Primary Sources > Using Primary Sources > Primary Source Lesson Plans

To have an understanding of the American original documents and Ohio originals documents, several lessons have been included with this series. These materials are designed to help students understand primary source materials and how these materials will help them to understand history. The prepared lessons are designed to follow the guidelines of the Fourth Grade Test of Achievement guidelines and will also be included in the Ohio Model Curriculum. These lessons provide "hands on" student involvement with the primary source documents of their own lives and history.

The following tours/programs have condensed files that include links, content standards and other resources.
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Family History (111 k)
These activities are described to acquaint students with ideas of primary source materials and to collect items of their own family to tell each student's own story.

What Was Said and Was Not Said? (105 k)
Use these activities to investigate four primary and source documents in your classroom. The Voting Record of the Constitutional Convention, Nixon's remarks prepared in event of a moon disaster; the notes of John Kennedy's Inaugural Address, and the Final Speech of Martin Luther King Jr. Students will complete an activity sheet to analyze what these documents say and do not say.

U.S. Constitution & Northwest Ordinance (142 k)
Use these activity sheets to compare certain key concepts contained in the U.S. Constitution and the Northwest Ordinance. An additional activity traces the steps toward statehood.

Emancipation Proclamation (264 k)
This activity incorporates map skills using the Emancipation Proclamation to understand the areas affected by Lincoln's famous document.

Terms of History (163 k)
This is an activity sheet to be used in connection with a to construct an Ohio and U.S. time line of events.