Description
Students step into the role of historians as they learn to tell the difference between primary and secondary sources. This lesson introduces the key definitions, explores tricky cases where context changes how a source is classified, and challenges students to identify and explain the difference using real and realistic WWI examples. By the end, students will see how historians build interpretations from the voices of the past and the analysis of later writers.
 
What’s Included
History Cat worksheet: Primary vs. Secondary Sources – World War I with 15 carefully selected excerpts; including a few tricky cases such as a 1920 magazine article or a 1952 interview with a WWI mother.
Answer Key
Teacher Guide: Step-by-step instructions, lesson outline, wrap-up discussion questions, and standards alignment.
 
Skills Developed
Distinguishing between firsthand accounts and later interpretations
Understanding the role of context in historical research
Practicing source evaluation and evidence-based reasoning
 
Perfect For
Introducing historical thinking skills at the start of a unit
Building source-analysis foundations before tackling primary source DBQs
Engaging students in short, focused practice with concrete World War I examples