An inquiry approach supports students as they draw on their prior knowledge, personal experiences, and critical thinking skills to develop questions that guide their learning. The process engages students because pursuing the answers to their own questions gives them direct control as they construct meaning about topics of interest. Join us for a webinar focused on strategies for taking an inquiry approach to teaching with primary sources on Tuesday, November 18, at 4 PM ET.
This year's NCSS Conference will take place November 21-23 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts. You will find us in booth number 821 on Friday, November 21st from 9am-5pm and Saturday, November 22nd from 8:30am to 5pm .
Have you ever wondered how to use photographs, recordings, or short films in your non-art classroom? The latest issue of the Library of Congress TPS Journal has ideas for incorporating fine and performing arts-related primary sources from the Library of Congress collections across the curriculum.
What do scientists do? This simple prompt was central in one activity during the inaugural week-long Seminar for Science Educators held at the Library this summer.
On Tuesday, September 23, at 7 PM ET, education experts from the Library will offer a webinar that will engage participants in a model photograph analysis activity, facilitate a discussion about the power of teaching with visual images, and demonstrate how to find visual images from the Library of Congress.
Throughout the year, the Library will be hosting educator webinars every other Tuesday at 7:00 ET focusing on a variety of instructional strategies for using primary sources in instruction. The 2014 schedule and information about joining the webinar is now available from loc.gov/teachers.
In my first blog post as Teacher in Residence, I set a number of goals: to connect primary sources to literature, to create research questions to advance inquiry, and to foster library skills. I was able to meet these goals in a number of ways and to reach out to teachers and librarians with approaches to working with primary sources and teaching research skills.
This blog supports teachers and school librarians as they teach with primary sources, particularly those from the rich online collections of the Library. Our posts cover a wide range of disciplines, spotlighting powerful items from the collections as well as sharing teaching strategies from our staff and many partners.
Cheryl Davis is a technology specialist and coordinates professional development for teachers in the Acalanes Union High School District. She is also a TPS Teacher-Mentor.
We have explored using primary source items to develop research questions, and to strengthen analysis through sourcing and contextualizing. Next, we explore the value of using primary sources from the Library of Congress to guide students to evaluate sources and use evidence.
