Primary and Secondary Sources from the Local Community

Grade levels:

CONTENT STATEMENT

Primary and secondary sources can be used to show change over time.

CONTENT ELABORATION

Students have been using primary sources since grade one. Primary sources are records of events as they are first described, usually by witnesses or by people who were involved in the event.

Secondary sources are first introduced to students in grade three. Secondary sources are written after the events have taken place by people who were not present at the events. As students examine primary and secondary sources from the local community, they begin to understand the concept of change over time.

Change may be observed in:

  • businesses;
  • architecture;
  • physical features;
  • employment;
  • education;
  • transportation;
  • technology;
  • religion; and
  • recreation.

EXPECTATIONS FOR LEARNING

Locate and use primary and secondary sources as evidence to describe change over time.

Companies addressing the standard: