Zoom into the picture above (.pdf file) and analyze the photo using the primary source analysis tool. First, just use the picture to complete your image analysis, then review the bibliographic record to add to your analysis. Share your analysis with a partner, group or the class. This image lists some letters and numbers at the bottom of the picture. Enter the letters OWI into the search box at the top right of the Primary Source Nexus website to do some research about OWI. Summarize your … [Read more...]
Teaching Now: Going Gaga Over Suffrage
October 29, 2015 by Leave a Comment
This is a guest post from veteran educator Carrie Veatch, who has a special interest in inquiry learning and primary sources and is a member of the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Mentor Advisory Group. While studying the women’s suffrage movement I decided to mix Library of Congress primary sources with pop culture to capture my students’ attention and lead them on a creative exercise in inquiry, I have to admit, after seeing Soomo Publishing’s parody video production of We … [Read more...]
Tech Tool: Primary Source Analysis with Padlet
February 19, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Padlet is a digital bulletin board in which you can pin comments and ideas in the form of text, documents, images, videos and more. In the video tutorial below we show how Padlet can be used to allow students to collaborate on a primary source analysis. Please let us know if you use Padlet with students for collaborative primary source analyses. Custom background image containing primary source analysis tool columns Primary source analysis question prompts for numerous primary … [Read more...]
Analyzing Primary Sources: Learning from Newspapers
December 10, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) strike a balance between the reading of literature and informational texts and promote the use of a wide range of text types: “Through reading a diverse array of classic and contemporary literature as well as challenging informational texts in a range of subjects, students are expected to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspective.” [English Language Arts Standards: Key Design Considerations] Some items in … [Read more...]
Teaching Now: Using the Primary Source Analysis Tool
July 9, 2014 by Leave a Comment
This is a guest post from Barbara Evans, a middle school language arts teacher at Holden Elementary in Chicago, Illinois. After working with TPS-Barat during the past year as part of the Chicago Public Schools Social Science Academy, I was excited to use primary sources in our literature studies. The primary source analysis tool is a great resource that I decided to tweak to meet the needs of my students. As you can see from the photo above, I changed the column headers from Observe, Reflect … [Read more...]
Tech Tool: Digital Primary Source Analysis Tool
June 19, 2014 by Leave a Comment
The Library of Congress digital primary source analysis tool is an especially great resource when you want to model a primary source analysis or when you want to complete a class or collaborative primary source analysis. The tool can be used with numerous types of primary source analyses and features prompts for the Observe, Reflect and Question columns as well as the Further Investigation box; the precise number of prompts for each is dependent on the primary source format … [Read more...]
Analyzing Primary Sources: Learning from Video Recordings
May 31, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Video is used to tell stories and provide information. Because we live in a world increasingly dominated by video, it is critical that we teach students how to analyze this powerful primary source that combines moving images with sound and, sometimes, text. In addition to dramatic or documentary films, primary source video recordings include news reports, interviews, press conferences, testimonies, advertisements, entertainment broadcasts, and more. The analysis of video recordings, like primary … [Read more...]
Analyzing Primary Sources: Learning from Audio Recordings
May 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Written texts can be very powerful, but add sound and those words gain an extra dimension; just think of the difference between reading a speech and hearing one, particularly one delivered by a talented orator. In addition to speeches, primary source audio recordings include interviews, press conferences, testimonies, advertisements, entertainment broadcasts, and more. The analysis of audio recordings, like primary source images, Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS), including … [Read more...]
Analyzing Primary Sources: Learning from Music
May 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Music can trigger powerful emotions and brain research has shown the strong link between emotion and memory. Songs and sheet music, also referred to as musical scores, are great primary sources to use with students to enable them tap into the feelings and emotions surrounding historical events and figures. Analyzing recorded songs and sheet music, which often include evocative cover illustrations, can help students better understand the historical context of these people and events and more … [Read more...]
Chicago children enjoying summertime at the pool. Check out our 
Samuel Herman Gottscho snapped a photograph of the Nebraska state capitol. Check out our 
U.S. defeated Japanese troops on Okinawa Island. Check out our 
Analyzing Primary Sources: Learning from Political Cartoons
Political cartoons, many of which contain both an image and text, are great primary sources to use with students to help them recognize and understand symbolism, perspective, and bias as well as put people, events, issues, and ideas into historical context. The analysis of political cartoons, like other primary source images, Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS). They are also particularly helpful in meeting grade 6-12 Literacy in History/Social Studies Reading Standards 1, 2, 4, … [Read more...]