Instruction with Digitized Primary Source Materials:
Crafting Lesson Plans to Engage Students

Laura Hibbler, Brandeis University

LOEX 2015

First Sample Learning Activity

Read the “Dreadful Riot in New York” article in your newspaper articles packet.

(This article is also available online at the following url: http://goo.gl/t2jcmQ ).

Discuss the article with one or two people sitting near you.

Use the questions below to guide your discussion.

Taking on the role of a student researcher:

·  Do you see different terminology related to the draft riots?

·  How could a researcher use this source to inform his or her future search for historic newspaper articles about the draft riots?

·  If you or someone you are sitting with has a computer, go to the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America site < http://goo.gl/565UqL >.

o  Try using some of these terms as keywords and search for additional 1863 articles about the draft riots.

·  Can you think of a search tip you might give to a classmate who is searching for historical newspaper articles?

Taking on the role of a librarian:

·  How can you design and implement learning activities that ask students to:

o  engage with a digitized primary source

o  use what they have learned from that primary source to search for additional relevant sources?

Second Sample Learning Activity

Read the “One of the most deplorable...” article on page 2 of your newspaper article packet.

(This article is also available online at the following url: http://goo.gl/WDNPyq).

Work with one or two people sitting near you and explore the other pieces that appeared in the same issue of this newspaper, the Semi-weekly Standard. (Other pieces that appeared in this issue of the Semi-weekly Standard are on pages 3 and 4 of your newspaper articles packet.)

Use the questions below to guide your discussion.

Taking on the role of a student researcher:

·  What other types of information did you come across in this issue of the newspaper?

·  Did you read anything that provides contextual information about this time period in American history?

·  After doing this activity, can you think of a search tip you might give to a classmate who is doing research with historical newspaper articles?

Taking on the role of a librarian:

·  How can you design and implement a learning activity that asks students to take a more exploratory approach to their searching for digitized primary sources?

Third Sample Learning Activity

You looked at some pages from the Semi-weekly Standard newspaper in the second activity. Now go to the last page of your newspaper articles packet and read the description of this newspaper.

(The newspaper’s description is also available online at the following url: http://goo.gl/uXCCsy).

Discuss the newspaper description with one or two people sitting near you.

Use the questions below to guide your discussion.

Taking on the role of a student researcher:

·  What did you learn about this publication?

·  How might a researcher apply this contextual information in his or her research?

·  After doing this activity, what advice would you give to a classmate who is doing research with historical newspaper articles?

Taking on the role of a librarian:

·  How can you design and implement a learning activity where students need to gather contextual information about a digitized primary source?