Understanding Evidence: Use Clues to Learn About the Past!

Evidence is anything that helps you learn what happened in the past. A clue is a small piece of information that helps you answer a question. When you look at evidence, you are acting like a detective!

You can find evidence in many places. A source is a place or thing you get information from, like a book, a photo, or an old object. Learning to find and use evidence is a big part of Finding Answers.

There are many kinds of evidence that help you learn about the past. Each type gives you different clues.

• A photograph is a picture taken with a camera. It shows you what people and places really looked like.
• An artifact (also spelled artefact) is an old object left behind by people long ago, like a toy, a tool, or a piece of clothing.
• A map is a drawing that shows you where places are. Old maps show you what communities looked like long ago.
• A story uses words to tell about something that happened. Stories can be written or spoken.
• Oral history is a story shared out loud by someone who was there, like an Elder or a grandparent.
• A written record is something written down, like a letter, a newspaper, or a diary.

You can also use Using Historical Sources to find even more types of evidence about the past.

Evidence: Evidence is anything that helps you learn what happened in the past. A photograph, an old toy, or a letter are all evidence.

The Past: The past means the time before now. When you look at old photos or objects, you are learning about the past.

Clue: A clue is a small piece of information that helps you answer a question. An old toy gives you a clue about how children played long ago.

Source: A source is a place or thing you get information from, like a book, a photo, or an old object.

Photograph: A photograph is a picture taken with a camera that shows what things looked like. It is a type of visual evidence.

Artifact (Artefact): An artifact is an old object left behind by people long ago. A fishing net, a clay pot, or an old coin are all artifacts.

Map: A map is a drawing that shows where places are. Old maps help you see what communities looked like in the past.

Story: A story uses words to tell about something that happened. Stories can be written down or told out loud.

Compare: To compare means to look at two things and find what is the same or different. You can compare an old photo and a new photo to see how things have changed.

Learn: To learn means to find out new information about the world around you. You learn when you look carefully at evidence.

Oral History: Oral history is a story shared out loud by someone who was there, like an Elder or a grandparent. It is an important type of evidence in many Indigenous communities.

Primary Source: A primary source is evidence created at the time of the event, like an old newspaper or a letter written long ago.

You use evidence to answer questions about the past. First, you ask a question. Then you find evidence that matches your question. For example, if you want to know what children wore in winter long ago, you look for an old photograph of children in winter clothing.

It is important to compare different pieces of evidence. When you compare an old photo with a new photo of the same place, you can see how things have changed over time. Using many pieces of evidence gives you a fuller and more accurate picture of the past.

This connects to what you learned in Making Observations looking carefully at things around you helps you notice important clues.

You can practice finding and using evidence every day. Try looking at an old family photograph and asking: What clues does this give me about the past? You can also visit a museum and look at artifacts to discover how people lived long ago.

Try comparing two pictures one old and one new of the same place. What has changed? What has stayed the same? This is a great way to practice using evidence, just like you will do when Sharing Findings with your class.

Before learning about evidence, you practiced Asking Questions this helps you know what to look for. You also learned about Gathering Information, which is how you collect evidence. And you practiced Making Observations, which means looking carefully at things to notice details.

All of these skills work together to help you understand evidence and learn about the past.

Understanding evidence connects to many other topics you will explore. When you learn about Using Historical Sources, you will find out where to look for evidence about history. When you study Sequencing Events, you will use evidence to put events in order from first to last.

You will also use evidence when you explore Different Points of View because different people may see the same evidence in different ways. When you think about Making Choices and Finding Solutions, evidence helps you make smart decisions.

Learning about evidence in your community connects to Asking About Community. After you understand evidence, you will be ready to share what you found out in Sharing Findings. You can also reflect on what you learned in Thinking About Learning.

This topic prepares you for more advanced work like Analyzing Evidence in Innovation, Finding Information, and Sharing Ideas as you continue to grow as a learner.