Thank you so much for your kind words about the project above. I strongly support using images of artifacts to gather responses in a way that does not involve long-term projects. For example, I created a padlet with the image below and asked my Grade 7 students to look at the piece. Then, I asked the students to type up what they thought they were looking at. Then, I explained what the Latin text translated to: "I have run away. Hold/keep me. If you take me back to my master Zoninus, you'll receive one solidus (a gold coin)." Students came up with different conclusions. Many considered this was a collar for a dog if he ever gets lost - because that is where their prior knowledge logically leads them. Only a few considered the dark fact that this collar was worn for an enslaved person. It caused some debate because they thought it was cruel and we explored why we felt this way and much more.

Discussion using artifacts like this is a great opportunity to explore the daily realities of ancient peoples. It requires some scaffolding but I find that it is worth it. (Side note: teachers could ask more proficient students to attempt to translate the Latin inscription into English on their own.)

Hope this adds to the discussion around the topic.

Krysti Bakelaar , I agree it's often difficult to maintain that high interest level when working with primary sources (especially in middle school). I was inspired by Maritere's talk and the process she has students move through to get to that higher level of thinking. 

One of the projects I found that kept my students engaged in using primary resources and making the connections between the past and present was the Little Big History Project, in which students trace the history of an object from the Big Bang to the Future. They must work with primary sources and show the development/ changes of the item over time. We completed the project with a community presentation at the end of the year. Some of the topics students chose were: balloons, toilets, yoga, tattoos, beer, bread, lipstick, baseball, and even magnets. This blog provides a little description of the activity. One of the things that sticks with students is the unequal access people around the globe have for resources, it also increases global awareness.

Krysti Bakelaar I too found @Maritere's talk to be very interesting as well.  I was impressed with how the use of primary sources was so engaging and that students were asked for feedback so the project could be improved for future learners.  I myself have had some mixed results with primary sources. One example where I had some success was when I used a Jamboard while my students were virtual last year to generate and guide a discussion about Paleolithic Art.  It wasn't easy to get students to participate in online classes but this particular lesson brought so many of them into the discussion. Another activity I used later in the year involved primary sources from the holocaust.  Students had a wide variety of documents to choose from and that allowed for most of my students to find a particular document they were interested in.  Students were then able to discuss the different perspectives from which the people who created the documents had experienced the Holocaust from. 

I think the art activity was engaging because the visual nature of it made it accessible while the Holocaust activity allowed for student choice.  I have found that accessibility and choice are two major factors when trying to engage learners. 

Maritere Mix This image is so impactful. I can imagine students being really engaged. I also like that it is a short-term exposure/time commitment that allows for long-lasting learning.

Would you use such an image above as a hook for a lesson, or in some other way?

I'm getting so many ideas from the talks and discussions on Arguments with Evidence! One small thing I like doing to increase engagement is introduce individuals wherever possible. Sources about a real person that tells part of their story are always great for getting my students interested. I then go from the personal stories into related sources that might add detail or increase our understanding. 

Thank you for your comment. Yes, it is very impactful. I used it at the end of a chapter in our current textbook that contained stories which seemed to perpetuate the "happy/grateful enslaved person" / "benevolent master" trope.  So it was more of an opportunity to reflect on how the story conveyed slavery and what the artifacts say. I'm curious as to how others might use primary sources or artifacts to provide unadapted context to textbooks...

Maritere Mix , I love your strategies to get the kids to "slow down" and really engage with the primary sources they are working with! Students interacted with the evidence at different levels because you gave them the space to process and understand. I especially like how you ask them what is still missing in the end. It reminds students that constructing history is an on-going process. I'm really looking forward to hearing more from you in the panel discussion tomorrow! Thanks for sharing your ideas!

I am so glad to hear your were inspired and thank you for sharing your blog post. Looking forward to reading it and learning from it.