Primary vs. Secondary Source Documents

For this activity, students will be introduced to primary and secondary sources. Students will create a T-chart that separates primary and secondary sources by three defining aspects. The three aspects for this activity are the date of creation, strengths of using that type of source, and the drawbacks/negatives of using that type of source. This activity will allow students to demonstrate their understanding of the key components by describing these features while creating visual representations for each reason.

Students Can Collaborate!

Teachers may wish for students to work together on this lesson which is possible with Storyboard That's Real Time Collaboration feature! With Real Time Collaboration, students can work on the same storyboard at the same time which is perfect for this lesson! As teachers know, collaborating on assignments allows students to think on a deeper level while increasing their communication and problem-solving skills. Collaboration can also help cut down on the time it takes to complete a storyboard. While there is no set limit to the number of users who can work on a storyboard at once, we recommend five users or fewer for optimal performance. All of our assignments default to individual. To make this lesson collaborative, teachers must enable collaboration for the assignment within the "Edit Assignment" tab.

Extension Activity

The extension activity for this lesson will require students to determine whether they believe primary or secondary sources are the stronger option for historians to use when studying the past. Students should create a spider map that describes and visualizes their top three reasons to support their claim. Students should share their thesis with the class and defend their claims against opposing students’ opinions.

Student Instructions

Create a T Chart defining three major aspects of primary and secondary sources: Date of Creation, Strengths, and Drawbacks/Negatives of using them.

1. Click "Start Assignment".
2. In one column, describe the Date of Creation, the Strengths of using it, and the Negatives/Drawbacks of using it for primary sources.
3. In the other column, do the same for secondary sources.
4. Create an illustration using appropriate images, characters, and scenes.
5. Save and exit when you're done.