What in the World is Historical Inquiry?
Subject/Grade Level: Third Grade
Focus of Lesson: The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to the historical inquiry process, by having them examine photographs of the local community and think critically about them.
Standard(s) Assessed:
History 2: Students know how to use the processes and resources of historical inquiry.
Reading & Writing 4: Students apply thinking skills to their reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing.
Information Literacy 3: The information literate student uses information accurately and creatively.
Standard(s) Addressed:
History 3: Students understand that societies are diverse and have changed over time.
Assessment: Students will use the American Memory and Colorado Heritage collections to locate and view a picture of a specific location in the local community at some time in the past. They will use the picture to fill out an Observation Worksheet.
Time: Three 45-minute class periods
Materials:
Computer lab with Internet access
Picture of Main Street, Pueblo Colorado <http://www.photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00070629+MCC-629>
Photo Sleuths activity for teacher
American Memory web site: http://memory.loc.gov
Heritage Colorado web site: http://www.cdpheritage.org
Photo Analysis Worksheet http://memory.loc.gov/learn/educators/workshop/discover/guide4.html
Observation Worksheet
Possible Procedures:
Activity 1
Introduce the concept of historical inquiry. Show students the picture of Main Street, Pueblo, 1905-06, <http://www.photoswest.org/cgi-bin/imager?00070629+MCC-629>, and do the Photo Sleuths activity with them.
Activity 2
Show students how to access American Memory, select 'Search' and type in a single keyword search term to search across collections. (Use a computer with video projector, or Network Assistant to share a screen with all the computers.) Also show them how to access and search the Heritage Colorado Database, select 'Search' and type in key word search term in the box under 'Search Heritage'. As a large group, select and view a picture and fill out the observation worksheet together, using the Photo Analysis Worksheet (The questions could be projected onto a whiteboard with an overhead projector, or posted on chart paper.)
Activity 3
Give students time to practice using the two sites to search, select, and analyze a picture of their choice of photographs about the local community.
Activity 4
Assessment. Students use the from American Memory or Heritage Colorado site to search, select, and analyze a picture of the local community, using the Observation Worksheet.
-Karen Alexander, Heritage Elementary School, Pueblo, CO.
