Using a graphic organizer or analysis worksheet can help students analyze a primary source and see its relationship to the larger concepts of the unit:
Graphic Organizer Lesson Plan: Lesson plan related to the graphic organizer
Bringing Home History: Analysis worksheet for text based sources
Lesson Plans and Best Practices:
Best Practices 4th: Best practices lesson from teachinghistory.org on introducing primary sources to 4th graders
Best Practices 3rd: Best practices lesson from teachinghistory.org on analyzing historical photographs with 3rd graders
Best Practices LA 4th: Best practices lesson from teachinghistory.org on integrating language arts and history instruction with 4th graders
Cropping Tools: Lesson plan from teachinghistory.org on how to analyze images using “cropping tools” Excellent lesson that combines good critical thinking with kinesthetic learning
Think Aloud: Excellent guide for doing a think aloud on a primary source from teachinghistory.org
Adapting Primary Sources: Guide for adapting primary sources to make them more accessible for students including examples for primary students
Interperting Primary Source Images Lesson Plan