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Archive: March 2014 (7 Posts)

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

Bringing History and Dance Together: The World of Katherine Dunham

Posted by: Danna Bell

Most people don’t think of dance as a way to bring history to life. Looking at dancers in photographs, films and other images and reading about dancing and its role in celebrations, commemorations and other events can help students learn about what issues and events were considered important in a community, how people celebrated, what mores and values were important and how people dressed when going to certain events.

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

Creating Ripples of Change with Primary Sources from the Library of Congress

Posted by: Danna Bell

We engage our students in learning, and then we hope that their learning continues to spread, influencing others around them. Many times, we don’t see the effect of our influence until years later. In my role as a literacy coach, staff developer, and writing project teacher consultant, and because I don’t have students of my own, I always feel that my job is to drop pebbles and stand back as the professionals I work with create unpredictable and beautiful ripples.

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

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire: Exploring Tragedy and Reform with Primary Sources

Posted by: Cheryl Lederle

On March 25, 1911, a fire swept through the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City, killing 146 men and women, many of them recent immigrants. It was later discovered that the workers faced many obstacles as they tried to flee the fire: Doors were locked by the factory's management and the fire escapes were inadequate. This catastrophe, which led to a public outcry, prompted updates to labor laws and reforms to fire and safety regulations.