Homeschool history is far from humdrum when the right hands-on learning tools are applied.
Primary sources have a way of not only stoking the imagination, but are crucial to understanding past events.
Primary sources have a way of taking events from just being imagined to reality because your child is reading , interacting and interpreting real objects created by people who lived during a specific time.
Today, in sharing 6 things to try when a homeschool history curriculum isn’t coming together, I want to give you a list of some items that make history real to your child.
1. Maps
Maps are probably one of the most obvious primary sources.
Beyond just showing a geographical location, maps also give tell-tale signs about the political thinking of a time period and they can give a glimpse into the natural resources that existed at a particular time period.
2. Photographs.
Photographs are one of my very favorite ways to learn history. When studying an old photo, it makes your child wonder who the people are in the photo? What kind of life did they lead? Photos provide many details as to the people or events of the time period.
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It can also be one of the most mysterious piece of history evidence to explore because you question for what reasons were the photo taken? Was it staged by a creative photographer or was it a true depiction of the time period?
3. Political cartoons.
Political cartoons are really a great example of the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words. Whether through exaggeration or humor, they give a glimpse into past feelings about the political word.
4. Oral history.
A person’s eye witness account of an event is another fascinating topic that should be mulled over. What makes this part of history so fascinating is that not are people’s memory fallible, but everyone interprets events differently.
5. Films.
This is one primary source I would love to find more of to view.
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Films from a time period are super helpful to sketch in our mind the way a place or event looked.
6. Ads.
Just like ads today, they have a purpose and method and produced with a specific purpose in mind. Whether it’s to influence you to buy a certain product or to change your mind the way you view a product, ads are worthy our study.
7. Songs and Music.
Songs and music have not only been part of history to invoke the present state of feeling among people during wartime, but it has been used as way to communicate ideas. Certain political organizations have used certain parts of music to broadcast the spirit and purpose of their organization.
Studying the songs and music of the past helps us to relate world events of the time.
Pitching the curriculum to study hands-on objects of the past is key to keeping history alive.
Have you tried one of the primary sources?
Hugs and love ya,
Check out these other articles:
How to Use a History Spine to Build Your Study of History
8 Ways to Teach Homeschool History Other Than Chronologically
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