Hunting and Gathering

When I want students to practice gathering historical details and information in a discovery format, I try a Hunting and Gathering activity. Sometimes I modify this activity slightly to suit the course, but the basics are the same.

Audience: Undergraduate or graduate students, any discipline.

Objectives:

• work with original documents, focus on one document
• concisely gather important details in an organized fashion

Ingredients:

• original records related to the subject of the class
• finding aids that correlate to the records
• information sheet handout

Method:

Preparation: 20 minutes
Exercise: 30 minutes

1. Explain the exercise. The instructions are for each student to look through the boxes, select one item, examine that item, and then complete an information sheet.

2. Give the students time to explore the contents of the box without having the information sheet. [I found out that circulating the sheet after the students looked through the boxes was best, otherwise, they picked up the first item and worked through the sheet without enjoying the box.]

3. Circulate the information sheet, which asks for:

Title (if none, provide a title that describes the item)
Date of item
Summary of notable information (200 words or less)
People mentioned
Events mentioned
Organizations mentioned
Places mentioned
Other topics mentioned
Is this a primary or secondary source? [definitions of these sources are provided]

4. Open the discussion for each student to share what they found in boxes.

Thinking Outside the Box

Students need to practice analyzing historical records, interrogating the sources for information, and thinking about alternate sources to cross-reference information. This exercise is a combination of examination and brainstorming. I often adapt this activity to suit the course and needs of the professor.

Audience: Undergraduate or graduate students, any discipline.

Objectives:

• work with original documents, focus on one document
• think about gaps in the records and how to find more information
• testing sources for bias

Ingredients:

• original records related to the subject of the class
• finding aids that correlate to the records
• question sheet handout

Method:
Preparation: 20 minutes
Exercise: 30 minutes

1. Explain the exercise. The instructions are for each student to look through the boxes, select one item, examine that item, and then complete a sheet of questions.

2. Give the students time to explore the contents of the box without having the questions. [I found out that circulating the sheet after the students looked through the boxes was best, otherwise, they picked up the first item and worked through the sheet without enjoying the box.]

3. Circulate the sheet of questions, which asks for:

What is the title and date of the item?
Who is the author of the item?
Is the author an individual or an organization?
How could you find out more about the author?
Why was this source created?
What guesses (inferences) can you make from this item?
What are some important facts you learned from this source?
What else do you want to know about this item?
What would you ask the author if you were able to meet her/him?

4. Open the discussion for each student to share what they found in boxes and to discuss the following:

What other sources might help answer the questions above?
Where else can you find more information?

No Paving Projects

This course had no intention to put up a parking lot. Instead, the class wanted to evaluate local primary sources through the lens of an environmental historian. Not only did I have a wealth of sources to use for the class, I had a number of these sources available digitally. Students could use the originals during the class and the digitals to help with their assignment; it was the best of both worlds.

Audience: Undergraduate students in an introductory environmental history class.

Ingredients:

• Five groups of original documents pertaining to the local environment, in this case a naturalist society, a biologist, an oologist, meteorological records, and an environmental group.
• Finding aids for each group of records.
• One set of questions.
• One set of critical analysis questions.

Method:

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Exercise time: 45 minutes

1. Explain the exercise. The instructions were for each student to look through the boxes, select one item, examine that item, and then answer a set of questions.

2. Give the students time to explore the contents of the box without having the questions. [I found out that circulating the sheet of questions after the students looked through the boxes was best, otherwise, they picked up the first item and worked through the sheet without enjoying the box.]

3. Circulate the sheet of questions, asking:

• What is the title of the item?
• What is the date of the item?
• Who is the author of the item?
• What are important facts you learned from this source?
• Why was this source created?
• What biases might the author have in creating this source?
• What else do I want to know about this source?
• What other sources might help answer my questions?

4. Allow each group time to talk about the items they selected. Then, discuss one or more of the questions above as an entire class. This is also an opportunity for me to talk about the sources that are available digitally.

5. If there is time, allow the students to go to another table and look at the sources used by their classmates.

Notes: This was the first class in which I used an audio element that was related to the subject. I chose “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell, but I could have chosen “Beds Are Burning” by Midnight Oil.

And He Passes By!

At times, an image makes the best—and fastest—impression. This example fits that scenario exactly. When I wanted to make a statement quickly, I have used this example. It can be done is as little as 10 minutes or as long as 30 minutes, depending on the time available. The materials can be originals or reproductions.

Using the scenario of the History class about Canadian Federalism, I have provided a political cartoon and the cartoon embedded in the newspaper alongside the editorial. The lesson is “historical research = questioning evidence”.

Ingredients:

Political cartoon entitled, ‘And He Passes By!’, drawn by Donald McRitchie and published in 1926. Original when possible

Copy of the Halifax Herald, 3 April 1926, Editorial on page 5, with the cartoon embedded. Original when possible

Set of questions

Method

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Exercise time: 10-30 minutes, as appropriate

1.      Distribute the cartoon and the editorial, allowing the students time to review the material in small groups. Explain briefly that in the 1920s, Cape Bretoner Donald McRitchie drew political cartoons that were published by the Halifax Herald. Also explain that this historical evidence must be questioned.

2.      Distribute the following questions to the groups:

·         Why was this document created?

·         Does anything about the source surprise you?

·         What do you wonder about this resource?

·         How does this source fit with the theme of Canadian federalism?

3.      Allow time for the students to work with the material and think about the questions.

4.      Open the discussion to the larger group.

5.      In a conference setting, follow up this exercise with the question, “Why should a third year history class seek out these particular resources to learn more about the history of federalism in Canada?”, and continue the discussion.

