This blog post gives some advice on finding and selection primary sources for your lesson.
While it is geared to the Library of Congress website, it contains advice that can be used
within other collections. It highlights the ways that historians often start with one document
and from there locate a new piece of information that sends you to another place... it need not
be a rabbit hole... it can be stepping stones. Enjoy the search!
This blends right in with the QFT... and is the perfect strategy blend to use in just about any lesson.
BTW: Apply for the Summer Teaching Week - it's awesome and will change. your. teaching. life.
Their materials are spot on for use with QFT as well as a go-to site for anything government related
Try this one-class session activity on propaganda techniques.
Goal: students will understand techniques that media uses that appeal to different internal feelings. Students will be able to identify 7 propaganda and persuasive techniques used in media.
Essential question: How does media influence my thinking?
1. give each student a 'cheat sheet' with the following:
Bandwagon: Jump in! Everyone's doing it?
Testimonial: An expert or celebrity is doing it - it must be good!
Name Calling: That product (or idea) is just no good - you don't want it.
Plain folks: Why, even an ordinary person will love this product (or idea)
Glittering generalities: Slogans or language that support your beliefs.
Loaded words: You'll love this product because it supports what you totally believe in: honor, love, family, etc.
Transfer: All those things you love about yourself and your friends... our product is that too.
Click bait: that phrase or image is just so cute, I have to click on it to find out more!
2. Locate TV commercials from the past or present (mix it up) using Youtube or any of the print resources in this guide.
3. Create a rubric with the following boxes: Title of Ad or commercial; What I saw; Target audience; Effectiveness (would I buy?); name of technique used.
4. Fill out each rubric box after viewing the commercial. Then meet up in groups to discuss. Share out.
Viewing vintage advertisements alongside current ads, can generate great discussion: how are/were persuasive techniques unique to - or not - different time periods? Have audiences changed for different products or ideas?
How do election advertisements or speeches use these techniques effectively?
Strategies like write-arounds, using digital resources, Englsih-language learning materials, and a host of other resources, teaching strategies, and Best Practices can be found at:
Lesson plans by theme, location, primary source - there are some incredibly COOL things you can do with Park Service lessons.
TEACHING with HISTORIC PLACES
explore NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MONUMENTS AND PARKS in the classroom
(or your neighborhood).
The Stanford History Education Group (SHEG) has now become the Digital Inquiry Group.
Check here for many lessons that break down the thinking process of critical analysis, unpacking documents, checking source merit, and evaluating claims. -
BEYOND THE BUBBLE
unlocks the vast digital archive of the Library of Congress to create History Assessments of Thinking (HATs).
CIVIC ONLINE REASONING curriculum
provides free lessons and assessments that help you teach students to evaluate online information that affects them, their communities, and the world.
READING LIKE A HISTORIAN
teaches students how to investigate historical questions by employing reading strategies such as sourcing, contextualizing, corroborating, and close reading.
The National Constitution Center offers many lessons using Constitutional and other documents. Each document has a range of lessons accompanying it from K-12.
BLOGS
Nearly every site / gov Agency has a blog. It's from where the BEST ideas can come! They are timely...and yet can be used anytime. Perfect for QFT; beginning of class/ending of class reflection; perfect for topic-finding.
Here are some of my favorites for you to check out. Check in regularly.
NARA (National Archives)
Especially check out Facial Hair Fridays
NASA
Definitely check out Women @ NASA and Earth Right Now
Library of Congress
So many! Blogs for teachers, blogs about maps, culture, history, science...
National Park Service
Look at Speaking of Nature for blog posts about (well, of course) nature, but also using digital tools, the Parks and more.
USDA
yes, agriculture. Also food and nutrition, climate change, biotechnology, health, recreation