What is an example of a firsthand account?

a letter written by someone who saw their house destroyed by a tornado

a newspaper article about the president visiting a local elementary school

a nonfiction book about the sinking of the Titanic

Passage 1 “At the turn of the century, explorers regarded the North Pole as the last prize in the Northern Hemisphere. The quest for the Pole turned into an international race with teams from Britain, Norway, and America vying for the distinction of reaching it first. Robert Peary, a commander in the US Navy, made his first attempt to reach the Pole in 1893. Two more expeditions followed (1898-1902 and 1905-1906). Both fell short of the mark, but the efforts propelled Peary to the distinction of America's foremost Arctic explorer.” -eyewitnesstohistory.com Passage 2 “There is a savage grandeur in this coast, carved by eternal conflict with storms and glaciers, bergs and grinding ice-fields; but behind the frowning outer mask nestle in summer many grass-carpeted, flower-sprinkled, sun-kissed nooks. Millions of little auks breed along this shore. Between the towering cliffs are glaciers, which launch at intervals their fleets of bergs upon the sea; before these cliffs lies the blue water dotted with masses of glistening ice of all shapes and sizes; behind the cliffs is the great Greenland ice cap, silent, eternal, immeasurable — the abode, say the Eskimos, of evil spirits and the souls of the unhappy dead.” –from the journal of Robert Peary What information is in the firsthand account, but not in the secondhand account?

The firsthand account describe what Peary saw.

The firsthand account explains who Peary was.

The firsthand account explains why Peary traveled to the North Pole.

The firsthand account tells who else was in the quest for the Pole.

Passage 1 “There were about fifteen or sixteen in the house besides ourselves. They were confident the house would stand anything; if not for that, we would probably have left on rafts before the house went down. We all gathered in one room; all at once the house went from its foundation and the water came in waist-deep, and we all made a break for the door, but could not get it open. We then smashed out the window and I led the way.” -Milton Elford, survivor of the Galveston hurricane of 1900 Passage 2 “When they awoke on the morning of September 8, 1900, the 38,000 residents of Galveston, Texas, were unaware that this day would be their city's last. They had no idea that before the day was done, 8,000 of their fellow citizens would perish with the city. The culprit was a hurricane. The storm swept in off the Gulf of Mexico packing winds up to 135 mph - a Category 4 storm in modern terminology. The storm propelled a 15-foot surge of water before it; easily swamping the 8.7-foot-high island that Galveston called home. Together, the wind and the water destroyed everything in their path and created the worst natural disaster in America's history.” –eyewitnesstohistory.com What information can the reader gather by reading both the firsthand and secondhand accounts of the Galveston hurricane of 1900 ?

The storm surge flooded Galveston, causing severe damage.

Milton Elford was lucky to survive the natural disaster.

September 8, 1900, was Galveston, Texas last day.

People escaped the storm on rafts.

Passage 1 “It was just like the movie (Hoosiers)," Warren recalls. “You walk in there and it's like ‘Wow, this place is massive!' Then to walk out on the floor and see all those people in the stands and all those people from Warsaw waving the orange hankies, it was amazing. But once the game starts, it's the game. You're so focused, you don't recognize that.” -Judi Warren Passage 2 “Judi Warren and her teammates from Warsaw High School won Indiana's first high school state tournament for girls' basketball in 1976. She was the perfect trailblazer, a charismatic and dedicated spokesperson for the cause of girls getting to play competitive basketball and be taken seriously as athletes. She became Indiana's first Miss Basketball, went on to play at Franklin College, and then coached at three high schools, always representing the ideals of the game.” -nba.com How is Warren’s firsthand account different from the secondhand account?

In the firsthand account, Warren explains what she was feeling in the moment. In the secondhand account, the author summarizes the significance of the event.

In the firsthand account, Warren is talking about how she stayed focused, while the secondhand account focuses on her becoming Miss Basketball.

In the firsthand account, the author summarize why girls’ basketball is important, while the secondhand account is about why a particular game was important.

In the firsthand account, the author tells about the event from the outside, while the secondhand account tells about the event from someone who experienced it.

Passage 1 “It frightened me a little, but we were safe in the wagon with its nice tight cover to keep out the wind and the rain. The wagon was home, we had lived in it so long, and Pa’s rifle was hanging at the side where he could get it quickly to shoot the wolf. He wouldn’t let wolves, nor anything, hurt us, and Jack the brindle bulldog was lying under the wagon guarding us too, and so we fell asleep.” -Laura Ingalls Wilder’s account of moving westward Passage 2 Laura Ingalls Wilder was born February 7, 1867, in Lake Pepin, Wisconsin. She was the author of children’s books based on her own childhood in the American Midwest. Laura Ingalls grew up in a family that moved frequently from one part of the American frontier to another. Her father took the family by covered wagon to Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Indian Territory, and Dakota Territory. What fact can be found in both the firsthand and secondhand accounts?

Both accounts discuss how Laura and her family traveled by covered wagon.

Both accounts discuss how scared Laura felt while traveling.

Both accounts tell when Laura lived.

Both accounts tell the different states Laura and her family went to.

