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Posted by: Anne Savage
With winter arriving this month, my thoughts turned to a different kind of cleaning: snow removal. How were city streets cleared long ago, and what was life like before plows and snowblowers? I discovered some intriguing images that answer some of my questions and raise many new ones.
Posted in: Science Technology and Math, Teaching Strategies
Posted by: Danna Bell
Gift giving, a centuries- old tradition, is an important part of human interaction. It is also an important part of government diplomacy. Consider using the Library’s primary sources to help students understand the historical significance of gift giving.
Posted in: Holidays, Young Learners
Posted by: Cheryl Lederle
For centuries, national and global leaders have appeared to take important steps toward peace, while still pursuing political concerns. The Library of Congress’s collections of primary sources can encourage students to explore the impact of a variety of peace settlements and how we can find peaceful solutions in our own lives.
Posted in: Civil War and Reconstruction (1861-1877), Industrial United States, World Wars and the Great Depression (1914-1945), Lesson Ideas, Young Learners
Posted by: Danna Bell
Most students think of maps as wayfinders, resources to help find their way from point "A" to point "B." However, maps have been created for a variety of different reasons, and studying maps from the Library of Congress can show students how maps can do more than provide directions.
Posted in: Geography and Maps, Lesson Ideas
Posted by: Danna Bell
Each year the Library of Congress provides the opportunity for K-12 educators to attend one of its Summer Teacher Institutes in Washington, D.C. During the five-day institutes, participants work with Library of Congress education specialists to learn best practices for using primary sources in the K-12 classroom, while exploring some of the millions of digitized primary sources available on the Library’s Web site.
Posted in: News and Events
Posted by: Cheryl Lederle
So, where exactly do primary sources fit into the CCSS? We would like to highlight three ways .
Posted in: Teaching Tools
Posted by: Cheryl Lederle
The bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, changed the lives of many Americans. On the homefront, one of the most dramatic changes was the transformation of the lives of Japanese Americans.
Posted in: Industrial United States, World Wars and the Great Depression (1914-1945), Lesson Ideas, Teaching Strategies
Posted by: Cheryl Lederle
When I've asked my students, “Would anyone be interested in a trip on a ferry?” they've all cheered with excitement. But I wonder how many of us would be brave enough to take a night voyage through an ice-clogged river on a boat battered by snow and high winds. Primary sources from the Library of Congress can let students explore this momentous--and shivery--event.
Posted in: Fine and Performing Arts, Presidents, Revolution and the New Nation (1764-1815)
Posted by: Anne Savage
Information literacy standards require students to think about the creator’s purpose and determine the meaning of symbols. The Thomas Jefferson Building: Secret Messages is an online activity that helps students do both.
Posted in: Teaching Strategies, Teaching Tools