Teaching Middle School Social Studies with Primary Sources (2012)

Presented at the North Carolina Council for Social Studies annual conference and the North Carolina Middle School Conference. In this workshop, teachers explored how to design inquiry-driven social studies lessons that position students as investigators of the past. Using primary sources and a range of media, participants learned strategies to engage students in analyzing perspectives, constructing evidence-based interpretations, and communicating their understanding through writing and other formats. The session emphasized shifting from passive content delivery to active historical inquiry, helping students develop a more authentic and nuanced understanding of history. Teachers left with practical approaches to foster critical thinking, deepen analysis, and create classroom experiences where students engage with history as historians.