Good Source of Information

TIPC Ratings

Ideal/Target (7) – As part of the Research strand in the Henrico County Curriculum Framework, students are expected to understand the differences between primary and secondary sources, as well as evaluate information from these sources. Students are able to meet this goal through the evaluation of the Hindenburg sources, as well as being engaged in independent research for an additional source using information fluency. Students synthesize the information that they learn about sources to create their own primary source which is then shared with the class. In this lesson, the students use a Discussion Forum and ActivEngage to interact with each other while evaluating their additional sources. A Drop Box is also used for the students to display and interact with the student created primary sources. These tools allow students to analyze their classmates’ products and determine their identities. This task is an example of an authentic assessment, as analyzing primary documents is a skill that students will use throughout their entire lives.

Approaching (4) – Through the use of ActivEngage polling sessions and SchoolSpace Discussion Forums, the students use digital tools to collaborate as a class/team and determine whether a source is primary or secondary. Collaboration and communication are not a particular focus of this lesson, but this strand could be strengthened by having the students collaborate in order to identify a source’s “owner” in the homework activity.

Ideal/Target (7) – This lesson promoted critical thinking and problem solving through the analysis of primary and secondary sources, an authentic task that extended the students’ knowledge of the different sources and the skills necessary to identify them throughout their lives. The students created primary documents using the most appropriate digital tools to address the authentic task of identifying the “owner” of that document. In order to complete this task, the students had to develop questions based on the created primary source document and justify their decisions based on the evidence in that primary source document. The reflection questions that were completed at the end of the lesson provided students with an opportunity to think about the uses of primary and secondary sources in their future research. Students were asked to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of each type of document, and explain the different scenarios where the documents may be used.

Ideal/Target (6) – The students use digital tools of their choice in order to create a primary document that helps to explain their particular life and personality. Students used a wide variety of tools to create these documents, including Windows Moviemaker, digital cameras, and word-processing programs. Using these student-created documents, the students analyze information and make predictions as to which primary document belongs to which student.