART goal strategy which I find the most useful. It also includes a presentation with engaging video's.

 

Link HERE

Does your classroom management need a little improvement? Of all the classroom management strategies I've tried, I find creating "Cooperative Groups" in my classroom is the one strategy that works the best in creating a productive and cooperative classroom. This strategy not only helps my students develop cooperative skills but also influences my students to act appropriately in the classroom.

 

Link HERE

I'm sure in the first few days your students return back from winter break many students will begin to whine. Whine that they have to wake up early, whine that they have to think critically or write an essay. Instead of getting annoyed and angry with their whining, have a little fun with this fun and  FREE "Scoring Guide for Whining"!

 

Link HERE

As the semester comes to an end and final exams begin, you might be in need of some "Fun Games and Review Strategies". This purchase includes 18 different games to choose from.

 

Link HERE

After final exams we will then need to complete semester grades for all our students. Here is another FREE resource to make grading a little easier!

 

Link HERE

I hope returning back to school will now be a little easier!

Happy Teaching!