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Posted by: Danna Bell
Using the Library's Primary Source Analysis Tool and a set of primary sources, teachers can introduce students to Hollerith's electric tabulating machine.
Posted in: Development of the Industrial United States (1877-1914), Science Technology and Math
Posted by: Danna Bell
Why is something funny? Comedy stories can often be a reflection of an aspect of society. These simple narratives often present us with a funny scenario while social commentary lies underneath.
Posted in: Culture and Folklife, Development of the Industrial United States (1877-1914), Fine and Performing Arts
Posted by: Danna Bell
Items from the Working in Paterson Folklife Project of the Library's American Folklife Center from the mid-1990s to early 2000s provide a glimpse into the manufacturing process that inspired Babbage.
Posted in: Science Technology and Math
Posted by: Danna Bell
Traditions seem everlasting, but primary sources can show how Thanksgiving traditions change over time. Take, for instance, the tradition of the Thanksgiving Maskers in New York City in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Posted in: Culture and Folklife, Holidays
Posted by: Danna Bell
Science and health teachers can tackle brain science using current and historical primary sources about football.
Posted in: Science Technology and Math, Teaching Strategies
Posted by: Danna Bell
Throughout history, humans have sought out substances to color, coat, and cover dwellings, objects, and bodies. Modern inorganic pigments and dyes joined natural and organic substances used by the ancients. The properties of one substance, lead white, once made it the pigment of choice in white paint. However, the toxicity of lead contributed to a public health crisis.
Posted in: Contemporary United States (1945-present), Development of the Industrial United States (1877-1914), Science Technology and Math
Posted by: Danna Bell
Textbooks and teachers often tell students about German scientist Alfred Wegener who went public in 1912 with his theory of continental drift. The scientific community did not widely accept Wegener's ideas during his lifetime and often derided colleagues who entertained the theory. Wegener passed away in 1930. Even as Marie Tharp was creating maps in the 1950s, scientists were actively constructing ideas and compiling evidence related to seafloor spreading and magnetic striping.
Posted in: Geography and Maps, Science Technology and Math
Posted by: Danna Bell
What might a map from 1977, a poster from 1944, and a newspaper article from 1915 have in common with three twentieth century wars and the theory of plate tectonics? These three digitized artifacts in the Library of Congress’s collection have quite a bit in common when it comes to the emergence of evidence supporting a key theory in Earth science.
Posted in: Geography and Maps, Science Technology and Math
Posted by: Danna Bell
Film can be challenging to work with in the classroom. There must be a convenient way to show it to students. It takes a specific amount of time to view, and students often gain from multiple viewings. The benefits of analyzing a film in class must be worth the time spent with these resources.
Posted in: Culture and Folklife, Development of the Industrial United States (1877-1914), Lesson Ideas