Learn with Primary Sources Workshop Series

Through this 10-hour workshop series teachers will develop Learning Experiences for students that use Library of Congress primary sources and Best Instructional Practices* to challenge student understanding of the curriculum.  These participatory workshops engage teachers in model classroom activities; uncover the depth and breadth of Library of Congress digital resources; and provide time and support for educators to apply workshop strategies to their own settings.  All model activities ask participants to first make a connection with the primary sources.  This connection may be a personal experience or interest, related to a curricular area, or something that intrigues the participant. All model activities are designed to demonstrate the identified Best Instructional Practices.

Participation in all five workshops, in order, is essential to successful completion of this program. Prior to the Workshop Series a short Introduction is held at a gathering of potential participants such as a staff meeting or an appropriate event. About 12-weeks following the Workshop Series, a Sharing Session is held for participants to share student products and responses to implemented primary source-based Learning Experiences. Sharing Sessions can be held with workshop participants only or can be held with the entire school staff or department. Optional Open Lab sessions offer workshop participants support for developing primary source-based Learning Experiences that use Best Instructional Practices.

*Best Instructional Practices used in this program are:

  • Teaching for understanding
  • Differentiated instruction
  • Information literacy
  • Technology integration
  • Performance task assessment

Learn with Primary Sources Workshop Series Program Goals:

  1. Pursue life long learning through developing patrons of the Library.
  2. Implement Learning Experiences for students within the established curriculum.
  3. Promote collaboration and outreach among the university, school and local communities.

Learn with Primary Sources Workshop Series Technical Requirements:

Each workshop requires space for participants to complete the model activity working in small groups. The model activities in Workshops One, Two, and Three may be completed without each participant using a computer. Other activities require a computer for each participant with Internet access and a word processing program.

Learn with Primary Sources Workshop Series Follow-up:

Workshop series participants are offered opportunities to continue to develop expertise in using Library resources. These opportunities may include:

  1. developing primary source-based instructional products such as full lesson plans, LibraryQuests or other tools.
  2. conducting research in the classroom examining student achievement and primary source-based Learning Experience use.
  3. repeating the Workshop Series working as a different level of patron.