Running Head: HOW CAN PRIMARY DOCUMENTS BE EFFECTIVELY USED IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES

CLASSROOM?

How Can Primary Documents be effectively used in the Social Studies Classroom?
Amanda Turner
North Carolina State University

Introduction
My purpose was to discover the best method of use for primary documents in my social
studies classroom. Instruction has become very different in my classroom after receiving the new
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Running Head: HOW CAN PRIMARY DOCUMENTS BE EFFECTIVELY USED IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES
CLASSROOM?

Common Core Essential Standards. There is no textbook that goes along with these new
standards so teachers have had to turn to creating their own reading material for students to use
in class. Along with the new standards comes a new push from the state to use primary
documents with the students in order to help them become more literate in and competent in both
complex texts and content. I found that if teachers use primary documents during their
instruction time, students are much more successful and confident in using them individually.
The purpose of this study was to understand how to effectively use primary documents in
the classroom so that students can successfully utilize them to learn the content being studied.
Simply giving students the primary documents as meaningless resources to say that I did is not
doing my job. I wanted to do it in a way that my students felt confident and successful.
In my 7th grade social studies classroom it is a daily struggle to find material for my
students to read on the content we are studying because there is no textbook. There is also a push
from the state standards to incorporate non-fiction texts into the classroom so that students have
to critically analyze material first to then learn the content being discussed (Goodwin & Miller,
2012). So, in response to this push I want to use primary documents but not for the sake of just
using them. I want to use them in a meaningful and effective way so that the students understand
the content thoroughly. The content that students can gain from them is endless but also using
them to increase literacy and critical thinking skills is a great additive.
Primary documents are difficult pieces to read but when used correctly students will not
only learn the content but also improve their literacy skills. Wineburg and Martin speak to this
point in their book, Reading Like a Historian: Teaching Literacy in Middle and High School
Classrooms. They discuss Wineburgs read like a historian approach being used to help
students learn the content by breaking apart primary sources through activities led by the teacher

Running Head: HOW CAN PRIMARY DOCUMENTS BE EFFECTIVELY USED IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES
CLASSROOM?

and then modelled by the students. They posit that when students work with primary documents
they are having to work with the texts and/or pictures given to put the pieces of history together
instead of just reading the happenings in a more concrete form. When learning takes place in this
format students have to grapple with the material more and thus learn and retain it better.
Others have published work to discuss how primary sources should be used in the
classroom. I wanted to use what I have read and my two years of experience in the classroom to
conduct a research project in which I tried to discover the best way to use the documents. I did
not want to rely only on my observations so I asked my students questions about their feelings
throughout the research project on what they were doing. As an educator I want my students to
feel confident in what they are doing in my class. It was important to me to gauge that
confidence level throughout the different parts of my project to help me determine which method
of instructional delivery gave my students the best chance to be successful as well as confident in
their work.
Review of Related Literature
Primary documents are a very important resource for historians. They are a direct
connection to our history and are full of information that textbooks just simply cannot offer. This
is why they are so important to utilize in the classroom. Students can learn so much through
these great sources as well as buy into what they are studying a little more if they know they are
working with something that is actually a direct piece from history. My students always think
they are doing something a little more of value if they know they are working with something
that really has a connection with their past or they can see how it ties into their future. As all
educators know, student buy-in is a key to a successful lesson. While they primary documents are
very important in learning history they are also great non-fiction sources that require critical

Running Head: HOW CAN PRIMARY DOCUMENTS BE EFFECTIVELY USED IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES
CLASSROOM?

thinking skills to be used. Students have to analyze the documents so that they are able to do
assignments with them. The Common Core has placed literacy standards in all subject areas and
for social studies, the emphasis has been placed on non-fiction sources or informational text.
This is a logical expectation because data shows that students will use non-fiction increases
students background knowledge, and background knowledge accounts for 33% of the variance
in student achievement (Goodwin & Miller 2012). The ability to be proficient in dissecting nonfiction pieces is crucial to being successful students as well as adults. Oczkus (2011) echos this
point in her article. She published five strategies that will help students to understand
informational texts because she posits that non-fiction material is the predominant genre they
will encounter as adults.
As I mentioned above, Wineburg and and Martins book really helps show that students
can do some really neat things in the classroom with primary documents when it is delivered
correctly. Teaching students to read like a historian will not only help them to buy-into what
they are doing but it will also help them to be successful at using the difficult sources (Wineburg
& Martin 2011). This speaks to the fact that these sources are not like a normal reading that a
teacher can just pass out and then go over the questions at the end. They are difficult and
cumbersome because they are from an entirely different time which requires critical thinking,
analyzing, and conjecturing. These are all skills that students need help perfecting and according
to Wineburg and Martin it is easy to do with continuous modeling and practice.
Another important issue when it comes to effectively using primary documents in the
classroom is using the correct ones at the correct time. Pictures, oral histories, letters, etc. are all
primary documents and all great resources to use but only effective when used at the right time.
Teachers must work to learn when the time is right for all the different sources that are out there

Running Head: HOW CAN PRIMARY DOCUMENTS BE EFFECTIVELY USED IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES
CLASSROOM?

so that students get the most out of the lesson (Smithsonian). The Smithsonian published an
article called, Engaging Students with Primary Sources which is really helpful in deciding
what kind of document would be best for a certain situation. There are strengths and limitations
involved with each type of primary resource that must be considered before use in a lesson.
Smithsonian also gives tips to help students learn to analyze the different type of texts which is
essential. I used one of their tips in my lesson for this research project, it was highlighting key
information. They suggest having students highlight important information as they read, also
making notes in the margin can be helpful. I modeled this for my students in my lesson and most
of them then did it on their own because they felt stronger analyzing that way.

