Primary Source Learning: Women Breaking Barriers

Primary Source Learning: Women Breaking Barriers

Make connections to women’s history by exploring this primary source set put together by TPS Teachers Network Lead Mentor and curriculum specialist Cheryl Davis. Originally created as an Apple eBook, Reminders from the Ceiling Breakers is now a shareable primary source album available from the TPS Teachers Network. The album contains 12 digital postcards created with photographs…

Myriopticon photo by Robert Brammer

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….

Boulder [Hoover] Dam

Today in History: Hoover Dam

Today in History–December 21–the Library of Congress features the Hoover Dam, which got its start when President Calvin Coolidge signed the Boulder Canyon Project Act on this date in 1928. Originally known as the Boulder Dam, this wonder of civil engineering distributes water from the Colorado River for use in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah,…

Themed Image Set

Guided Primary Source Analysis: Form & Function

Take a close look at the collection of images above (.pdf). What common theme can you identify? Note similarities and differences between the images. Now take a look at the bibliographic records of each image by clicking the links below. What is the function of the main object in each image? Choose one of these and investigate…

Primary Source Spotlight: Flight & Planes

Primary Source Spotlight: Flight & Planes

The Dream of Flight online exhibition With Wings as Eagles: From Fantasy to Flight (primary source sets documenting the history of flight) Today in History: Wright Brothers First Flight Early Women in Aviation 1910-19: Topics in Chronicling America Introduction & timeline Search strategies & selected articles American Female Pilots 1911-21: Topics in Chronicling America Introduction &…

Primary Source Spotlight: Architecture

Primary Source Spotlight: Architecture

Architecture primary source set Library architecture collections American Treasures of the Library of Congress: Architecture & Design Architecture, Design, and Engineering Drawings collection Brumfield Collection images of the architecture of the Russian North, including Siberia Carnegie Survey of the Architecture of the South collection Gottscho-Schleisner Collection U.S. architectural styles and trends Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American…

Primary Source Spotlight: Samuel Morse

Primary Source Spotlight: Samuel Morse

Background Samuel F.B. Morse Sent the First Telegraphic Message from America’s Library What Hath God Wrought? curator video about first telegram Samuel F. B. Morse Papers at the Library of Congress 1793 to 1919 (see collection highlights below) Art & Travel Artist, Politician, Photographer Childhood & Family Life Daguerreotype Impact of the Telegraph Invention of the Telegraph…

Teaching Now: Analyzing Primary Sources for Scientific Thinking & Organization

Teaching Now: Analyzing Primary Sources for Scientific Thinking & Organization

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…