Oklahoma Academic Standard 3. The student will understand that history relates to events and people of other times and places.

Objective 3.1 Explain history as things that happened in the past.

In a Nutshell

Students can begin to understand the concept of history through personal events that have impacted their own lives in the past. Students should be able to identify important occurrences in their lives as a way to relate the abstract idea of history to concrete events.  

Teacher Action 

Student Action 

• Guide students in comparing one primary and one secondary source about an event in history, relevant to the student’s life or the community’s past.

• Provide opportunities for students to discuss possible reasons for an event in the past, such as events from the school or community’s history. 

• Make simple timelines from given information in order to explain events relevant to the student’s life.

• Discuss how individuals and groups have shaped significant historical changes, such as decisions affecting one’s family or community or individuals from our nation’s history. 

Key Concepts 

Misconceptions 

• history, past, present, future 

• Some students may have difficulty comprehending the concept of the past being what we call "history" yet the use of personal timelines can help students visualize past, present, and future times. 

Instructional Resources