Description of Project
Action research is a method of inquiry that allows one to ask a question, create a plan to
collect data, analyze that data, and then adjust the research plan if needed. Many teachers
conduct action research in their classrooms to improve upon common practices in their discipline
or even personal pedagogical beliefs. The action research design was beneficial for me in
executing this project because it lends itself to just about any situation and allow for adjustments
throughout the process based on findings.
In planning for my action research I wanted to make sure that I could create to different
situations in my classroom dealing with primary documents that were similar so that they could
be easily compared. I planned the two separate lessons on the Enlightenment era and in both
lessons incorporated primary documents. In the first lesson I gave notes to the students about the
Enlightenment era and then asked that students to read an excerpt from The Spirit of the Laws
by Charles Montesquieu and then answer five reading comprehension questions based on that

Running Head: HOW CAN PRIMARY DOCUMENTS BE EFFECTIVELY USED IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES
CLASSROOM?

document. The students then had to complete a five question survey that I gave them that asked
them questions about how confident they felt as they completed the activity. In the second lesson
we worked as a class to learn about John Locke through and excerpt from his Two Treatises. I
led the work by reading the excerpt to the class and then breaking down the text into sections. I
asked questions after each section and in class discussions the students were able to pull out the
central themes of Lockes work. We discussed what these themes meant and talked about how
sectioning off difficult texts can help to not get overwhelmed. The students were then given an
excerpt from the The Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau and five reading
comprehension questions that they were expected to complete individually. I then gave the
students the same survey to gauge how confident the students were in this activity.
Through the entire experiment I focused on collecting data from three students. I chose a
student labeled Academically and Intellectually Gifted (AIG), a student labeled as an English
Language Learner (ELL), and a student being served under the Exceptional Children (EC)
program. These are the three main labeled populations that I teach and thought that focusing on
their data would also allow me to make informed assumptions about my regular education
students. I graded each of their reading comprehension questions from both lessons, analyzed
their confidence surveys, and made observations about their participation throughout the research
project.
Data Collection
In the first lesson I gave my students an excerpt from The Spirit of the Laws by Charles
Montesquieu. They had only the prior knowledge from the notes I had given them right before
they received the reading. After reading the excerpt they had to answer the following questions:
1.

What does Montesquieu say about the nature of man?

Running Head: HOW CAN PRIMARY DOCUMENTS BE EFFECTIVELY USED IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES
CLASSROOM?

2.
3.

Why is there a need for government according to Montesquieu?

Where did Montesquieu look to for inspiration about how government should be

set up?
4.
How did Montesquieu believe a government should be set up?
5.
What did this form come to be called today and what country is well known for
following it?
These questions were given to all of the students. As they worked I made notes about how the
three focus students acted. When I watched the AIG students I noted AIG student is working
with ease but seems to be moving at a slower pace than this student normally works. I noted
that the EC student looked very frustrated in the given time to complete the activity. I took all
of the responses up upon completion and graded the questions and answers of the three students
that I focused on for this project.
In the second lesson I taught my students about John Locke using an excerpt from his
work, Two Treatises. As we worked through the piece I chunked the text and stopped at the
end of each to ask discussion questions and have the students find the answers in the reading.
They were all engaged and eager to find the answer first because of the participation incentive
our school has in place in which they are rewarded based on what level they are given by their
teachers. In my observation notes I noted that my ELL student listened very closely to what I
had to say as well as her classmates. I also noted that she was participating on the same level as
the other two which is not always the case with this student because of the language barrier.
Students were highlighting key information they deemed important through the class
discussion. I then gave each of my students an excerpt from The Social Contract by JeanJacques Rousseau for them to read individually and answer five reading comprehension
questions. The questions they had to answer were:
1.

What did Rousseau say about the state of nature of man?

Running Head: HOW CAN PRIMARY DOCUMENTS BE EFFECTIVELY USED IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES
CLASSROOM?

2.
3.
4.
5.

What is a social contract according to Rousseau?

Who was supposed to be in charge in Rousseaus ideal form of government?
How were laws put in place in Rousseaus ideal form of government?
Rousseau is often called an extreme democrat, why do you think he has gotten

that name?
As the students worked through this third reading and second set of questions I noticed that the
students were working with much more fervour. In my observation notes I recorded that the EC
student used a highlighter on the reading and was then copying answers down onto his paper
with ease and the ELL student was also using a highlighter and was making notes in the
margin of the excerpt as she re-read. I took the questions and answers up from the students
when they were complete and graded the responses of the three focus students. The following
chart shows the results from both methods.
Results from Assessment
Reading with no prior lesson

Reading after lesson with primary document

ELL

correct

ELL

correct

EC

correct

EC

correct

AIG

correct

AIG

All correct

After each of these activities the students were given a survey to gauge their confidence level in
their ability to do well on the task at hand. I asked each student the following questions:
1.
2.

