Reading Journals: Topics in Minnesota History to 1860s
A third experience during which I demonstrated analysis and synthesis of primary and secondary sources was in my weekly reading journals for Minnesota to 1862 course. Reading journals required students to analyze assigned primary and secondary sources and then explain thematic realities each revealed about this region and state’s history prior to the U.S-Dakota War of 1862. Readings varied in topic from week, but usually included both primary and secondary sources. In each of the journals, I situated the documents in historical context in the introductory paragraph along with the thesis for the essay. Usually, the context was drawn from the secondary source narrative readings for the week. The biggest challenges I faced in these reading journals was pushing my analysis to focus on different aspects of Minnesota history from week-to-week. My goal was to explore many different perspectives from different eras, so my focus frequently shifted to new topics. Reading journals of this style lend themselves well to use in a secondary classroom, as students are asked to engage directly with the text as reading occurs. I can envision asking students to read secondary and primary sources concurrently in this manner in order to respond to prompts that require source-type synthesis. This activity matches well with my philosophy regarding synthesis between different sources of information: students must consult both primary and secondary sources in order to affirm or refute claims. Complete historical inquiry demands that the writer uses sources to present a position.
Reading Journal Example 1 |
Reading Journal Example 2 |
Reading Journal Example 3 |