This module is for Grades: 6-8 Welcome
One of the most popular primary sources used in social studies classes are newspapers. Newspaper articles capture events as they happen in history, and can include first person accounts and opinions important to the era. The emergence of online media has only expanded the role of news sources in reporting events and people’s interpretations. When reading about events in a newspaper or a website, a headline often indicates the central idea of an article or section. The article that follows a headline provides details and evidence to support the headline. For example, read the newspaper headline below:
Focus Standard
MCCRS Standard: RH.6-8.2 - Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
Skill(s)
- Summarize the main ideas of primary and secondary sources.
- Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source.
- Provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
Archeological Finds Suggest Rome Was an African Empire, As Well
The headline of a newspaper or website often indicates the central idea of the article or section that follows it. This image shows a fictional headline from a fictional newspaper.
The headline indicates that ancient Rome was also an African empire - the central idea of the article. The central idea is a conclusion or “inference” drawn from the facts of a source. However, we need to read the rest of the article to find more details that support the headline, and form a summary of the event mentioned in the headline. The article likely listed the evidence for this claim, including the specific archaeological evidence found to support the extent of Rome’s empire in Africa.
It can be challenging to determine the central idea or point of a primary or secondary source, especially when the source includes complicated vocabulary or opinions. Finding the central idea and summarizing a source requires you to consider the author of the source and understand the ideas within the source.
In this activity you will read several primary sources from ancient civilizations, and learn how to find the central idea and create a summary of the sources.Module Objectives
By the end of this module, you will be able to:
- Determine the central ideas of primary and secondary sources to identify the characteristics of societies in ancient civilizations.
- State the summary of a source that includes the central idea and main ideas within the source.
