Students identify clues around the "edges" of a historical document to learn about its author, audience, origin, purpose and type. They develop an understanding of the importance of making careful observations and drawing plausible inferences about the context of historical documents prior to analyzing their contents. It includes instructional suggestions for teachers (learning about the strategy, practicing the strategy, and assessing student understanding) and resources for students (practice examples, data charts, document samples, student strategy guide and self-assessment rubric).

This resource is part of the collection Tools for Thought.