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Activity 1.3:
Examining Primary and Secondary Sources

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1. Lead students in a class discussion by asking: "If you wanted to learn more about the SARS crisis and the Quarantine Act, what types of information would you consult?" As a class, brainstorm a list of different sources for finding information (media sources, academic sources, first-hand accounts, etc.)

2. Ask students: How would you know which sources would be more reliable? Explain that there are two types of sources: Primary sources and Secondary sources. For more information, refer to "Using Primary and Secondary Sources" (see Activity Resources section).

3. Ask students: What kinds of questions would you need to ask when examining Primary and Secondary sources? As a class, or in small groups, brainstorm a list of questions. After 5 to 10 minutes, distribute the criteria for Primary and Secondary sources in Handout 1.3. Add the top 5 questions from the class discussion to the list in Handout 1.3.

4. Instruct students to go back to their results from the key-word search using "SARS" and "Quarantine Act" and select 2 sources. Using their examples, have them analyze the reliability of the sources, using the criteria and questions listed in Handout 1.3. Students should record their analysis on Handout 1.3a and Handout 1.3b. They may also consult the sites listed in Activity Resources for examples of information sources. (Note: the teacher may want to pre-select 2 sources and distribute to the class to analyze in small groups).

5. After the students have critiqued 2 of their sources, discuss the results as a class. Address the following questions:

Is there any additional information you need in order to find out more about SARS? What would it be?
What questions does the Canada Gazette answer in its materials? What questions are unanswered?
Where would you go to find information on the unanswered questions?
Is the Canada Gazette a Primary source or a Secondary source?

To assess this activity, use: Rubric 1.0.