This is a guest post from Tom Bober (a.k.a. @CaptainLibrary), an elementary librarian at RM Captain Elementary in Clayton, Missouri and frequent contributor to the TPS Teachers Network. Earlier this school year I wrote about an activity in which third grade students analyzed primary sources from the Library of Congress, specifically the notes, diagrams, and…
Library of Congress blog posts Einstein at 100: Mapping the Universe Worlds Revealed: Geography & Maps December 2, 2015 Einstein’s Folklore December 18, 2013 Folklife Today Celebrate Einstein’s Birthday with Pi March 14, 2011 Inside Adams Albert Einstein background & primary sources Nobel Media “Albert Einstein lived here” April 19, 1955 political cartoon by Herb Block (scroll down page to read curator’s…
Marie Curie was a brilliant and dedicated scientist who coined the term radioactivity. Her husband Pierre, also a scientist, was so excited about her research that he put his work on hold to help her make quicker progress on hers. In 1898 they discovered two new elements which they named polonium and radium. The Curies went won the…
Click the newspaper above to zoom in and read the article. Make a chart that lists the name of each scientist or inventor mentioned in the article, whether the expert was quoted directly or indirectly, and the expert’s view of the possibility of communication with other planets. Find out more information about the publisher of this newspaper, then…
Today in History–March 10–the Library of Congress features Alexander Graham Bell, who made the first successful telephone call to his assistant Thomas Watson on this date in 1876. An audiologist, speech therapist and teacher of the deaf, Bell’s knowledge of the nature of sound likely encourage his experimentation. Another Bell invention was a metal detector, that was created to help…
From America’s Library: Born: About 1864 (exact date is unknown) Died: January 5, 1943 George Washington Carver was born a slave in Diamond Grove, Missouri, around 1864. He is one of the nation’s most famous agricultural scientists. He is best known for his research on peanuts and his commitment to helping poor Southern African American farmers. Carver…
Today in History–June 27–the Library of Congress features the Smithsonian Institution founded by James Smithson, who died on this date in 1829. A renowned British scientist, Smithson left the endowment to “increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.” Find out more about the man and the institution that includes numerous museums and research centers in the Today in History section….
Today in History–December 2–the Library of Congress features nuclear fission. On this day in 1942 Enrico Fermi oversaw the first controlled nuclear fission chain reaction under the stands of the University of Chicago’s Stagg Field. Find out more about Fermi and other scientists working on the project by visiting the Today in History section as well as the links below. Nuclear fission historical newspaper…
Today in History–November 9–the Library of Congress features mathematician and astronomer Benjamin Banneker, born on this day in 1731. This largely self-taught surveyor and scientist influenced how African Americans were viewed during the Federal period. Learn more about Banneker by visiting the Today in History section, then click the links below to access more primary sources and other resources related to Banneker,…