Researching Our Local Landmark Heritage

Grade 7 Social Studies Exploring Local Heritage - Lesson 2 90 minutes

What Makes a Place a Landmark?

Historical significance to the community Architectural or cultural importance Connection to local identity Stories and memories it holds Recognition by community members

Research Detective Skills

Choose effective keywords for searching Identify credible vs. unreliable sources Practice skimming and scanning techniques Learn to evaluate author credentials Distinguish facts from opinions

Effective Note-Taking Strategies

{"left":"Cornell Notes System: Facts, Questions, Summary\nParaphrasing in your own words\nDirect quotes with proper citation","right":"Organizing by themes or time periods\nRecording source information\nIncluding page numbers and dates"}

Types of Research Sources

Choose Your Landmark Adventure

Browse the curated landmark list Consider your personal interests Think about accessibility of sources Write a brief explanation of your choice Get teacher approval if proposing your own

Peer Research Sharing

What landmark did you choose and why? What's one interesting fact you discovered? What type of sources are you finding? What questions do you still have?

Next Steps in Your Research Journey

Continue gathering at least 2 more sources Fill in your notes using today's strategies Prepare questions for deeper investigation Next lesson: Organizing research and creating outlines Remember: Focus on questions, not just answers!