Mr. Larsen's Amazing unit plan, Featuring wwII
Primary sources
Analyzing A Diary
Using a Diary as a Primary Source
For the historical researcher, a diary can be a wonderful source for personal insights and first person accounts of people and events—two types of information often missing from more formal writings or official documents. A diary is generally written very close in time to when events occur, so personal memories may be more reliable than they would be in a memoir or oral interview created years later. Furthermore, a person often writes a diary only for himself or herself—with no thought of it becoming a public record. By not writing for an audience, the diarist’s entries may be more honest and forthright.
But is a diary a completely reliable primary source? Even if a diary entry is written close to the time of an event, the diarist can still be mistaken about his or her facts and recollections. The diarist has a very limited viewpoint and may witness things or interpret events from a narrow perspective. He or she may unintentionally alter the facts to fit some emotional need. Or he or she may purposely misrepresent the facts for a variety of reasons. The value of a diary, like any other piece of primary research, must be evaluated and used cautiously by the careful researcher.
But is a diary a completely reliable primary source? Even if a diary entry is written close to the time of an event, the diarist can still be mistaken about his or her facts and recollections. The diarist has a very limited viewpoint and may witness things or interpret events from a narrow perspective. He or she may unintentionally alter the facts to fit some emotional need. Or he or she may purposely misrepresent the facts for a variety of reasons. The value of a diary, like any other piece of primary research, must be evaluated and used cautiously by the careful researcher.
Goals & Objectives
Students will read portions of different primary source diaries, gaining a new perspective of D-Day and other WWII events.
Students will be able to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of using a diary as a primary source for historical research.
California State Content Standards
10.8.6 - Discuss the human costs of the war, with particular attention to the civilian and military losses in Russia, Germany, Britain, the United States, China, and Japan
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCSS RH.9-10.2 - Determine the central ideas or information of a primary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
Driving Historical Question
After learning about these events from the textbook, how does reading the diary's of people who actually lived through them change your perspective?
Lesson Introduction (Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) ‖ Time: 10 minutes.
Teacher will pass out the hand-out “In His Own Words: Analyzing a D-Day Diary.” Students will read aloud in groups of four the introductory information about using a diary as a primary historical source and then have them do the same with the background information about Sidney Montz’s writings and D-Day. Connecting this experience to when they read/learned about Anne Frank’s story in elementary school, students will be ready to vividly experience another perspective. Also, teacher will ask class to volunteer examples of the new ways kids chronicle their lives (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube).
Vocabulary (Content Language Development) ‖
Teacher will introduce reading a diary as a primary source and how to dissect pertinent information from it. Modeling the first section of Montz's diary through the activity posted below, teacher will help students to understand the goals and objectives of the lesson. Students will read the edited selections from Montz’s, Beaber's, Willnaur's, and Garrett's diaries as a Jig-Saw activity (with four different sources, students should be able to properly corroborate information between them). After reading each, students will teach each other about their given section. As this will not take too much time, they will discuss his emotions, ideas, and situations as a group. Also, with the vocabulary already being underlined and defined on a separate page, students will begin to review the new words in order to better understand the reading.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) ‖ Time: 20 min
Passed out alongside the reading, are the vocabulary words and a questionnaire/activity sheet. After reading through the diaries, students are to work in their groups to answer the questions provided. Teacher will be walking around, answering questions, aiding students who are struggling readers or English learners. As it is a Jig-Saw, teacher will make sure each student is doing their part to ensure group success. Teacher will challenge students with questions such as: Reading the German, American, and British perspectives of the war, how were they similar or different? What particular moments of the war were described by both sides, and to compare the two, and were you a soldier on either side, would you write about similar or different concerns? These questions are meant to help guide students towards using their primary sources to corroborate information previously learned in the class. Also, by encouraging students to imagine themselves in similar situations, they gain empathy for the writers as individuals involved in a much larger story the creates prejudices for them. The diaries are meant to be viscerally experienced; causing deeper emotional connection to material than a textbook could offer. The role of the teacher is to facilitate this experience to make sure the intended outcome is realized.
Lesson Closure ‖ Time: 10 minutes
Have a class discussion about the strengths and weaknesses of a diary as a primary source (discussion questions are included). This will ensure students know why such an activity was used to learn this lesson, which could have been taught many different ways. As an exit slip, kids will do a quick 1-minute write up listing a positive and negative of using a diary as a primary source.
Assessments (Formative & Summative)
Formative - Class discussion, during Jig-Saw time and afterwards, will help teacher and students with time management and information consumption. Also, the Jig-Saw will help give teacher more time to work effectively with the students/groups that need it the most.
Summative - Students will complete the activity sheet as a group and turn it in for an individual grade. This will allow teacher to know whether or not the lesson was effective and if time was managed properly by the students. Also, the exit slip will allow the teacher to know whether or not kids understand the benefits/dangers of trusting a diary as a resource.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
Teacher will model what is expected of the students by reading the first paragraph in front of the students. Answering and questions and setting the stage for the information to come, this type of scaffolding will help struggling readers, ELs, and SSNs to know what is expected of them. Then, by teacher selected groupings, the instructor will know which groups to allocate the most amount of time to while giving advanced readers and GATE students the freedom to complete the task on their own. Teaching them to analyze a document written by a soldier in social (though military) English, with vocabulary sheet in front of them, will help them complete the assignment while learning the desired skill: being able to analyze a primary document
(specifically a diary). For another way of tending to SSN students, I will give fore warning to certain students during group work time to let them know what questions I am going to call on them to answer in front of the class.
