Thinking Like a Historian

Part One: Posing Questions using Artifacts

 K-5 Historical and Social Sciences
Analysis Skills
 Analysis skills are found
in the California History-
Social Science Framework.
 They are the higher order
thinking skills that are to be
integrated throughout our
standards-based History-
Social Science lessons.
 Read Historical Analysis
Skills
 Use of Primary Sources
K-5 Analysis Skill #2: Research Evidence and Point of View

 Students pose relevant questions

about events they encounter in
historical documents, eyewitness
accounts, oral histories, letters,
diaries, artifacts, photographs, maps,
artworks, and architecture.
Why are primary sources important?
Primary sources are the original historical items such as
documents, journals, paintings, artifacts, photographs, etc.
used by real people of the time period. Primary sources:
 Engage students in history by making it real and personal.
 Expose students to different perspectives.
 Provide support for EL’s, SEL’s, and SWD’s.
 Challenge our students to think critically, to use analysis
skills, to make inferences, and to develop interpretations and
explanations with evidence.
 Promote student inquiry.
 Give students the opportunity to study and draw conclusions
like historians do.
 One type of primary source is an artifact.
What are artifacts?
 Physical Objects made and/or used by
human beings.
 Clues to the past
 Reveal information about a culture,
event, or time period.
We study artifacts when we visit museums
and historical sites with our students.
 Examples of Historical Artifacts
toys tools money
clothing dishes buttons
games letters weapons
maps furniture journals
cooking utensils musical instruments dolls
more….
What questions do teachers ask their
students in order to analyze an artifact?
From what material is it made? Who might have used it?
How old might it be? Where might it have been used?
From what time period does it come? What might it have been used for?

What does it tell us about the life

of the people who used it?
What do we use today that is like
this artifact?

What is its size and shape? What does this artifact tell us
What is its color and texture? about the time period?
How much does it weigh? What does it tell about the
Describe any special markings technology of the time period?

What do you wonder when you look at What new questions do you have that
this artifact? you would like to research?
 Think about it……
Artifact Analysis Graphic Organizer
 Download Artifact
Analysis Graphic
Organizer
 Analyze the artifact found
on the next slide.
 Review the questions
found on the artifact
analysis sheet.
 Use with a variety
of artifacts from the
same time period to
draw conclusions.
 Think about it…. Study the next photo of a general store in California in
the 1850’s and read the sample questions. Think about the following questions?
What level of Bloom’s Taxonomy is each question? How do these questions
promote critical thinking? What questions would you change or add?

1. What artifacts do you see?

2. Which artifact seems most unusual? Why?
3. What can we learn about the lives of the pioneers by looking at
their artifacts?
4. Compare and contrast stores of today with an 1800’s store.
5. How has store merchandise changed over time? Why?
6. Would you have liked shopping in this store? Why or why not?
7. What caption would you write to go with this picture?
8. What do you wonder after seeing this picture?
9. What new questions can you research?
The following are ways that Artifact Analysis can be used to
stimulate critical thinking in a History-Social Science Lesson
 Use the new questions that were a product of the Artifact analysis to start
student research.
 Ask students to add what has been concluded from these artifacts to what
they learned in their textbook as well as new information gained from
other primary sources such as photographs and journals. Does the new
information support or conflict with the conclusions you have made?
 Use models of artifacts, pictures of artifacts, or visits to museums as a unit
opener to generate questions for study.
 Use artifacts as a puzzlement to set the stage for a lesson.
 Use artifacts as writing prompts. For example: ask students to write an
advertisement for the 1850’s general store.
 Use artifacts to create a museum exhibit. For example: Find photos of
artifacts that could have been found inside an 1850’s schoolhouse, or inside
an immigrant’s trunk, or in Ben Franklin’s pocket.
Task #8 (H-SS)

 Review one of the weblinks above and choose an

artifact that you might use to support one of your
grade level History–Social Science standards.
 Identify the website and the artifact selected.
 Create a list of 10 questions that would require your
students to think critically about the artifact and
draw conclusions about the time period. Label each
question with the level from one of the Taxonomies
discussed.