Secondary: Equipping Students with Inquiry and Media Literacy Skills for Civic Learning

Massachusetts public school educators register for free by using the coupon code "MACIVICS" at registration.

Course Logistics

Build your capacity to use primary sources, inquiry-based approaches, and media and news literacy to strengthen civic learning, grounded in the 2018 Massachusetts History and Social Science Framework and applicable across subject areas. Dates: Wednesday, July 15 to Tuesday, August 11, 2026 Course Format: Online, asynchronous Professional Development Points (PDPs): 15 Fee: $450 for all educators outside of Massachusetts (no charge for Massachusetts public school educators)

Jennifer Hanson

Jennifer Hanson is the Library Director at Saint John’s High School in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. Prior to joining Saint John’s, she was the library director at New England Innovation Academy and Worcester Academy. She also spent 9 years as the librarian for Primary Source and has continued to facilitate online courses for the organization. She has over 20 years of experience teaching information and media literacy skills at the middle and high school level as well as the college and professional level. In her current role, she works closely with the 8th grade Civics course, teaching research skills for the Civics Action Project each student completes. She has presented at ISTE, MassCUE, NCSS, NCHE, Tech & Learning Live, the Boston Book Festival, and other conferences.

Course Overview

5 Chapters · 47 Lessons

1
1. (Included in full purchase)
  Introduction
2. (Included in full purchase)
  Pre-Course Survey
2
1. (Included in full purchase)
  Engaging with Primary Sources for Civic Learning
2. (Included in full purchase)
  Primary Sources and Why They Matter in Civics (40 minutes)
3. (Included in full purchase)
  What Types of Engagement Do Different Sources Invite from Learners?
4. (Included in full purchase)
  What Distinguishes a Primary Source from a Secondary Source?
5. (Included in full purchase)
  Identifying the Civic Learning Opportunities in a Source (25 minutes)
6. (Included in full purchase)
  Designing Access To and Engagement With Primary Sources (80 minutes)
7. (Included in full purchase)
  Helping Students Become Critical Consumers of Primary Sources (25 minutes)
8. (Included in full purchase)
  Thoughtful Production of Primary Sources for Civic Engagement (25 minutes)
9. (Included in full purchase)
  Supporting Students as Producers of Primary Sources
10. (Included in full purchase)
  Putting It All Together (25 minutes)
11. (Included in full purchase)
  Closing
3
1. (Included in full purchase)
  Civic Learning Through Inquiry
2. (Included in full purchase)
  Initial Reflection
3. (Included in full purchase)
  What is Inquiry? (60 minutes)
4. (Included in full purchase)
  How Is Inquiry in Civics Different from Inquiry in History?
5. (Included in full purchase)
  What Does Inquiry-Based Learning Look Like? How Is It Different from Direct Instruction?
6. (Included in full purchase)
  What Is the Relationship Between Inquiry-Based Learning and Project-Based Learning?
7. (Included in full purchase)
  Why is Inquiry Important? (75 minutes)
8. (Included in full purchase)
  How an Inquiry Approach Aligns with Key Frameworks and Standards for Civic Learning
9. (Included in full purchase)
  How an Inquiry Approach Supports Deeper Learning That Is Culturally and Linguistically Sustaining
10. (Included in full purchase)
  How an Inquiry Approach Supports Differentiation and Accessibility
11. (Included in full purchase)
  Supporting Students in Developing Inquiry-Related Skills (60 minutes)
12. (Included in full purchase)
  Accessing Inquiry
13. (Included in full purchase)
  Developing Question-Asking Skills
14. (Included in full purchase)
  Broadening Understanding of What Counts as a Data Source
15. (Included in full purchase)
  Developing Reflection Skills
16. (Included in full purchase)
  Ensuring All Students Are Engaged in Meaningful Inquiry
17. (Included in full purchase)
  Closing
4
1. (Included in full purchase)
  Developing Media and News Literacy
2. (Included in full purchase)
  What Is Media Literacy? (30 minutes)
3. (Included in full purchase)
  What Is News Literacy? (20 minutes)
4. (Included in full purchase)
  Key Principles of Media Literacy (50 minutes)
5. (Included in full purchase)
  Key Principles of News Literacy (50 minutes)
6. (Included in full purchase)
  Analyzing Information for Credibility and Misleading Content
7. (Included in full purchase)
  News Literacy Lesson Plans
8. (Included in full purchase)
  AI and Media Literacy
9. (Included in full purchase)
  Working with Librarians to Teach News Literacy
10. (Included in full purchase)
  Explore Thoughtful Media Production (50 minutes)
11. (Included in full purchase)
  False Equivalency
12. (Included in full purchase)
  Loaded Language
13. (Included in full purchase)
  Samples of Student-Created Media
14. (Included in full purchase)
  Additional Resources
15. (Included in full purchase)
  Closing
5
1. (Included in full purchase)
  Post-Course Survey
2. (Included in full purchase)
  Culminating Task

About Primary Source

Primary Source educates global citizens by working with teachers to foster students’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions for thoughtful and engaged citizenship. With our guidance and resources, teachers cultivate students’ civic-mindedness, cultural awareness, and global competence, preparing them for our increasingly diverse and interconnected world. We collaborate with teachers, schools, and educational organizations to offer professional development programs and resources that help make global, civics, and cultural education an integral part of every student’s classroom experience. Our engaging face-to-face and online programs, curriculum resources, and international study tours enhance global understanding, civic engagement, and cultural understanding, and help thousands of teachers every year bring the wider world to their students. To learn more, visit our homepage at primarysource.org!