Grade 5 Lesson at a Glance: Chapter 3, Lesson 2

Houghton Mifflin Social Studies
America Will Be

Lesson at a Glance
Chapter 3, Lesson 2: What Does a Historian Do? (pp. 63-68)

The Big Idea
Framework Concept: Continuity Historians study the past by interpreting primary sources.

Ask students to imagine that a historian in the future wanted to find out what life was like today. Have them generate a list of things the historian could gather, study, and analyze. You can start with objects in the classroom, such as students' artwork, and extend the discussion to documents in public places or things they have in their household at home. Point out that this is how historians find out about life in different historical periods.

Lesson Outline
Use the Lesson Outline to preview the content of the lesson. You may wish to print it for your students as a guide during reading.

Check for Understanding

Have students make a list of ways historians find out about the past.
Ask students to create a poster that illustrates the things that historians use to study and interpret events that happened in the past. Help students label each item they draw.

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