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 4^th graders

Best Practices 3rd:  Best practices lesson from teachinghistory.org on analyzing historical photographs with  3^rd graders

Best Practices LA 4th: Best practices lesson from teachinghistory.org on integrating language arts and history instruction with 4^th 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