Throughout history, humans have devised methods for transporting, testing, and transforming water, a limited natural resource. Examining historical primary sources invites students to grapple with the local, global, social, political, and scientific dimensions of water.
Join us for a one-hour webinar on Thursday, March 17, at 4pm Eastern to explore how primary sources can support problem- and project-based learning in science classrooms.
Scientific investigations with plants are a staple in elementary school classrooms. Young learners study plant structures and functions, what plants need to grow, how plants reproduce and pass on genetic information, and how matter and energy move in ecosystems. As they learn core scientific ideas, students should simultaneously engage in the practices of scientists. Historic photographs can serve as windows into planning and carrying out scientific investigations.
Introduce a lesson or unit on electricity, engineering, or computer science using historical primary sources that describe the first transatlantic telegraph.
At the end of the 19th century, advances in science, engineering, and technology resulted in a revolution in transportation. Historical primary sources offer opportunities for students to consider energy and engineering principles related to electric cars from a century ago.
Most of us know Thomas Jefferson as the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. Fourteen years later, on July 4, 1790, Jefferson followed up with another revolutionary document, a report on weights and measures.
Using the Library's Primary Source Analysis Tool and a set of primary sources, teachers can introduce students to Hollerith's electric tabulating machine.
Items from the Working in Paterson Folklife Project of the Library's American Folklife Center from the mid-1990s to early 2000s provide a glimpse into the manufacturing process that inspired Babbage.
The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) is hosting an Area Conference in Philadelphia November 12-14 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
Educational staff from the Library of Congress will facilitate a workshop on Thursday called “Science as a Human Endeavor: Analyzing Historical Primary Sources from the Library of Congress.”