Nathan Brandsma

EDUC 693B
11/17/14
Instructional Methods Quick Plans #3
Nathan Brandsma Social Studies "Analyzing Primary Sources"
Lecture/Direct Instruction
Section I - Description
1. Instructional Method: Lecture/Direct instruction is the dispensing of information from the
teacher to the students. This method is appropriate when certain background information is
necessary for students to be able to create and apply in different situations. It is also crucial when
you would like students to master a particular skill, such a reading a primary source document
for point of view, audience, purpose, context and authenticity. Direct instruction should be used
because it explicitly demonstrates the skills that you would like your students to master, followed
by guided practice and finally independent practice. If students don't know how to do something
that is necessary for continued engagement with the class, they must be shown how.
2. Topic and rationale: The ability to evaluate a primary source for point of view and historical
context is a crucial skill for the study of history. Students, however, generally do not know how
to go about this. As such, the explicit instruction provided by lecture/direct instruction followed
by guided practice shows students how to analyze a text. The students then do guided practice,
followed by independent practice through the rest of the course, whenever they are called upon
to analyze a primary source. Two other topics that could be taught this way are the basics of map
reading and
3. Features and purposes: The purpose of this method is to convey the knowledge or skills
necessary for students to be able to do other tasks. Lecture or direct instruction is the direct
sharing of information via oration or demonstration. The teacher has the knowledge needed and
shares it with the students. This method often employ an "I do, we do, you do" element. In this,
the students immediately apply the knowledge or skill demonstrated by the instructor together as
a group, and then individually.
4. Advantages and disadvantages: There are many advantages to the method. The first is that it
can be an efficient way to get specific information to students. The other advantages rely on the
skill of the instructor. Complex topics can be described in language that the students can
understand. Also, enthusiasm for the subject can be conveyed by instructors through direct
instruction.

The main disadvantage of direct instruction is that it does not encourage critical thinking among
students, as the knowledge is dispensed directly, not through a process of discovery. Other
disadvantages are that a teacher must be extremely well organized, have a strong knowledge of
the content, and be an excellent communicator to be fully effective. Direct instruction also has
the tendency to inculcate a passivity among students.
Section II - Implementation of the Method
1. Objectives: History standard 1.a. SWBAT evaluate a historical source for point of view and
historical context by learning from direct instruction how to evaluate a primary source document
followed by guided practice evaluating a primary source document followed by independent
practice.
2. Materials: This lesson requires primary source documents, preferably of a variety of types, so
that students get the chance to see and practice evaluating a variety of primary sources.
3. Model: The teaching model is lecture/direct instruction because students come to a high
school history class with a wide range of reading abilities. In order to engage fully with the ideas
in the course, students must be able to read the documents effectively. In order to ensure that this
is happening, students must be taught how to do this, ergo direct instruction.
4. Key Terms: Primary Source, Secondary Source, audience, purpose, point of view, context,
authenticity, annotation.
5. Background Knowledge: Students will need some background in reading. This lesson focuses
on how to engage with primary source documents. If a student is unable to decode words, then
this lesson will already be beyond their zone of literacy proximal development.
6. Assessment: Students will be doing independent practice of primary source evaluation, which
means that their annotations and responses to questions will be the assessment.