Frequently Asked Questions about Annie Oakley

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Fourth Grade Lesson Plan on Annie Oakley, using Garst Museum Resources

Content Area: Social Studies
Standard: History
Benchmark: Obtain information from a variety of primary and secondary sources using the component points of the sources.

Lesson Objective: In this lesson, the students will learn to differentiate between primary and secondary sources. On a trip to Garst Museum, they will be able to list 5 primary sources and 5 secondary sources on display there.

Download a Word doc here.

Introduction: Tell students that when doing research, it is important to use both primary and secondary sources, and to know the difference between the two. Ask if any of the students knows the difference between a primary source and a secondary source. If not, explain that a primary source gives firsthand information about an event and was often created at the time of the event. If it was created later, it was created by a person who was present at the event. They are original records used or created by someone who was present at the event. Secondary sources are created by people who were not present at the event. They probably got some of their information from primary sources.

Show the students a chart with the following:

1. An entry from Lewis & Clark's journals
2. A biography of Abraham Lincoln written last year
3. An encyclopedia article
4. A photo of the World Trade Center collapsing on Sept. 11.

Discuss each source and decide whether is is a primary or a secondary source.

Divide students in small groups and give each group a copy of Worksheet # 1.
Give them 15 minutes to discuss each source on the worksheet and label it primary or secondary.

Get back together and share responses. Collect worksheets so you can see if any groups seem to be having problems.

Tell students that we will be going to visit Garst Museum and the Annie Oakley exhibit there. Each student will have a worksheet on which he or she will write examples of both primary and secondary sources at the museum.

WORKSHEET # 1

Here are descriptions of a number of types of sources. Label each one primary or secondary.

A uniform worn in the Civil War

A social studies textbook

A recent biography of the Wright Brothers

An interview with a famous person

An Indian arrowhead

Old home movies of your mom when she was a little girl

An essay your friend wrote about George Washington

A letter written by Abigail Adams to her husband, John

The journal of a 10-year-old girl who traveled west in a covered wagon.

A copy of the President's recent speech

WORKSHEET # 2

Primary Sources about Annie Oakley at Garst Museum

Secondary Sources about Annie Oakley at Garst Museum

Images courtesy of the Darke County Historial Society
Annie Oakley Center Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 1025, Greenville, OH 45331info@annieoakleycenterfoundation.com