Allows students to identify and extract the arguments and/or counterarguments surrounding a particular event or subject matter through the use of primary source material.
Students are placed in small grounds, approximately 2 -5 students depending on class size. Each group will be given 2 -5 primary source materials.
• Images
• Newspaper headlines or small articles
• Small selections (less than 3 sentences) of personal writings
• Diary
• Editorial writings
• Speeches
• Government records
• Statistical data
• Artwork
Once the groups receive their information, they will explore the materials given to determine the following aspects
• The historic event the primary sources are related to
• Create an argument about why they think the primary sources relate to their selected historical event
• The argument being made by the author of the source
• Supporting Information that the author has used (optional)
• Any present counterarguments
Students will share their findings with the other groups. As a class, they will construct a short paragraph that
• Identifies the argument that they extracted from the primary source material
• Details supporting information included in the source
• Makes connections to the events/principles