Passage 1 “With the removal of a very few stones the mystery of the golden wall was solved. We were at the entrance of the actual burial chamber of the king, and that which barred our way was the side of an immense gilt shrine built to cover and protect the sarcophagus. It was visible now from the antechamber by the light of the standard lamps, and as stone after stone was removed, and its gilded surface came gradually into view, we could, as though by electric current, feel the tingle of excitement, which thrilled the spectators behind the barrier....” -Howard Carter, an English Egyptologist who discovered King Tutankhamen’s tomb Passage 2 “On February 16, 1923, Carter opened the innermost chamber and found the sarcophagus of King Tut. The discovery made a huge impact. King Tut's tomb was by far the most intact of all the tombs that were excavated, and artifacts were well-preserved, including the sarcophagus and Tut's mummy. An interest in ancient Egypt and Egyptology was sparked around the world, largely in thanks to the uncovered tomb of Tutankhamun.” -biography.com How does the firsthand account differ from the secondhand account?

The firsthand account explains what Carter saw as he entered King Tut’s tomb, while the secondhand account explains why this was important.

The firsthand account is true because it is Carter’s experience, while the secondhand account is based on opinion.

The firsthand account is from Carter’s point of view, while the secondhand account is from King Tut’s point of view.

The firsthand account was written in recent times, while the secondhand account was written in the past.

Passage 1 “On April 10, 1912, the Titanic, largest ship afloat, left Southampton, England, on her maiden voyage to New York City. The White Star Line had spared no expense in assuring her luxury. A legend even before she sailed, her passengers were a mixture of the world's wealthiest, basking in the elegance of first-class accommodations, and immigrants packed into steerage. Four days into her journey, at 11:40 p.m., on the night of April 14, she struck an iceberg. The collision was fatal, and the icy water soon poured through the ship.” -eyewitnesstohistory.com Passage 2 “Suddenly, a queer quivering ran under me, apparently the whole length of the ship. Startled by the very strangeness of the shivering motion, I sprang to the floor. With too perfect a trust in that mighty vessel I again lay down. Someone knocked at my door, and the voice of a friend said: ‘Come quickly to my cabin; an iceberg has just passed our window; I know we have just struck one.’” -Elizabeth Shutes, Titanic survivor How does the firsthand account of the Titanic different from the secondhand account?

The firsthand account focuses on one survivor’s experience with the sinking, while the secondhand account focuses on general information about the Titanic.

The firsthand account is summarizing the entire Titanic voyage, while the secondhand account is telling about one short event.

The firsthand account is based on a survivor’s opinion, while the secondhand account is based on facts researched about the Titanic.

The firsthand account discusses the way Elizabeth Shutes survived, while the secondhand account focuses on the timeline of the voyage.

Firsthand and Secondhand Accounts

Authored by Carol Lumpkin

English

4th Grade

CCSS covered

Used 225+ times

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MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

2 mins • 1 pt

You read an email from your grandfather, and he tells some funny stories about when he taught your mom how to drive a car. The email is...

firsthand account

secondhand account

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.10

CCSS.RL.3.10

CCSS.RL.4.10

CCSS.RL.5.10

CCSS.RL.2.10

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

2 mins • 1 pt

You read a biography about the life of scientist Steven Hawking. The biography is…

firsthand account

secondhand account

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.10

CCSS.RI.11-12.10

CCSS.RI.7.10

CCSS.RI.8.10

CCSS.RI.9-10.10

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

2 mins • 1 pt

A firsthand account is a ______________ source

primary

secondary

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

2 mins • 1 pt

First hand account is written in

first person point of view

second person point of view

third person point of view

Tags

CCSS.RL.3.10

CCSS.RL.4.10

CCSS.RL.5.10

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.4.6

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

2 mins • 1 pt

A description of an REAL event that is based on research and written by someone who was NOT there to witness the event is called a ______________________.

Firsthand Account

Secondhand Account

Third Person Point of View

First Person Point of View

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.1.6

CCSS.RL.6.6

CCSS.RL.7.6

CCSS.RL.8.6

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

The events the author is writing about happened to somebody else.

Secondhand Account

Synthesis

Sequence

Firsthand Account

Tags

CCSS.RL.3.10

CCSS.RL.4.10

CCSS.RL.5.10

CCSS.RL.5.6

CCSS.RL.4.6

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

15 mins • 1 pt

The first winter storm of the year has hit the Pacific Northwest. So far, Washington has been the hardest hit. Reports from the east side of the state say that more than two feet of snow has fallen in the past 24 hours. Ice has been a problem in the mountain passes. Ski areas on Mt. Rainier report very slick roads. Snow is also falling lightly at this hour in Olympia and Tacoma. Seattle is clear and cold. We thank the reporters at our sister station up in Washington, KARA, for bringing us this report.

The weather report in the passage is a secondhand account because the narrator

is writing about things he or she did NOT see

is talking directly to the audience as the report is given

went to the places in the report in order to write about them

tells about different parts of the state instead of just one

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.10

CCSS.RI.11-12.10

CCSS.RI.7.10

CCSS.RI.8.10

CCSS.RI.9-10.10

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Firsthand and Secondhand Accounts

You read an email from your grandfather, and he tells some funny stories about when he taught your mom how to drive a car. The email is...

You read a biography about the life of scientist Steven Hawking. The biography is…

A firsthand account is a ______________ source

First hand account is written in

A description of an REAL event that is based on research and written by someone who was NOT there to witness the event is called a ______________________.

The events the author is writing about happened to somebody else.

What is an example of a firsthand account?

You read an encyclopedia entry about the person who invented the microwave. The entry is…

You read a book about World War I. It includes letters written from the soldiers to their loved ones back home in America, telling them about the war. The letters are...

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