Primary Source Analysis

Primary Sources such as objects, documents, or photographs, provide a first-hand account of an event or time. At MOHAI, we use primary source investigation and object-based inquiry, to create multi-disciplinary learning experiences that stretch students’ critical and creative thinking skills. Below are a variety of resources and fun ways to bring the MOHAI collection and object-based inquiry to your students.

This video series is all about what we can learn about historic items, just by looking at them.

Practice making observations and inferences with your students with these bite-sized history lessons that highlight different objects in our collection.

Use these questions as a starting point to encourage students’ historical thinking by asking what they see, think, and wonder about objects in our collection.

• Introduction to Artifact Analysis (PDF)
• Introduction to Document Analysis (PDF)
• Introduction to Photograph Analysis (PDF)

If you can’t bring your students to MOHAI this year, bring our collection to them.

Use this condensed live recording from our Educator Workshop: Digital Distance Learning to explore how to use MOHAI’s digitized collection to conduct research, build tools that support object-based inquiry, and create multi-disciplinary learning experiences that stretch students’ critical and creative thinking skills for the classroom or remote settings.

Did you know that you can access an extensive part of MOHAI’s collection online? There is a lot to explore, so we have specially selected items focusing on three themes and created inquiry and creative thinking prompts for student exploration.

The MOHAI Youth Advisors (MYA) have created a scavenger hunt through the MOHAI collection that familiarizes students with the online collection portal and common search strategies.

Designed with high school students in mind, the hunt explores photos of young people getting involved in their community throughout Seattle history. Use it to introduce independent research assignments or to encourage further exploration following an experience with MOHAI.

In this video for early learners and their grown-ups, we explore how to look at historic photographs. Join MOHAI Educators as we ask questions about what we see and wonder, and imagine the possibilities within possibilities within a single photo.

Download our tips for caregivers and use a MOHAI online collection gallery specially curated for practicing your new photograph exploring skills with your early learner (ages 3-6).