The Library of Congress recently unveiled a great teaching resource for teachers beginning to use the Common Core State Standards, complete with lesson plans, primary source sets, and a searchable database that teachers can use to find material that meets the Common Core standards, their individual state standards, or even standards set by other organizations. Over at the Edudemic blog, Jeff Dunn highlights all the resources that the Library provides:
Created by teachers for teachers, these ready-to-use materials provide easy ways to incorporate the Library’s unparalleled primary sources into instruction. Find classroom materials that meet your state standards.
Lesson Plans – Teacher-created lesson plans using Library of Congress primary sources. Themed Resources – One-stop access to the Library’s best exhibitions, activities, primary sources, and lesson plans on popular curricular themes.
Primary Source Sets – Sets of selected primary sources on specific topics, available as easy-to-print PDFs. Also, background information, teaching ideas, and tools to guide student analysis.
Presentations & Activities – Presentations and activities offer media-rich historical context or interactive opportunities for exploration to both teachers and students.
Collection Connections – Historical context and ideas for teaching with specific Library of Congress primary source collections.The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are on many teachers’ minds this school year, and the Library of Congress is ready to help. The Library’s teacher resources are a great fit for teachers trying to meet key CCSS goals, including critical thinking, analyzing informational texts, and working with primary sources.
Head over to the Library of Congress’s teaching page here.
Click here to sign up for our newsletter.Distinguished scholar-teachers Amy and Leon Kass demonstrate how short stories, speeches, and songs can be used to enhance civic education and how a pedagogical approach that stresses learning through inquiry can make primary sources come alive for students of all ages.
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