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…

Primary Source Learning: The Wampanoag, the Plimoth Colonists & the First Thanksgiving

Primary Source Learning: The Wampanoag, the Plimoth Colonists & the First Thanksgiving

This primary source set is targeted to elementary students and includes background information and thinking prompts. It was curated mainly 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, with the goal of helping students separate Thanksgiving myths from history. This…

Primary Source Spotlight: Narragansett

Primary Source Spotlight: Narragansett

Narragansett Indian Fall Festival image set Indian Rock, Narragansett image set Image set: masonry work and belt buckle creation by Narragansett Narragansett oral history audio recordings Letter related to Narragansett history project Narragansett mentions in A report to the Secretary of War of the United States, on Indian affairs, comprising a narrative of a tour…

Finding Resources: LOC.gov Primary Source Sets & Teacher Guides

Finding Resources: LOC.gov Primary Source Sets & Teacher Guides

You’ll find nearly 100 primary source sets with Teacher Guides in the Teacher’s section of LOC.gov. Each set contains a carefully curated selection of diverse primary sources accompanied by information for teachers on how to use the set and help students analyze the sources within it. As you can see from the image above, there…

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Bonus Veterans

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Bonus Veterans

Carefully study the details of the Bonus Veterans photograph above. Brainstorm a list of questions you would need answered in order to write an article about this image. Share your questions with an elbow partner, then investigate this primary source image set to see what questions you were able to answer. Write a brief summary…

Primary Source Spotlight: Influenza

Primary Source Spotlight: Influenza

Early influenza sources An address of thanks from the faculty to the Right Honble, Mr. Influenzy for his kind visit to this country 1803 An account of the origin, symptoms, and cure of the influenza or epidemic catarrh 1832 Kartogramma “grippa”, oktiabrʹ 1889-mart 1890 shows occurrence of influenza by province (Russia) Influenza pandemic 1918-1919 Rampaging…

Today in History: Sacramento, California

Today in History: Sacramento, California

Today in History–November 25–the Library of Congress features Sacramento, California, a boom town during the mid-19th-century gold rush. By 1854 the city had become the state capital. Learn more about the city of Sacramento by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more primary sources. Pioneer Life in Sacramento from America’s Library…

Today in History: Alaska

Today in History: Alaska

Today in History–November 20–the Library of Congress features the Alaska Highway, opened on this date in 1942. Originally known as the Alcan Highway, this 1,500-miles-long roadway connected Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to Fairbanks, Alaska. Learn more by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more information and primary sources related to the great state of…

Timely Connections: Immigrant Soldiers

Timely Connections: Immigrant Soldiers

The United States is a nation of immigrants, many of whom have served the country in times of need. Below you will find links to news articles about immigrant soldiers, historical background resources, and related primary sources and teaching resources. How does studying sources from the past inform your understanding of the contemporary debate surrounding…