From: Monica R. Edinger <edinger>
Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 09:10:17 +0000

Ingrid writes:

My best leads have come from museum educators who have specialized knowledge on a particular topic along with an understanding of what is most appropriate for a particular age group. The person who first helped me find primary sources to use in my classroom is a museum educator at the American Museum of National History. Later, when beginning to plan a colonial unit, I asked a museum educator from Plimoth Plantation if there were any age-appropriate primary sources (not expecting there to be any) and he told me about Mourt's Relation, the earliest known publication by Mayflower passengers. I don't believe that most librarians would have been able to direct me to this publication. More likely they would have referred me to William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation which is not nearly as accessible for young people.

One of my favorite sources for print primary sources is Jackdaw Publications. They have been putting together packets of primary sources for many years. Until recently these have been geared toward secondary school students; however, at the Social Studies convention I was delighted to see that they are now creating kits for upper elementary/middle school students as well. They have several out (including ones on the Mayflower Passengers and the Middle Passage) and are about to come out with another on Immigration. They have a website (http://www.jackdaw.com), but you should call them about these new kits. I was told by the publisher that they were available, just not yet in the catalog. And in my new book
(which others have mentioned already and which I don't wish to shove down your throats, but created to help as there is clearly a need here), I provide many suggestions on where to find primary sources as well as ways of using them.

Monica

Monica Edinger The Dalton School New York NY edinger at dalton.org monicaedinger at yahoo.com
Received on Tue 21 Nov 2000 03:10:17 AM CST