How would your students do on a test where they received some primary source documents, a few guiding questions, a graphic organizer, and two writing prompts?  If you’re not sure, you still have some time to prepare before the new Kansas state social studies assessment is released.  Join Glenn as he shares three great resources that teachers can use to help students get ready for the extended analysis questions (sometimes called testlets) that will align with the new Kansas standards approved in 2013.

The first website is called America in Class, a collection of historical documents, literary texts, and works of art.  The material is thematically organized and aligned to common core state standards with notes and discussion questions provided with each lesson.

The second resource is the Wilson Center Digital Archives.  This is a collection of once secret documents from around the world that have been declassified.  Letters, telegrams, journals, and reports are just a few examples of the material that will provide a fresh insight about past international relations and diplomacy for the world history classroom.

The final resource is EDSITEment! where teachers can find lessons plans built around primary source documents.  Supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the available materials are organized into the following subjects:  art & culture, foreign language, history & social studies, and literature & language arts.

Glenn Wiebe can be contacted at:

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