Middle school · Social studies · 20 minutes
Ask Questions of Historical Sources
Distinguish source types and evaluate what a source can and cannot show.
Middle School Social Studies Foundations · Lesson 1 · Starter collectionLearning objective
Distinguish source types and evaluate what a source can and cannot show.
Gather your materials
- Paper or a shared note-taking document
- The original passage, example or data provided in this lesson
The lesson time covers the core activity. Allow extra time for video viewing and extended discussion.
Supporting Common Core connection
SL.6.1Standard level: Grade 6
Prepare evidence, share roles, ask questions and explain how a discussion changes or strengthens your conclusion.
Read the official standard ↗This connection applies to the structured discussion below. It does not establish alignment with science or social studies content standards. Code and level checked 2026-11-04; selected skill coverage.
Teach it step by step
- Ask what the learner already knows. Introduce the objective and read the explanation together.
- Work through the example aloud. Pause for the learner to explain why each step or piece of evidence matters.
- Choose a video if useful, then connect it to the example. Let the learner complete the independent practice before checking the explained answers.
- Discuss the question below and finish with the exit check. Revisit the example if the reasoning is unclear.
Watch, notice, discuss
Video choices for this lesson
Preview a video, then choose what fits your learners. “Show to class” opens a larger view; use the player’s play and full-screen controls when you’re ready.
Teacher preview needed. Check the language, level and length before showing. YouTube may show ads or related videos.
Primary and Secondary Sources
By Jaclyn Valeo
Use this explanation as an introduction, then pause to connect it to the worked example and discussion question.
Open on YouTube: Primary and Secondary Sources (opens a new tab) ↗Analyzing Primary and Secondary Sources in a Middle School History Class
By SBCUSD
Teacher reference: a classroom demonstration of source analysis. Preview to choose a suitable excerpt or teaching approach.
Open on YouTube: Analyzing Primary and Secondary Sources in a Middle School History Class (opens a new tab) ↗What can this source tell us, and what would require a second source? Explain author, time and purpose.
An external player loads only after you choose Preview or Show to class. Playback connects to YouTube. Videos belong to their creators; availability and embedding can change.
Understand the idea
A primary source provides evidence created by a participant or observer in the time or event being studied. A secondary source interprets evidence afterward. These labels depend on the research question and do not automatically indicate accuracy. Ask who created a source, when, for whom and for what purpose. Compare sources to investigate agreement, omission and differing perspectives.
Worked example
For a study of a town bridge opening in 1920, a photograph taken at the ceremony is a primary source for what the photographed scene looked like. A modern article explaining the bridge’s economic impact is a secondary source. The photograph cannot by itself establish that every resident supported the bridge. Its framing includes some people and leaves others outside the image.
Try it yourself
- Classify a diary entry written during the bridge project.
- Name a question the photograph could help answer.
- Name another source you would need to investigate whether residents supported the project.
Check your reasoning
- Primary source for the writer’s account of that period; evaluate its perspective and limits.
- For example, what the visible bridge structure or ceremony looked like.
- Letters, meeting records, petitions or newspaper coverage with differing viewpoints could help; explain whose voices each source represents.
Make it work for your learner
For support, model the example one step at a time and ask the learner to explain each choice in their own words. Use a sketch, organizer or physical model where helpful. For a challenge, create a new example, test an alternative explanation or describe when the model would not apply.
Exit check
Distinguish source types and evaluate what a source can and cannot show. Explain your reasoning with a specific example before moving on.
Prepare · Discuss · Reflect
Use evidence in a conversation
Discussion question: What can this source tell us, and what would require a second source? Explain author, time and purpose.
- Before discussing, write a tentative answer with two details from the lesson’s passage, example or data. For a longer discussion, the teacher can add an age-appropriate source.
- In pairs, a group or a tutor–learner conversation, agree on roles: facilitator, evidence finder and note taker. Combine roles when needed and allow equal time to respond.
- Share evidence, ask a clarifying question and respond to a different interpretation. Explain which details support or challenge a claim.
- Paraphrase another person’s point. Write a final conclusion explaining what changed, what remains uncertain and what evidence you would seek next.
Teacher look-for: Accurate use of the example, reasons linked to evidence, thoughtful questions and a response to another viewpoint. A well-supported alternative answer is welcome.