Using primary sources—like photographs, letters, maps, and artifacts—brings learning to life for young students. These real-world materials spark curiosity, build critical-thinking skills, and help children develop a deeper understanding of history, culture, and the world around them. Primary sources invite students to question, explore, and make their own discoveries, turning lessons into meaningful, hands-on learning experiences. By engaging directly with authentic evidence, students gain confidence as young investigators and connect more personally with the stories of the past.
Each activity below is accompanied by a source that we used within our professional development. However, the activities can be easily adapted for your content and grade level by switching out the sources.
The National Archives provides document analysis graphic organizers to help students and teachers make sense of primary sources. They provide elementary specific graphic organizers, and each are available in Spanish as well. You can find them HERE.
Below are activities we have compiled to help you engage students in understanding primary sources. We used these activities with teachers in our professional development but can be adapted for your content area topic.
Students write captions for a primary source based on their observations. They identify what information would better help them caption the source. This works well with photographs and artwork. This is typically used with one source.
Students analyze how colors, symbols and images within a source contribute to its overall meaning. This can be used with one source or multiple. The graphic organizer provided helps students or the class keep track of their thoughts.
Using a visual source, the teacher covers the image with post it notes and then removes the notes 1 at a time, allow students to make observations and predictions as they uncover more of the source. A graphic organizer provides a place for students or the class to record their thoughts. This highlights how their predictions change as they gather more information.
A visual source is cut up into puzzle pieces. Either in groups or as a class, distribute each of the puzzle pieces to students. Make sure they keep their piece to themselves and don’t show anyone. Students go around and practice making observations and predictions about what they see in their puzzle piece. Students then work together to make a prediction about what they think the completed puzzle is. Then they can put the puzzle together and determine how close their prediction is.