Elementary Primary Source Sets

A Message from The Colorado Primary Sources for Elementary School Collaborative

Greetings,

We are very proud to present primary source sets for elementary teachers and students! This project came about as a result of requests from the field. Elementary teachers had expressed an interest in using primary sources in their classrooms but were not sure how to find sources that were appropriate for their grade level. As a result, a group of educators worked together to create primary source sets for grades K-6.

The primary source sets are comprised of three parts: Lesson Overview, Primary Source Set and Lesson Ideas, and a Resource Set.

Lesson Overview: The lesson overview is a graphic organizer that gives a "snapshot" of the primary source set and lesson. The lesson overview graphic is based on the Document Based Lesson template developed by A. Reisman (2012).
Primary Source Set and Lesson Ideas: The primary source set and lesson ideas includes a collection of primary sources on a specific topic and a variety of ideas for incorporating those sources into your classroom instruction
Resource Set: The resource set includes additional sources to accompany the Primary Source Set and Lesson Ideas to help extend lessons and further student understanding.

What is a Primary Source?

Primary sources are the voices of the past. They are the raw materials of history — original documents and objects which were created at the time under study. They are different from secondary sources, accounts or interpretations of events created by someone without firsthand experience. Documents, letters, posters, film, artifacts, photographs, maps, etc. can be primary sources that tell the story of people, places, an events of the past.

Why Use Primary Sources in the Classroom?

Examining primary sources gives students a powerful sense of history and the complexity of the past. Helping students analyze primary sources can also guide them toward higher-order thinking and better critical thinking and analysis skills (from the Library of Congress).

Where Do I Find Primary Sources?

Library of Congress
National Archives
History Colorado
Colorado Encyclopedia
Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection
Local Museums (Scroll down to the bottom of the page for a map of local history museums and articles)

Primary Source Analysis Worksheets:

Worksheets may be modified or adapted to specific goals or outcomes of the lesson.

Questions? E-mail Stephanie Hartman, Social Studies Content Specialist

Members of the Elementary Primary Sources Work Group
Name	Title	Affiliation
Clabaugh, Kile	Project Coordinator	Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources - Metropolitan State University of Denver
Gabehart, Kayla	Associate Director	National History Day in Colorado
Gould, Amanda	Social Studies Coordinator	Aurora Public Schools
Hartman, Stephanie	K-12 Social Studies Content Specialist	Colorado Department of Education
Hernandez, Alex	Reference Librarian, Western History & Genealogy	Denver Public Library
Jeremias, Leigh	Digital Collections Senior Consultant	Colorado State Library - Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection
Laugen, Todd	Associate Professor	Metropolitan State University of Denver - Department of History
Legg, April	Manager of School and Teacher Programs	History Colorado
O'Neill-Jones, Peggy	Professor of technical communication and media production; and Director of the Teaching with Primary Sources Program	Metropolitan State University of Denver and Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources - Metro State University, Denver
Patterson, Keith	Project Coordinator	Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources - Metropolitan State University of Denver
Pettit, Jenny	Social Studies Coordinator	St. Vrain School District
Mosier, Claire	Museum Educator	American Museum of Western Art - The Anschutz Collection
Sell, Corey	Assistant Professor of Elementary Education	Metropolitan State University of Denver - School of Education

Willmann, Kent	Adjunct Professor	University of Colorado and Lessons in Local Government

Elementary Primary Source Sets

A Message from The Colorado Primary Sources for Elementary School Collaborative

Primary Source Analysis Worksheets:

Primary Source Sets

6th Grade

Aztec Codex Mendoza

The Chicano Movement

The Inca Empire

To be developed:

5th Grade

The Boston Massacre

The Declaration of Independence

Building a New Nation

To be developed

4th Grade

A History of the Impact of the Railroad in Colorado

The Women of Camp Hale

A History of the American Bison

The Lives of Women and Children in Colorado's Mining Towns

The Dearfield Community

The Ute - Relations Between the Ute and the Anglo-American Settlers During the 1800's (Special Note: This primary source set should be used within a unit on the Ute in Colorado. It should not be used as a standalone to teach about the Ute).

Tuberculosis (TB) Patients Migrate to Denver

To be developed

3rd Grade

A History of the San Luis Valley

Colorado Industries of the Past: Sugar Beets

Characteristics of a Region

2nd Grade

The Auraria Neighborhood: A Look at Changes Over Time

Your Community Long Ago & Today: Keota, A Case Study

Mapping Changes in Colorado Towns

1st Grade

My History at School

American Symbols

Notable Coloradans

Kindergarten

Farming in Colorado Through Oral Histories

Schoolhouses & Classrooms of the Past

Toys and Games of Yesteryear

Primary Source Set Partners