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Posted by: Danna Bell
The new Weather Forecasting Primary Source Set from the Library of Congress includes depictions of a number of early weather tools. Analyzing these historical primary sources depicting technological innovations can offer students insights into the nature of science and science practices, as well as core scientific concepts.
Posted in: Science Technology and Math, Teaching Strategies
Posted by: Danna Bell
In the most recent "Right to the Source" column in NSTA’s magazine The Science Teacher, Michael Apfeldorf discusses reactions in the early 20th century to reports of life on Mars. He explains that as early as 1894, scientists noted that conditions on Mars would not support life, but wild theories persisted in popular media. That reminded us of the Library's many April Fools' Day posts featuring primary sources that should not be taken at face value.
Posted in: Development of the Industrial United States (1877-1914), Science Technology and Math
Posted by: Danna Bell
The latest edition of The TPS Journal, an online publication created by the Library of Congress Educational Outreach Division in collaboration with the TPS Educational Consortium, explores how the five themes of geography can be applied to analyzing primary sources, providing students with multiple perspectives and contributing to greater understanding of a topic.
Posted in: Development of the Industrial United States (1877-1914), News and Events
Posted by: Anne Savage
Last year, more than 100 educators attended one of the five Summer Teacher Institutes at the Library of Congress, where they spent an intensive week immersing themselves in primary sources and exploring how to use them in their classrooms. At the end of each week, we asked the participants to write a note to those who would be attending the next session. Read a few of the things that teachers wrote last year about what to expect from the experience
Posted in: News and Events
Posted by: Danna Bell
While researching an article for the January 2016 issue of NSTA's The Science Teacher Magazine, I ran across a blueprint of R. Buckminster Fuller's Geodesic Dome Home. I was reminded that analyzing drawings and photographs of historic structures can launch an investigation of real-world engineering practices.
Posted in: Science Technology and Math
Posted by: Anne Savage
Five 2015 Summer Teacher Institute participants reflect on what happened when they brought primary sources and analysis strategies into their own classrooms.
Posted in: Teaching Strategies