"Documents R Us" for Teachers

Among the responsibilities of a working librarian/archivist is one to help insure that the profession continues into the next generation. One way to encourage and foster appreciation of the work we do as well as help students learn about their own history and the history of others, is to introduce them to the wonder of documents. A very good source for primary documents manipulated into digital formats is the Teaching with Primary Sources Direct.

From the History.com e-newsletter:

The Library of Congress has launched a new online resource for educators entitled Teaching with Primary Sources Direct. TPS Direct enables educators to integrate primary sources into their classrooms by creating customized lesson plans based on documents and artifacts from the Library’s extensive collections. Applicable across grade levels and content areas, this project allows educators to search the TPS database for content-rich activities.

Through TPS Direct, educators can download lessons in PDF format with goals such as Analyzing Photographs, Analyzing Maps, and Connecting with Primary Sources. The professional development and teaching tools help educators identify excellent sources within the Library’s collection to build students’ critical thinking skills in an engaging way. Given the wealth of information available online, TPS Direct helps make the process of locating ideal classroom materials easier for busy teachers and administrators. Visit http://www.loc.gov/teachers/professionaldevelopment/tpsdirect/ today and get started on TPS Direct!

The Library of Congress has also just announced a new teacher’s page, with links to classroom materials and professional development resources offered by the LOC. Educators will want to visit this site frequently to find out what’s new from the LOC and find a wealth of resources for the classroom: http://www.loc.gov/teachers/