How can you think like a Historian? “Not to know what happened before one was born is always to be a child.” Cicero 100 B.C. By PMcElhaney (Point Loma High) From Sam Wineburg’s Historical Thinking and Other Un-Natural Acts

How do Historians Reconstruct the Past? What do they do? Why study history? History serves as a bank of examples for contemplating present problems. What tools do they use?

Historians use the following tools to investigate and reconstruct the past. Historical Imagination Multicultural Perspective Point of View Compare and Contrast Cause and Effect Analyzing Distinguishing Fact From Opinion Evaluating Political History Social History Military History Comparative History Economic History Interpretation Bias/Subjectivity Evidence Primary Source Artifact Context Objective; Objectivity Historiography Frame of Reference Credibility

Define As Many of these as possible. Historical Imagination Multicultural Perspective Point of View Compare and Contrast Cause and Effect Analyzing Distinguishing Fact From Opinion: Evaluating Political History Social History Military History Comparative History Economic History Interpretation Bias/Subjectivity Evidence Primary Source Artifact Context Objective; Objectivity Historiography Frame of Reference Credibility

One Pager TERM: Definition of term across the top of page (write neatly) Create a visual depiction of the term. This can be a diagram, image, chart, graph, or symbols In your own words write a brief explanation of how this term may be useful for students of history.

Think like a Historian, Look for: the author’s intention. bias evidence argument sources Context of the period the document was written

Contextual Thinking: Context of a document or event offers clues that help understanding. When, Where, How? What proceeded? What followed? Why the document or event took place Who wrote or said it To whom was it written? What purpose? What intent? What Consequence?

A.C.A.P.S. is a great strategy. To understand documents and the meaning they hold, analyze them according to this method: Author Context Audience Purpose Significance

How about a S.P.R.I.T.E.? S. Social P. Political R. Religious I. Intellectual T. Technological E. Economic

Questions Kids should ask themselves: How is the past different than today? What is the significance of this event, person, place, or document…? What can the modern generation learn from the past?

Kids need to Read aloud and think aloud through the Historical Process. Think about people, places, and events in the past through the eyes of someone living in the past. balance present minded thinking with thinking in the past Make connections and draw conclusions.

“Just the Facts”? Facts by themselves are meaningless. Facts are only important when we give them meaning.

Skilled Readers of History Talk to themselves as they read- The conversation ranges: Meaning of the text Author’s purpose, message, and personality/background- Think about why the author says what he says and what he means by saying it.

Contextual Thinking or thinking about events through the perspective of the period it unfolded.

Context of an event or document includes: When, Where, How What proceeded? What followed? Why the document or event took place Who wrote or said it To whom was it written or said What purpose What intent What consequence

Students of History Need to: Talk to each other Write term papers Discuss the significance of topics they study Debate Get into the mind of the people who lived history! Search for cause and motive Investigate- values, perspectives, Students need to embrace beliefs not their own and argue them with zest.