Thoughts from my Gardens

Finding examples that bridge archives and science is a challenge. This example was a deliberate attempt to demonstrate that archives hold material that may be relevant to 'non-traditional' disciplines, such as biology. Using the scenario for the Flora of Nova Scotia, this activity was developed specifically for a conference to show that teaching with primary sources can be creatively extended to the sciences.

Ingredients:

Original papers from one fonds, that of gardener Asta Antoft: a booklet, the booklet’s manuscript, articles, letters, advertisements, and letters. Use other items from the fonds, if appropriate

Method:

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Exercise time: 35-50 minutes

1. Distribute the materials, allowing the students time to review them as a group activity. Explain that Asta Antoft, wife and mother, left Denmark for Canada in 1930, and spent a lifetime becoming a master gardener.
2. Distribute the following questions to the groups:

·         What is the date(s) of this material?

·         What do I expect of this title(s)?

·         What is the purpose of this research?

·         What is the intended audience of the material?

·         What is one spark-point or one thing that you have learned?

·         Select an item. Is this a primary or secondary source? Defend your choice.    

Allow time for the students to work with the material and think about the questions.

4. Open the discussion to the larger group.
5.  In a conference setting, follow up this exercise with the question, “Why should a third year biology class seek out these particular resources to learn more about the flora of Nova Scotia?”, and continue the discussion.

Extra! Extra! Come learn all about it

When primary sources are required in the assignment, the Archivist can give a session that provides students with many examples of documents they might incorporate in their research paper. This session was designed with just that task in mind, while teaching the students how to question evidence.

Audience: Undergraduate students in an introductory level course in History

Objectives:

• To learn how to extract information from a primary source.
• To find primary sources that align with the course assignment.
• To be introduced to the Archives.

Ingredients:

• Five primary documents, each document relates to one of the five research paper topics   [In this case: letter from the front (WWI), photograph of an immigrant family, scrapbook of a female student, war bond poster, scrapbook from a hospital]

• Set of questions

Method

Preparation time: 20 mins

Exercise time: 20-30 mins

1.One source and a set of questions are placed at each table. Students randomly choose at which table they would like to sit.
2. Students are encouraged to examine the source and discuss the following questions at their table:

a.      What type of document is this? (primary or secondary)

b.      Who or what is the story or information about?

c.       Why was this document written?

d.      Does anything about the evidence surprise you?

e.      What do I wonder about this document?

f.        How does this source fit with the theme of the course?

g.      How might you use this resource with your chosen essay topic?

3. Near the end of their allotted time, students are forewarned that someone from the group will be asked to speak with the class about the source on the table.

Exercise time: 10 mins

4. Archivist leads an open discussion with the entire class, asking each group in turn:

a.      What records did you look at?

b.      What surprised you about these records?

c.       What was really cool about these records?

5.  If time permits, allow the students time to roam among the other tables and look at the documents.

More than just a pretty face

What must be considered when choosing material for a display? The aim of this exercise was to mimic the intellectual process of selecting documents to support a display of objects. An actual display was not created during the exercise. Several potential display topics were pre-selected for the students in advance of the session.

Audience: Undergraduate students in an advanced level course in History.
Note: I have been using this lesson for Education classes too with great success.

Objective:

·         To encourage students to be creative with original sources.

·         To participate in the “brainstorming” process of research.

·         To recognize bias when thinking about historical events.

·         To represent the past in a meaningful way.

·         To support the course assignment with a directly-related exercise.

Ingredients:

ü  Set of questions for students to consider during the exercise

ü  Pre-selected documents and objects for a potential display (in this case, five groups of records and objects were selected)

Method:

Preparation time: 30-45 mins

Exercise time: 30 mins

Part One: Interpret It

Instructions: If you were going to create a display with the material before you, consider these criteria. Be sure to give the display a name.

o   Is the material provocative enough?

o   Are the contents of this collection relatable?

o   What does this reveal?

o   Does this item connect to a larger theme?

o   Does reading this material cause you to question your own bias?

o   Is this “picture” speaking a thousand words?

o   Can these materials actively involve visitors?

o   What would you ask the author?

o   What else do you need to know? How do you find it?

Exercise time: 10 mins

Part Two: Represent It

Instructions: Each group will take two minutes to pitch your display idea to the class, be enticing and address:

o   What is the name of your display?

o   What is it you hope to achieve with your display?

Exercise time: 5 mins

Vote for your favourite display idea by secret ballot.

The winner gets to be included in the “virtual museum”.

Exercise time: 15 mins

Part Three: Discuss It

Instructions: As a group, we will take up some of the challenges within the archival and museum worlds, considering:

o   What is lost when just one story is displayed?

o   Why both keeping uninteresting records?

o   Whose “truth” is being preserved? Where? Who is doing it? Whose right is it?

o   How does bias/interpretation come out, despite safeguards?

o   What does the archives do/not do? How does this differ from a museum?

o   How do heritage institutions support each other?

Outcomes:

·         Students decided for themselves which material made the best display.

·         Students actively discussed and considered the opportunities and challenges of selecting materials for a display.

·         Students recognized the complexities of and considerations required for their assignment.

Notes: I brought the students’ attention to two books on which the exercise questions were based,

1.      Sherry Turkle. 2007. Evocative Objects: Things We Think With (discussed in this blog post http://classroomarchivist.blogspot.ca/2012/07/lit-review-evocative-objects.html)

2.      John A. Veverka. 1998. Interpretive Master Planning (discussed in this blog post http://classroomarchivist.blogspot.ca/2012/12/lit-review-interpretive-master-planning.html)