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Archive: August 2012 (9 Posts)

One woman watches as another examines with a magnifying glass an ornate, decorative image on a printed page

The Path to the Presidency: Political Speeches

Posted by: Danna Bell

On Tuesday, November 6, voters in the United States will go to the polls to elect a president, members of Congress and other state and local political leaders. As we move closer and closer to Election Day, this blog will be providing suggestions for ways to use primary sources from the Library of Congress to help students learn about the election process and past elections.

One woman watches as another examines with a magnifying glass an ornate, decorative image on a printed page

Back to School Night: Parents and Primary Sources

Posted by: Cheryl Lederle

Whether you call it “open house” or “back to school night,” an evening for teachers to meet and greet parents is a fall ritual. This year, consider “flipping” the event: distribute rules and policies in writing, allow time for parents to see examples of student learning, and include an activity or two to help parents better understand the learning processes their children will experience.

One woman watches as another examines with a magnifying glass an ornate, decorative image on a printed page

Observation in Primary Source Analysis: The Sticky Notes Solution

Posted by: Cheryl Lederle

During recent Library of Congress summer teacher institutes, teachers of all grade and ability levels discussed ways to engage students in close observation of primary sources. They agreed that close observation is crucial to deep analysis and a key component of identifying and citing evidence from a primary source. One easy technique to help students improve their observation skill is to use sticky notes.

One woman watches as another examines with a magnifying glass an ornate, decorative image on a printed page

“Change over Time” – More than a Content Standard at the Summer Teacher Institute

Posted by: Cheryl Lederle

When I attended the Library’s June Summer Teacher Institute, I was struck by how much the week of immersion in primary sources altered participants’ preliminary teaching plans. Between Library of Congress website discoveries and tours of real primary source collections, attendees extensively changed and enriched their plans.

One woman watches as another examines with a magnifying glass an ornate, decorative image on a printed page

Teaching the World: Primary Sources with an International Flavor

Posted by: Danna Bell

Recently, the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources program hosted a summer institute with a focus on world history. The participants found a variety of different ways to incorporate the Library’s resources into classroom activities. Are you looking for world history resources or ways to incorporate them into lesson plans?