Story Maps are immersive web applications that tell the incredible stories of the Library’s collections through narrative, multimedia, and interactive maps. The story maps are created within a Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based software platform created by Esri. Story Maps are chock full of primary sources, including photographs, illustrations, texts, newspaper articles, and even maps. “I find story maps to be a twenty-first-century tool for a twenty-first-century library,” said … [Read more...]
Primary Source Learning: LOC.gov Teacher-Created Lesson Plans
November 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment
The Teacher's section on LOC.gov features close to 100 teacher-created lesson plans. As you can see from the image above, lesson plans are listed in alphabetical order and there is a handy search bar to help you easily conduct a keyword search. Use the links below to jump to select groupings of the LOC.gov lesson plans and related PSN teaching resources. All lesson plans Lesson plans by grade level Elementary: Grades 3-5 Middle School: Grades 6-8 High school: Grades … [Read more...]
World Spotlight: Italy
January 18, 2018 by Leave a Comment
Library blog posts related to Italy European Month of Culture: Spotlight on Italy In the Muse May 13, 2016 Alan Lomax in Italy: a letter to Goffredo Plastino Folklife Today May 21, 2015 Deciphering the Land: An Unknown Estate Survey Book from Late Sixteenth and Early Seventeenth Century Italy Worlds Revealed: Geography & Maps February 19, 2016 The Italian Legislative Procedure In Custodia Legis June 17, 2013 Law, a Curse and Life in an Italian Ghetto In Custodia Legis … [Read more...]
Today in History: Cinco de Mayo
May 5, 2014 by 1 Comment
Today in History–May 5–the Library of Congress features Cinco de Mayo. On May 5, 1862, Mexican troops successfully defended the town of Puebla against French forces. In the spring of 1863, the city was recaptured by the French and a European was crowned Emperor of Mexico. Emperor Maximillian remained in power until 1867 when Napoleon III withdrew troops and abandoned Mexico. Today, Cinco de Mayo is a national holiday in Mexico and is marked as a celebration of Mexican culture in the United … [Read more...]
Learning from the Source: Shifting Perspectives of Iran
December 12, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Enduring Understandings* Politics is a process to determine who governs and for what purposes. Time, place, and culture influence our perspectives on people and issues. Different perspectives affect the interpretation of history. Activity Have students collaborate to compare and contrast how visual and text sources have described and depicted the country of Iran over time. Sources Maps/infographics Iran, ethnic distribution, created 2004 by the United States Central … [Read more...]
Today in History: Cherry Blossoms
March 27, 2012 by 1 Comment
Today in History–March 27–the Library of Congress features Washington D.C.'s cherry trees. On this day in 1912 two Yoshino cherry trees were planted on the northern bank of the Potomac River Tidal Basin by First Lady Helen Herron Taft and the Viscountess Chinda, the Japanese ambassador's wife, to celebrate the Japanese government's gift of 3,000 trees to the United States (the Japanese gave 3,800 more trees in 1965). In addition to the Tidal Basin, trees were planted near the site of the … [Read more...]
Primary Source Learning: Native American Perspectives
November 4, 2011 by 4 Comments
In celebration of Native American Heritage month, the Teaching with the Library of Congress blog provides some great suggestions for teaching students to view the experiences and contributions of Native Americans from various perspectives. Comparing sources from multiple perspectives provides students with practice in critical thinking and evaluating evidence and arguments. Links to more Native American teaching resources are listed below. Native American Boarding Schools primary source set … [Read more...]
Today in History: Cowboys & Fall Roundup Time
October 7, 2011 by 1 Comment
Today in History–October 7–the Library of Congress features cowboys, or buckaroos, and fall roundup time. On this day in 1979 the Ninety-Six Ranch in Nevada completed its fall roundup and trail drive. Learn more about this roundup in the Today in History section then click the links below to access all sorts of cowboy stories and primary sources. Cowboy primary sources Buckaroos in Paradise Collection 1870-1958 Cowboy images Cowboy films & video recordings Cowboy songs … [Read more...]
Finding Resources: Chronicling America Historic Newspaper Topic Guides
October 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment
The Teaching with Library of Congress blog provides some great tips for finding articles in the Chronicling America Historic Newspaper Collections and provides some teaching ideas as well. Be sure to check out, too, the following learning activity: Comparing Reports: Battle of Little Bighorn. Below is a list of topic guides by subject, each of which includes a list of important dates, search strategies, and sample articles. You can also scroll through these topics by date range or by … [Read more...]
General Horatio Gates & Continental soldiers defeated British in Saratoga, New York. Check out our 
John Keats, wrote “To Autumn”. Check out our 