Do you feel like you did well on the questions you just answered? Yes or No.
Do you like doing activities like this? Yes or No and Why?

Results from Questionnaire

Survey after reading with no prior lesson

ELL

EC

AIG

Survey after reading activity following lesson

ELL

EC

AIG

Running Head: HOW CAN PRIMARY DOCUMENTS BE EFFECTIVELY USED IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES
CLASSROOM?

1.

No

No

No

Yes

I think so

Yes

2.

No. I didnt
understand
anything the
reading said.

No. It was
boring.

I think I did
okay. I dont
really feel
like I learned
anything
though.

Yes because it was

interesting to see
how people used
to talk back then.

Yes because I
think I did good at
this one since I
used the
highlighter.

Yes because it was

easy.

Data Analysis and Interpretation

After watching and listening to my students for the duration of my research
project I was able to clearly see that my students did much better working with primary
documents when they saw me model first. When they did the first reading without any
instruction using primary documents I could see the frustration on all of their faces. I noted it in
my observations notes as visible anxiety. They were reading the material with unsure faces
which was the total opposite of their demeanors during the second reading and questions activity.
They were actively reading and writing on the document as they read. Many were using their
highlighters and I noted and sense of determination in my notes. Looking at the grades
reported above it is obvious in which situation the students were quantitatively more successful.
The answers they wrote on their survey also speak to my findings. All three students
wrote that they did not feel that they were successful in the first activity. They listed all different
reasons for feeling this way but the common theme is that they felt that they did not learn
anything from the task. This is troublesome for me as a teacher. I do not want to plan activities
for my students if they are not learning anything from them. I want to challenge them but not
make things impossible. Looking at the surveys after the activity in which they had a model prior
to completing I got much better results. All of the students felt confident in their work and said
that they liked the assignment. Their grades also reflect this positive idea as they went up in all
three cases. The better method is obvious.

Running Head: HOW CAN PRIMARY DOCUMENTS BE EFFECTIVELY USED IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES
CLASSROOM?

Conclusions
Based on my analysis of the data I collected through my research project I can
confidently say that the best way to effectively use primary documents in the social studies
classroom is by modeling them first. Students need to see what the expectations are in all
situations in the classroom but especially on more difficult tasks. Working with primary
documents is difficult no matter what level of education a student has had so the teacher should
take it upon themselves to set the precedent. Nava and Schmidtberger echo this idea in their
work, Using Primary Documents in the Social Studies Classroom: Connecting History Then and
Now. They also discuss the fact that teachers should be experts in the content they are teaching
and in the method in which they are delivering it (Nava & Schmidtberger, 2012). If teachers are
experts in both areas then they are in a perfect situation to empower their students to be confident
in their ability to be successful with the task at hand. As a middle school teacher I know that my
students are at a very inquisitive state in their childhood and as such will ask many questions
during my instruction. I need to be able to not only answer those questions but be prepared to
show them how to find them on their own in resources that I have provided for them.
Reflection and Action Plan
In the future, in my classroom, I plan to model how to use primary documents for each of
my classes at the beginning of the year as well as throughout the year when I feel that they need
a reminder. Some educators will view this a problematic as the students should only need to be
told one time and should then retain the process. In my opinion, I see that reminders are
necessary to foster the skill and when that skill is called upon in a testing situation the student

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Running Head: HOW CAN PRIMARY DOCUMENTS BE EFFECTIVELY USED IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES
CLASSROOM?

will then be fully prepared to demonstrate proficiency in the content and/or the genre. Modeling
skills for students is essential for mastery.

References
Goodwin, B., & Miller, K. (2012). Research Says Nonfiction Reading Promotes Student Success.
Common Core: Now What?, 70(4), 80-82. Retrieved September 17, 2014, from
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/dec12/vol70/num04/NonfictionReading-Promotes-Student-Success.aspx
Nava, A., & Schmidtberger, V. (2012). Using Primary Documents in the Social Studies
Classroom: Connecting History Then and Now. Social Studies Review, 50(1), 38-40. Retrieved
September 17, 2014, from http://search.proquest.com.prox.lib.ncsu.edu/docview/890179042?pqorigsite=summon
Oczkus, L. (2011). Navigating Nonfiction: Guidelines and TOP 5 Strategies for Helping Kids
Comprehend Informational Text. Literacy Survival Tips for New Teachers, 2-7.
Smithsonian: National Museum of American History. Engaging Students with Primary Sources.
Washington: Thinkfinity Verizon Foundations.
Wineburg, S., & Martin, D. (2011). Reading like a historian: Teaching literacy in middle and
high school history classrooms. New York: Teachers College Press, Columbia University.

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