Workshop One: Explore the Library of Congress

Understanding Goal

How do primary sources challenge and inspire our memory, reason, and imagination?

Knowledge

• Library of Congress resources can be used to widen and deepen students’ understanding of school/state curriculum.
• Specific divisions on the Library of Congress Web site relate to the school/state curriculum.

Skills

• Make connections between primary sources and prior knowledge through concrete to abstract thinking.
• Recognize differentiated instruction in terms of content, process, and product.
• Use an understanding goal in a Learning Experience.
• Relate major areas on the Library of Congress Web site to purposes for using a library.

Assessment:

• Open Lab Checklist
• Citing Sources

Investigative Question

How do primary sources inspire new discoveries that challenge, confirm, and sometimes change our thinking?

Click to show or hide an item.

1. Model Activities
   • "Images Draw You In"

   Performance task: Analyze model activity for:

   • Best Instructional Practices in Workshop One
   • Learning process using primary sources
   • Knowledge gained about the Library of Congress
   • PrimarySourceLearning.org resources: Learning Experience Collection
2. Search Strategy
   • Library of Congress Search Box Tips

   Performance task

   • Investigate the Library of Congress Web site and identify useful resources.
3. Patron Actions

   What is your purpose for visiting the Library of Congress today?

   • Visitor - explore the site with the Quick Reference Guide.
   • Researcher - Practice using Library of Congress search boxes
   • Docent - Use Search Guide

   Performance task

   • Gallery Walk: display an item from the Library of Congress that evokes a personal connection, relates to the curriculum or inspires questions
4. Exit Card

   Renovate a segment of one of the lessons that you currently teach using Library of Congress primary sources in this workshop series.

   1. Consider your best lessons that could be even better, lessons that you would like to spend some time improving, or lessons that need resources to generate student curiosity.
   2. Brainstorm a list of possible lesson topics to work on:
   3. Circle two possible lesson topics as your potential focus for this Workshop Series.

   Download Exit Card PDF File

5. Follow-up Activities
   • Visit the Library of Congress Web site and practice using the skills learned in today’s workshop.
   • Create and implement primary source-based Learning Experiences.
   • Create a document with an investigative question, image, exact Library of Congress title, and understanding goal.

Useful Links:

• The American Memory Collections A to Z: Primary Resource Activities Across the Curriculum, Grades 4-6 by Gail G. Petri
• The American Memory Collections A to Z: Primary Resource Activities Across the Curriculum, Grades 7-9 by Gail G. Petri
• Research Center Search Guide