Resources (4 Websites of Diaries)
In His Own Words: Analyzing a D-Day Diary (also includes activity sheet to be used for other sources)
Students will read portions of different primary source diaries, gaining a new perspective of D-Day and other WWII events.
Students will be able to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of using a diary as a primary source for historical research.
California State Content Standards
10.8.6 - Discuss the human costs of the war, with particular attention to the civilian and military losses in Russia, Germany, Britain, the United States, China, and Japan
Common Core Literacy Standards
CCSS RH.9-10.2 - Determine the central ideas or information of a primary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of the text.
Driving Historical Question
After learning about these events from the textbook, how does reading the diary's of people who actually lived through them change your perspective?
Lesson Introduction (Hook/Accessing Prior Knowledge) ‖ Time: 10 minutes.
Teacher will pass out the hand-out “In His Own Words: Analyzing a D-Day Diary.” Students will read aloud in groups of four the introductory information about using a diary as a primary historical source and then have them do the same with the background information about Sidney Montz’s writings and D-Day. Connecting this experience to when they read/learned about Anne Frank’s story in elementary school, students will be ready to vividly experience another perspective. Also, teacher will ask class to volunteer examples of the new ways kids chronicle their lives (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube).
Vocabulary (Content Language Development) ‖
- Allies
- Third Reich
- Emplacements
- Fleet
- Armada
- Amphibious
- Final Solution
- Rendezvous
- Limey
Teacher will introduce reading a diary as a primary source and how to dissect pertinent information from it. Modeling the first section of Montz's diary through the activity posted below, teacher will help students to understand the goals and objectives of the lesson. Students will read the edited selections from Montz’s, Beaber's, Willnaur's, and Garrett's diaries as a Jig-Saw activity (with four different sources, students should be able to properly corroborate information between them). After reading each, students will teach each other about their given section. As this will not take too much time, they will discuss his emotions, ideas, and situations as a group. Also, with the vocabulary already being underlined and defined on a separate page, students will begin to review the new words in order to better understand the reading.
Student Engagement (Critical Thinking & Student Activities) ‖ Time: 20 min
Passed out alongside the reading, are the vocabulary words and a questionnaire/activity sheet. After reading through the diaries, students are to work in their groups to answer the questions provided. Teacher will be walking around, answering questions, aiding students who are struggling readers or English learners. As it is a Jig-Saw, teacher will make sure each student is doing their part to ensure group success. Teacher will challenge students with questions such as: Reading the German, American, and British perspectives of the war, how were they similar or different? What particular moments of the war were described by both sides, and to compare the two, and were you a soldier on either side, would you write about similar or different concerns? These questions are meant to help guide students towards using their primary sources to corroborate information previously learned in the class. Also, by encouraging students to imagine themselves in similar situations, they gain empathy for the writers as individuals involved in a much larger story the creates prejudices for them. The diaries are meant to be viscerally experienced; causing deeper emotional connection to material than a textbook could offer. The role of the teacher is to facilitate this experience to make sure the intended outcome is realized.
Lesson Closure ‖ Time: 10 minutes
Have a class discussion about the strengths and weaknesses of a diary as a primary source (discussion questions are included). This will ensure students know why such an activity was used to learn this lesson, which could have been taught many different ways. As an exit slip, kids will do a quick 1-minute write up listing a positive and negative of using a diary as a primary source.
Assessments (Formative & Summative)
Formative - Class discussion, during Jig-Saw time and afterwards, will help teacher and students with time management and information consumption. Also, the Jig-Saw will help give teacher more time to work effectively with the students/groups that need it the most.
Summative - Students will complete the activity sheet as a group and turn it in for an individual grade. This will allow teacher to know whether or not the lesson was effective and if time was managed properly by the students. Also, the exit slip will allow the teacher to know whether or not kids understand the benefits/dangers of trusting a diary as a resource.
Accommodations for English Learners, Striving Readers and Students with Special Needs
Teacher will model what is expected of the students by reading the first paragraph in front of the students. Answering and questions and setting the stage for the information to come, this type of scaffolding will help struggling readers, ELs, and SSNs to know what is expected of them. Then, by teacher selected groupings, the instructor will know which groups to allocate the most amount of time to while giving advanced readers and GATE students the freedom to complete the task on their own. Teaching them to analyze a document written by a soldier in social (though military) English, with vocabulary sheet in front of them, will help them complete the assignment while learning the desired skill: being able to analyze a primary document
(specifically a diary). For another way of tending to SSN students, I will give fore warning to certain students during group work time to let them know what questions I am going to call on them to answer in front of the class.
Resources (4 Websites of Diaries)
In His Own Words: Analyzing a D-Day Diary (also includes activity sheet to be used for other sources)