History Detectives: A Lesson on Evidence and Sources
Students tell primary from secondary sources and explain what a source can and cannot prove.
Aligned to: CCSS RH.6-8.1 (cite textual evidence) and RH.6-8.9 (compare a primary and secondary source on the same topic).
Materials
- The source sort cards below (cut out, one set per group of 3)
- Sticky notes
- The exit ticket
Lesson steps
| 5 min | Hook. Hold up a phone: if historians found this in 500 years, what could it tell them about us? What couldn't it? |
| 10 min | Define. Primary source: made at the time, by someone involved (a letter, a photo, an object). Secondary source: made later, by someone interpreting (a textbook, a documentary). Neither is automatically right. |
| 15 min | Source sort. Groups sort the eight cards into primary or secondary, then pick the two most useful for the question: What happened to the town of Pompeii in 79 AD? |
| 12 min | What can it prove?. For each chosen source, groups finish two sentences on sticky notes: This source shows… It cannot prove… Share out. |
| 8 min | Exit ticket. Students answer on their own. |
Cards to print and cut
A letter by Pliny the Younger describing the eruption he watched
A modern textbook chapter about Roman towns
Plaster casts made in the 1800s from hollows left in the ash
A carbonized loaf of bread found in a Pompeii bakery
A 2019 documentary about the eruption
Graffiti on a Pompeii wall
A museum website summarising the excavations
A painting from a Pompeii house wall
Exit ticket
Name: ____________________
- Name one primary source from today and say why it's primary.
- Name one thing a primary source might NOT be able to prove.
- Why might a historian use both kinds of source?
Answer key and teacher notes
- Pliny's letter, the bread, the graffiti and the wall painting were made at the time.
- The plaster casts are tricky: they were made in the 1800s, but from evidence left in 79 AD. Good debate starter.
- Textbook, documentary and museum website are secondary.
Keep practising
PastRush: History Detective
PastRush: History Detective has a free Pompeii investigation that works the same way, with labelled exhibits, source comparison and putting events in order. Five more investigations are free, including the Rosetta Stone and Ötzi the Iceman.
Get it free on the App StoreTeacher FAQ
Is this lesson plan free to use?
Yes. Print and copy it for your class or group. No sign-up.
How long does it take?
About 50 minutes, with timings for each part so you can trim it to fit.
What do I need?
Only everyday classroom materials, listed under Materials. No app or device is required to teach it.