SHS2 History · Semester 1 Week 2: Sources and Methods of Reconstructing History

Lesson notes

Learning Objectives

Indicator: 2.1.2.LI.2 - Examine the authenticity of Primary and Secondary Sources.

By the end of the lesson, learners can:

Apply the 5Ws 1H (What, Who, When, Where, Why, How) principle to examine the originality and validity of a given historical source.
Formulate historical questions to evaluate the reliability of a primary or secondary source.
Justify whether a source is trustworthy by analysing the author’s point of view, motives, and position.
Compare and contrast the authenticity of different forms of historical sources using jigsaw analysis.
Create a mind map explaining why historians must establish the authenticity of sources they use.

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Curriculum details

Strand: Historical Inquiry and Writing (Strand 1)
Sub-strand: Sources and Methods of Reconstructing History (1.2)
Content standard: 2.1.2.CS.1 - Develop application of skills in analysing and interpreting primary and secondary sources. 2.1.2.LO.1 Employ relevant historical skills to categorise, analyse historical sources, and detail how to contextualise and corroborate them to determine their overall authenticity and reliability.
Indicator: 2.1.2.LI.2 - Examine the authenticity of Primary and Secondary Sources.
Suggested placement: Semester 1, Week 2 (Week 2 of the year)
Our suggestion, laid out in curriculum order across three terms of twelve weeks. NaCCA does not fix the week, so follow your school's scheme of learning.
Source document note: The official curriculum document has a fault in this entry, so the curriculum text above is transcribed exactly as printed:

exemplars - p.65: this assessment cell bolds only the last word of its second heading - "Level 2 Skills of conceptual" is set in regular weight and "understanding" in bold, confirmed on a 300 dpi render - where every other cell in the document sets a whole heading in one weight. Level 2 is recorded as not marked, on the weight of the run that carries the level number; a reviewer may read it the other way
Curriculum reference: NaCCA curriculum document, p. 64

Exemplars (from the NaCCA curriculum)

Enquiry Routes: How do historians ensure originality, credibility, validity, and authenticity of historical sources? How reliable are historical sources? What purpose do historical sources serve?
Collaborative Learning:
- In pairs, learners use the '5Ws 1H' ( What, Who, When, Where, Why, How) principle to determine the originality and validity of historical sources. E.g., a memoir, speech, diary entry, police report, newspaper article, etc.
1. Who wrote/created the source?
2. What kind of evidence is the source?
3. When was it created/written?
4. Where was it created/written?
5. Why was it created/written?
- In small groups, formulate historical questions to find out the reliability of historical sources in writing history.
1. What can we learn about the author/creator's point of view, motives, or intentions?
2. Is the author/creator in a position to be a good reporter?
3. Is the account/source trustworthy?
- In a Jigsaw activity, analyse different forms of historical sources to determine the credibility of the sources.
Project-Based Learning: Create a mind map that explains why Historians should establish the authenticity of the sources they use. HINT: Let learners who are physically challenged observe the pictures/ charts and discuss with their peers.
Teaching and Learning Resources:
- Primary sources (old photographs, art forms, artefacts, funeral brochure, minutes, newspapers, personal diaries, etc.)
- secondary sources (Textbooks, magazines, journals, etc.)
- Documentaries on primary and secondary sources
- VFTs on museums or archival centres.
- A resource person
- Tape/audio recorder
- Internet access
- Computer/ laptop/mobile phone, speaker-out devices.
- Stationery
- Historical sources (e.g., presidential speeches, independence speech of Ghana, memoirs, personal diary, textbooks, court records, newspaper, etc.)
- A chart showing the 5Ws and how it is used to determine the authenticity of the historical sources.
- Online historical sources (visuals, audios, multimedia, documents, archival materials)
Assessment (2.1.2.AS.2). The document marks these depth-of-knowledge levels for this indicator: Level 3 Strategic reasoning; Level 4 Extended critical thinking and reasoning.