INTRODUCTION TO THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS TEACHING WITH PRIMARY SOURCES PROGRAM

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INTRODUCTION TO THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS TEACHING
WITH PRIMARY SOURCES PROGRAM

• Prepared by
• Teaching with Primary Sources - MTSU
• http//library.mtsu.edu/tps

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Q What are primary sources?

• A Primary sources are the raw materials of
  history original documents and objects which
  were created at the time under study.

They are different from secondary sources, which
are accounts or interpretations of events created
by someone without firsthand experience.
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Examples of primary sources

• Letters
• Diaries
• Photographs
• Newspapers
• Maps
• Oral interviews
• Folk songs

• Political cartoons
• Posters
• Sheet music
• Buildings
• Playbills
• Acts of legislation
• Telegrams

and more!
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Q Why are primary sources important?

• A Examining primary sources gives students a
  powerful sense of history and the complexity of
  the past.
• Helping students analyze primary sources can
  also guide them toward higher-order thinking and
  better critical thinking and analysis skills.

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Primary Sources

• Engage students curiosity
• Excite students through real-life evidence and
  stories
• Empower their ability to learn by exploring their
  interests

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What is Teaching with Primary Sources?

• The educational outreach program of the Library
  of Congress
• A tool for educators that provides materials and
  strategies to use in the classroom

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• In Tennessee, this program is
• TEACHING WITH PRIMARY SOURCES at Middle Tennessee
  State University
• (TPS-MTSU)
• and is administered by the MTSU Center for
  Historic Preservation.

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What does Teaching with Primary Sources do?

• Helps educators engage students in inquiry
  through the use of primary sources

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What does Teaching with Primary Sources do?

• Promotes and facilitates the use of the primary
  sources available at the Library of Congress Web
  site

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Q What can Teaching with Primary Sources offer
you?

• A For starters,
• Educational resources
• Newsletters packed with lesson ideas
• Primary source sets
• Lesson plans and activities
• Tools for finding primary sources
• Materials aligned with current Tennessee
  curriculum standards

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What else?

• Professional development opportunities
• Workshops, presentations, institutes
• Professional development credits
• Stipends for high quality lesson plans that use
  Library of Congress primary sources to promote
  student inquiry

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Q Where can I find educator materials?

• A TEACHERS PAGE
• Classroom Materials (primary source sets, themed
  resources, lesson plans, etc.)
• Using Primary Sources(Why Use Primary Sources,
  Finding Primary Sources, Teacher's Guides and
  Analysis Tool, etc.)

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Also, the Teaching with Primary Sources MTSU
Web Site!
http//library.mtsu.edu/tps
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Q How do I incorporate primary sources in my
teaching?
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• Before reading Uncle Toms Cabin (5th grade),
  give students some context on who Harriet Beecher
  Stowe was, what was going on when she was writing
  the book, and what the book is about. Then, use
  these six excerpts from a childrens version of
  the story, depicting the dramatic episode of
  Elizas escape. (Each small group reads one
  excerpt and summarizes it for the class.)
• Once students have a better idea of what the
  story is about and why it was written, then
  introduce the original text excerpts about
  Elizas escape. Now discuss the language used
  and the feelings the author is trying to evoke.

IDEA 1
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Second-graders probably cant read this
manuscript from the early 19th century, but they
can still look at it and make observations.
Perhaps they will even recognize what it is from
the opening words, O say can you see. You can
use this manuscriptthe original manuscript of
The Star-Spangled Banner by Francis Scott
Keyto explain what a historic document is. Tell
them the story of the poem and ask where they
have heard it. Then, read the words to the song
from this song sheet. (You will need to help
them with difficult vocabulary.) They may have
heard the first verse, but have they heard the
other three? What words in the poem give the
impression of a battle going on? End the lesson
by playing three different versions of the song
(from 1913, 1914, 1991). What are the
differences between the older and newer
performances? What does it sound like when
students usually hear the song sung?
IDEA 2
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• Ask high school students if theyve heard of Pete
  Seeger, and tell them a bit more about this
  famous singer. What do they think the lyrics to
  his song, Which Side Are You On? will be about?
  Next, read the lyrics to the song and listen to
  a recording. Students will then answer questions
  such as How does the narrator make a living?
  In pairs, students should discuss their answers,
  and what sides they think the song is referring
  to.
• Share the story behind the song with students,
  and then show them two photographs that directly
  result from the event (a labor strike) that the
  song is about. Challenge students to figure out
  what is going on in the photos. Once they have
  made their guesses, let them read the lengthy
  captions. How did their ideas compare to the
  actual situation?
• Listen to the song again. Has your thinking on
  the song changed? Why do you think Seeger sang
  this song?

IDEA 3
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For more ideas, check out the monthly TPS-MTSU
newsletters

• and the Teaching with the Library of Congress
  blog for new ideas every week!

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Q Whats a good model for analyzing primary
sources?
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A Take students from OBSERVATION to WONDER
I see I know I wonder

• Observation of who, what, when, and where
• leads to wondering why, how, and if.

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What do you see here? What do you already know
that helps this make sense? What do you wonder
about this primary source?
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How does this picture speak for itself?
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See, know, wonder observe, reflect, question
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Student worksheet for delving into primary sources
Also available in online format
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Primary source analysis leads to INQUIRY
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The use of primary sources supports Higher-Order
Thinking Skills (a.k.a., the HOTS)

• Establishing context, point-of-view
• Detecting bias, stereotypes
• Uncovering the authors purpose, the intended
  audience
• Comparing and contrasting different sources
• Evaluating multiple perspectives

Etc.
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Who took this picture? Is this picture going
to be viewed by a wide audience?
Was this photograph staged? If so, for what
purpose?
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(before)
(after)
Compare these two photos. What has changed? What
are the consequences of this change, good and bad?
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How do these illustrations demonstrate multiple
perspectives on the womens suffrage movement?
Which of these illustrations was made first?
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More Tools to Help You!
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• Tools for searching the Library of Congress Web
  site
• Primary source analysis guides
• Graphic organizers and activities
• Resource guides and primary source sets to
  accompany new Social Studies curriculum

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Contact us!

• Stacey Graham
• Teaching with Primary Sources MTSU
• Center for Historic Preservation
• http//library.mtsu.edu/tps
• Stacey.Graham_at_mtsu.edu
• Kira.Duke_at_mtsu.edu