Informational Text: A New Primary Source Set from the Library of Congress

This blog post is by Michael Apfeldorf of the Library of Congress.

Analyzing nonfiction, informational text is an important skill for students, allowing them to develop critical reading and thinking skills while enhancing their understanding of a range of topics.

A new primary source set from the Library of Congress features 18 unique historical primary sources that teachers can use as informational texts in their classrooms. These primary sources come in a wide variety of formats, including personal narratives that are written from diverse perspectives; newspaper articles and ads that show how the public received information throughout history; and visual materials like posters and maps that illustrate how text and non-text elements were blended to inform and persuade. Audio-visual materials are also included, allowing students to practice critical listening and viewing skills.

The set features a range of topics as well. Among the primary sources are a first-hand account of the bombing of Hiroshima, a Civil War era slave narrative, a diary entry recounting the night that Abraham Lincoln was shot; a recording of Amelia Earhart discussing women and science, and a newspaper article disseminating scientific misinformation about alien life on Mars!

We hope that you and your students will find these materials useful and interesting, and that they might also serve as inspiration for you to find still other items in the Library’s collections that can serve as informational text. Finally, check back with this blog for future posts discussing particular items from the set, strategies for engaging students, and additional resources that support teaching and learning with informational texts.

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