← Back to the article

Reading level

Small Whale · Reading worksheet

Archive

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/archive

Step 2 · Questions

1. What is the core principle?
2. What is the historical development?
3. Why do we keep old records in archives?
4. How do people decide what goes into an archive?

Step 3 · Words to know

Write what each word means, using the article.

Provenance
Finding Aid
Born-Digital Records

Step 4 · Two facts in your own words

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

1.

2.

Answer key (teacher copy)

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the core principle?Preservation and access to records of enduring value
2. What is the historical development?Evolved from ancient record-keeping to complex digital preservation systems
3. Why do we keep old records in archives?Archives keep records so that governments, families, and researchers can see what happened long ago, helping us remember history and make good choices today.
4. How do people decide what goes into an archive?People choose what to keep by looking at how useful it is for learning, law, or history, and only the most valuable ones are saved for a long time.

Provenance: The principle of keeping records from the same creator together to maintain their context.
Finding Aid: A descriptive inventory or catalog that helps users locate materials within an archive.
Born-Digital Records: Information that is created in a digital format from its inception.