Which U.S. states had buildings at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago? Label them with their state abbreviations on the map. Describe 10 objects you see on the map; on another page, note the location of each object (hint: use the map coordinates). Pass your object description list to someone and challenge that friend to…
Use the zoom feature online or access a larger image of this map (zoomable map | enlarged map). What details do you notice first? What else strikes you as interesting? Why do you think John Smith made this map? What scale is used for this map? What scale is typically used for maps today? The map…
Part of the Smithsonian Institution’s mission is “Shaping the future by preserving our heritage . . .” Why do you think the Smithsonian chose to display this artifact? Find out more about Charles Lindbergh. Imagine you are your age in 1927, reading about his accomplishment. How do you feel? What dreams does this historic flight inspire…
One of the design considerations of the Common Core State Standards is the integration of research and media skills into the literacy framework. To be ready for college, workforce training, and life in a technological society, students need the ability to gather, comprehend, evaluate, synthesize, and report on information and ideas, to conduct original research in order…
This source is listed as a letter with illustrated fable. What is the moral or lesson of the story? Read more about the author and recipient of this letter. What interesting information did you uncover? Write and illustrate your own brief fable that contains a lesson useful for your school or local community. What…
Use a magnifying glass to study the details of this design drawing? What did you learn? What types of skills do you need to have to be an industrial designer? What similar types of skills do you have? Imagine a new industrial product and sketch the design. How will this product advance industry? What other…
From the Library of Congress bicentennial exhibition—With Malice Toward None—we learn a bit about the profound effect Abraham Lincoln’s death had on people all over the world. The assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on Good Friday, April 14, 1865, had a tremendous impact both in the United States and abroad. People in Great Britain, which…
![Thomas Jefferson ["Maccaroni" machine with instructions for making pasta] Holograph drawing and text, 1787](https://primarysourcenexus.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/jeffersonpastamachine.jpg)
Curator description: Thomas Jefferson noted these plans for a macaroni or pasta machine while touring northern Italy in 1787. When Jefferson prepared these plans, macaroni was a highly fashionable food in Paris, where he was stationed as minister to France. He later commissioned his secretary William Short to purchase a macaroni machine in Italy, but…
Educational consultant and author Dr. Bertie Kingore has some great ideas for teaching. TPS-Barat adapted her thinking triangle for use with primary source image analysis. This activity requires students to use higher level thinking skills as they interact with a primary source image. The thinking triangle also gives students practice in the visual equivalent of…
Using details from the cover of this sheet music, describe what you think this song is about. Use the Primary Source Nexus search box to find out about Normandy. Where is it? What was happening there in 1917? Look inside at the song lyrics and music notation. What is the tone of the song? Does…
Questioning & the Common Core State Standards The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for Reading emphasize teaching students to become active questioners beginning in kindergarten. RL/RI.K.1. With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text. RL/RI.1.1. Ask and answer questions about key details in a text. RL/RI.2.1. Ask and answer such questions…
Although image analysis activities do not generally require reading (apart from reading bits of text found in an image), the skills required to extract information from visual content are similar to those required to extract information from text. Practicing these skills using primary source images provides students with a great scaffolded learning opportunity. The table below…