How to: DBQs and primary sources
More and more of us are integrating primary sources and inquiry learning into our instruction. In Kansas, this emphasis on historical thinking is tied to our recent standards. We’re moving to a writing slash social studies state assessment with a shared rubric that supports analyzing evidence and responding to a writing prompt.
There are several things that teachers are using to integrate the use of evidence and historical thinking into their classrooms:
- Document Based Questions
- Stanford History Education Group
Both of these tools provide opportunities to train kids to use evidence and develop products that demonstrate understanding. But we sometimes don’t have time to go out and track down all of the online goodies. So browse on down to find some useful DBQ, SHEG, and primary source sites.
General resources:
- Social Studies Central – Primary Sources / DBQ Tools
- Social Studies Central – Using Primary Sources in the Classroom
- Standards and the Common Core in the Social Studies Classroom
Instructional Ideas:
- How to Teach Summarizing
- Teaching with Documents and DBQs Without the Dull Factor
- Using Primary Sources to Spark Student Interest
- Primary Sources: 3 Places to Get Them and 10 Classroom Activities You’ll Love
- The Student as Historian
- DocsTeach
DBQs:
- Making DBQs Work in Middle School
- Five Step Process for Creating a DBQ
- DBQ Writing Process
- Samples and Resources
- DBQ Samples
- Even More DBQ Samples
SHEQ:
- Reading Like a Historian (Lesson Plans)
- Beyond the Bubble (Mini DBQs and Assessments)
History Tech 
Glenn, have you had any experience with the Gilder-Lehrman Institute for American History? They have a wonderful collection of activities K-12. Once you register on their site (it is free!), try searching for Teaching Literacy Through History. There are a TON of cool lessons with primary sources. For my fifth graders, earlier this year we used an excerpt from Columbus’s journal, summarizing it and then answering a writing prompt based on what the kids learned. We are currently reading a secondary source about coming over on the Mayflower. My kids have used our school iPads to create a mini documentary using the info they gathered. Next, we are moving on to read and interpret the Mayflower compact. Worth checking into!
Amanda,
I love the GLI! And they do have some very sweet resources and lessons. It sounds like you’re doing some awesome stuff with it. Would love to see the mini-documentary!
Thanks for sharing.
glennw