Transcribing Local History

Grades: 7-8, 9-12.  Don’t just READ history; CREATE history with your class! Turn your students into “student archivists.” Have them transcribe real historic letters and diaries as part of their classwork.  This mini unit includes five lessons that introduce students to 19th century handwriting, the importance of primary sources, how to transcribe historic documents, and how to interpret them to gain a greater understanding of American history through a local lens.