Understanding Goal Understanding Goal

Digital primary sources provide unique opportunities for students to ask questions and make discoveries.

Directions

Analyze and create computer-based learning activities that use Best Instructional Practices to challenge students to examine primary sources.

  1. Explore some of the computer-based Learning Experiences below.
  2. Consider how students would interact with the primary sources found in each Learning Experience.
  3. Record the names of the computer-based Learning Experiences that you would like to use with your students.
    Discussion of the Computer-Based Learning Experiences (PDF File)

Best Instructional Practices

Step One: Explore Learning Experiences from the table.

Present Day

  Name Description Grade Level
pic Places in the News Links to information in the Library related to current news stories all
pic Today in History Descriptions of, with links to, things that happened in history on today's date all

Analysis ↑

  Name Description Grade Level
Eye Spy Inauguration Given items to find on an 1780 map, click on the items. all
Zoom Into Maps Tools for analyzing maps including various "zoomable" maps from multiple time periods. all
Image Detective Activity to help students investigate and analyze images. all
Super Sleuth Play a game of sleuthing where you must click on the item in the picture that is "wrong" (inconsistent with the time period) elementary
The Big Picture! Put a puzzle together, then study the picture and the bibliography record in order to answer questions correctly in a game format. elementary
Treasure Hunt Search through pictures in stories about the U.S. states to find certain food items. elementary
Match-Up Match pictures of older and newer ways to do the same thing. elementary
Finding an Answer in a Document Given questions, follow links to examine documents in order to find the answer. secondary
History Detective Was Billy the Kidd really killed by Pat Garrett? Answer the question by following the links and suggestions to search through the library. secondary
Making Sense of Photos Guides to interpreting photographs. secondary
Mind Walk Activity Analysis of the historical records, including looking at limitations. Sample primary sources focus on slavery in the United States. secondary
Making Sense of Maps Guides to map making and reading. secondary
Understanding your topic? Tutorial to analyze a research topic and select and evaluate relevant sources. secondary
To Market, To Market Lesson plan for analysis of visual sources related to the impact transportation has had this century and the last. secondary

Science ↑

  Name Description Grade Level
Science Tracer Bullets Search engine to help locate items relating to science and technology. all
Nature's Fury Collections of photos, accounts and music associated with famous natural disasters all
Links for Science Fair Projects Links to selected pages outside of the Library dedicated to science fair projects. all
Everyday Mysteries Answers to common "everyday" questions covering a range of topics. all
What in the World Is That? Learn about inventions through a game and/or reading about the inventions. all
Edison’s Failed Inventions Read about the failed inventions. elementary
What is It? Links to inventions/innovations with questions for further research. secondary
Saving Our National Treasures Interactive examination of the damage over time to the Declaration of Independence. secondary
Science and Innovation Treasure Hunt Questions to answer by following links to primary sources. secondary
Science Experiment: What is this most effective method for preserving the paper of the National Treasures? Lesson plan for an activity to examine different preservation techniques. secondary

Geography ↑

  Name Description Grade Level
Zoom Into Maps Tools for analyzing maps including various "zoomable" maps from multiple time periods. all
Map Explorers Geography LibraryQuest for elementary students. elementary
Treasure Hunt Search through pictures in stories about the U.S. states to find certain food items. elementary
AAM Logo What Can Maps Tell Us? LibraryQuest for 8th grade geography. 8
Map Collections 1500-2004 Links to maps that are "zoomable". secondary
Making Sense of Maps Guides to map making and reading. secondary

Math ↑

  Name Description Grade Level
AAM Logo Eye Spy Math Lesson plan with a powerpoint activity where students identify math objects through pictures. all
AAM Logo Math Jeopardy Powerpoint game where students practice order of operations. all

Learning the Library of Congress Site ↑

  Name Description Grade Level
Meet the Curator Read an interview with a curator for Prints & Photographs. all
Did you know? Discover facts and take a brief tour of the library. all
Getting Know the Library of Congress Group Investigations of the Decades in Twentieth Century U. S. History as a means of browsing the Library. secondary
Thomas Scavenger Hunt Questions, with hints on where to find the answers, about THOMAS - the legislative division of the Library Of Congress. secondary

Arts ↑

  Name Description Grade Level
You're the Animator Make your own animation movie by choosing frames then playing. Links to more information about animation. all
Earth as Art View satellite photography of places all over the world. all
I Hear America Singing Read, search lyrics and/or hear songs. all
Jammin’ Jukebox Listen to recordings of songs and read facts about the writer or song. elementary
Adobe ImageReady Quilts Read documentation, see pictures and listen to people talking about quilts. elementary
Architecture and Interior Design for 20th Century America View negatives, transparencies and prints of architectural subjects. secondary
Immigration Vocabulary Activities Multiple games to show the influence of immigration in music, language and geography. secondary

P.E./Health ↑

  Name Description Grade Level
Batter Up Play a game of baseball by answering questions about baseball correctly. all
Adobe ImageReady Baseball Cards 1887-1914 Collection of 2,100 early cards. elementary
Casey at the Bat Video
(Requires RealPlayer)		 Read the favorite poem. elementary
Rounding the Bases Activities to explore race and ethnicity in the U.S. from 1860 - 1960. secondary

Explore ↑

  Name Description Grade Level
Search America’s Library Search only items pulled out for students with an elementary reading level. elementary
Search the American Memory Search only the American Memory collections. all
Portals to the World Search international collections both inside and outside the Library. all
Prints and Photographs Search only prints and photos at the Library. all