Thinking Like a HistorianPart One: Posing Questions using Artifacts

K-5 Historical and Social Sciences Analysis Skills

Analysis skills are found in the California History-Social Science Framework. They are the higher order thinking skills that are to be integrated throughout our standards-based History-Social Science lessons. Read Historical Analysis Skills

Use of Primary Sources K-5 Analysis Skill #2: Research Evidence and Point of View

Students pose relevant questions about events they encounter in historical documents, eyewitness accounts, oral histories, letters, diaries, artifacts, photographs, maps, artworks, and architecture.

Why are primary sources important? Primary sources are the original historical items such as

documents, journals, paintings, artifacts, photographs, etc. used by real people of the time period. Primary sources:

Engage students in history by making it real and personal. Expose students to different perspectives. Provide support for EL’s, SEL’s, and SWD’s. Challenge our students to think critically, to use analysis

skills, to make inferences, and to develop interpretations and explanations with evidence.

Promote student inquiry. Give students the opportunity to study and draw conclusions

like historians do.

One type of primary source is an artifact.What are artifacts?

Physical Objects made and/or used by human beings.

Clues to the past Reveal information about a culture,

event, or time period.We study artifacts when we visit museumsand historical sites with our students.

Examples of Historical Artifacts toys tools money

clothing dishesbuttons

games letters weapons

maps furniture journals

cooking utensils musical instruments dolls

more….

What questions do teachers ask their students in order to analyze an artifact?

From what material is it made? Who might have used it?How old might it be? Where might it have been used?From what time period does it come? What might it have been used for?

What does it tell us about the life of the people who used it? What do we use today that is like this artifact?

What is its size and shape? What does this artifact tell usWhat is its color and texture? about the time period?How much does it weigh? What does it tell about the Describe any special markings technology of the time period?

What do you wonder when you look at What new questions do you have thatthis artifact? you would like to research?

Think about it…… Artifact Analysis Graphic Organizer

Download Artifact Analysis Graphic Organizer Analyze the artifact foundon the next slide. Review the questionsfound on the artifactanalysis sheet. Use with a varietyof artifacts from thesame time period todraw conclusions.

Think about it…. Study the next photo of a general store in California in the 1850’s and read the sample questions. Think about the following questions?

What level of Bloom’s Taxonomy is each question? How do these questions promote critical thinking? What questions would you change or add?

1. What artifacts do you see?

2. Which artifact seems most unusual? Why?

3. What can we learn about the lives of the pioneers by looking at their artifacts?

4. Compare and contrast stores of today with an 1800’s store.

5. How has store merchandise changed over time? Why?

6. Would you have liked shopping in this store? Why or why not?

7. What caption would you write to go with this picture?

8. What do you wonder after seeing this picture?

9. What new questions can you research?

The following are ways that Artifact Analysis can be used to stimulate critical thinking in a History-Social Science Lesson

Use the new questions that were a product of the Artifact analysis to start student research.

Ask students to add what has been concluded from these artifacts to what they learned in their textbook as well as new information gained from other primary sources such as photographs and journals. Does the new information support or conflict with the conclusions you have made?

Use models of artifacts, pictures of artifacts, or visits to museums as a unit opener to generate questions for study.

Use artifacts as a puzzlement to set the stage for a lesson. Use artifacts as writing prompts. For example: ask students to write an

advertisement for the 1850’s general store. Use artifacts to create a museum exhibit. For example: Find photos of

artifacts that could have been found inside an 1850’s schoolhouse, or inside an immigrant’s trunk, or in Ben Franklin’s pocket.

Task #8 (H-SS)

Review one of the weblinks above and choose an artifact that you might use to support one of your grade level History–Social Science standards.

Identify the website and the artifact selected. Create a list of 10 questions that would require your

students to think critically about the artifact and draw conclusions about the time period. Label each question with the level from one of the Taxonomies discussed.