NHD 2024: Topic Resources

NHD 2024: Topic Resources

Lexington and Concord Gettysburg and Vicksburg Reconstruction Spanish American War United States Enters World War I background | primary sources D-Day: Normandy Landings Tonkin Gulf Incident Drafting the Declaration of Independence Constitution and Bill of Rights Constitutional Amendments Constitutional Amendments Brown v. Board of Education Rosa Parks and Montgomery Bus Boycott March on Washington for…

NHD 2023: Topic Selection, Research, Sources & More

NHD 2023: Topic Selection, Research, Sources & More

Students, we have compiled a big list of resources to help you dig deep into National History Day (NHD) projects. Understanding NHD Projects Read the Contest Rule Book carefully. English | Spanish Watch the NHD Contest Rules video. Explore the categories. Click the orange buttons to learn more about each category. Documentary rules video project checklist evaluation…

Primary Source Learning: Monthly Heritage & Identity Celebrations

Primary Source Learning: Monthly Heritage & Identity Celebrations

Below is a list with links to Library resource sets, featuring both primary and secondary sources, and teaching resources that coincide with monthly heritage and identity celebrations. So mark those special months but don’t stop there. Instead, come back to these resources time and again to give voice to diverse perspectives and celebrate inclusion all…

Teaching Now: Separating Myths from History

Teaching Now: Separating Myths from History

This unit plan and teaching guide was developed by Dr. John Bickford, Professor of Social Studies/History Education at Eastern Illinois University and Editor-in-Chief of The Councilor: A Journal of the Social Studies, in collaboration with Citizen U. It presents a lesson plan with teaching notes targeted to early and upper elementary students. TEACHER BACKGROUND Children—and…

Collections Spotlight: LGBTQ+ Resources

Collections Spotlight: LGBTQ+ Resources

LGBTQ Activism and Contributions primary source set with teacher’s guide LGBTQ+ primary source set Photographs Gay men creating a display labeled “Free: Gay Liberation, Minnesota” 1970 Male couples 1970 Gay rights demonstration at the Democratic National Convention 1976 AIDS quilt, Washington, D.C. 1987 Gary Pride Parade image set 2012 An LGBT Pride flag 2018 Posters…

Finding Resources: Story Maps

Finding Resources: Story Maps

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…

Literature Links: 2020 National Book Festival

Literature Links: 2020 National Book Festival

Overview The 2020 National Book Festival ran from September 25-27 and featured a combination of prerecorded and interactive live Q&A programs with more than 120 authors, poets and illustrators. For a complete line-up of authors and their video presentations, please see the full video on demand list. Highlights from Children’s and Teen Stages at Virtual…

Timely Connections: Fresh Perspectives from Female Poets

Timely Connections: Fresh Perspectives from Female Poets

In an article for Edutopia, middle school educator Kasey Short provides suggestions and tips for “Studying Female Poets to Understand History“. After reading this thoughtful article, help your students get some fresh female perspectives of both history and contemporary life with these poetry-related resources. Curator’s Picks: American Women Poets Library of Congress Blog March 26,…

Integrating Technology: Making Myriopticons

Integrating Technology: Making Myriopticons

OK, so this post isn’t about digital technology but it does present an idea for combining history with a maker lab of sorts that incorporates math, engineering and art. Let’s take a look at a blog post from In Custodia Legis, which features, “A Historical Panorama of the Rebellion” myriopticon, a toy manufactured by Milton Bradley around 1865….

Primary Source Learning: Math Activities That Add Up

Primary Source Learning: Math Activities That Add Up

Integrating primary sources into the social studies curriculum doesn’t take a quantum leap of imagination, but can you imagine how they could be paired with math? Numerous teachers who have gone through Teaching with Primary Sources programs delivered by TPS consortium members, have done just that. Intrigued? Check out their formulas for mathematical learning by…

Primary Source Learning: Uncovering Primary Source Treasures

Primary Source Learning: Uncovering Primary Source Treasures

The Teaching with Library of Congress blog highlights a collection of videos featuring Library curators briefly describing treasured items and their historical importance and provides some ideas for using the treasure videos with students. You can access the collection of Hidden Treasure videos at the Library of Congress or from the Hidden Treasures playlist on…