Sweet Carolina - Lesson Plans from the Tar Heel State

In my most recent post Cultivating Creativity I shared a link to The North Carolina Museum of Art’s fantastic collection of lesson plans and resources for educators.

I want to share another great resource from my time teaching in North Carolina. The State Archives of North Carolina has a section for educators that includes high quality lesson plans centered around primary sources.

EBSCOpost lists the Top 10 Reasons for Using Primary Sources with K-12 Students and gives some great advice for educators. I also believe that the introduction of primary source material solidifies the connection between how events that occurred in the past impact our present. And thus, how what we are doing right now will impact the future. Understanding this continuous cycle can bring meaning to important events happening now. Learners may be better able to project the impact of these decisions on their future if they understand how events in the past shaped their current lives.

As an extension activity to one of the wonderful lesson plans at The State Archives of North Carolina, ask learners to pick a primary source text that describes a current event. A primary source could be anything from a podcast, photograph, newspaper article or clip from a broadcast, to a blog or social media post as long as it follows the basics of what defines a primary source. Ask them to write about the projected impact this event will have 40 years into the future. How will they personally be impacted? What about their family and friends? Have them then think globally and looking through The 8 Lenses, or The Ten Themes of social studies.

Enjoy exploring these resources and please, share your thoughts and experiences using them!

I am grateful to find a place with rich soil to grow a community. May we take root, and flourish together.

@Bia.Birch 🌱

All artwork, photographs, and content are original and created by @bia.birch unless otherwise credited