Step One: Discover the Library of Congress

Understanding Goal

How can primary sources challenge and inspire our memory, reason, and imagination?

• American Memory is vast and relevant to individuals through personal connections.
• Primary sources foster student understanding of the curriculum through the process of historical inquiry.

Knowledge

• The American Memory collections provide primary sources, features and unique organization of materials.
• There are relationships among the collections and the curriculum.
• Primary sources in American Memory are available in different media formats.
• A variety of strategies are needed for exploring the Library Web site.

Skills

• Identify collections of interest and relevance.
• Search for items in American Memory related to the curriculum.
• Search the Library Web site for educational resources outside of the American Memory collections.

Investigative Question

How might connecting our personal experiences, content knowledge, and curiosity with the resources at LOC.gov deepen understanding of the curriculum?

Click to show or hide an item.

Introduction

• Pre-assess participants use of Library primary sources and related materials using the attached evalution (PDF File) .

1. Model Activity
   • "Presidents as Expert Leaders"

   Performance task: Analyze model activity for:

   • Connect four items in American Memory to large-scale themes.
2. Search Strategy
   • American Memory Collections Activity (PDF File)
   • Individualized search questions and answers

   Performance tasks

   • Find at least five resources in American Memory and describe their relevance to the curriculum at a particular grade level.
   • Offer an overview of at least five different collections and describe their relevance to the curriculum at a particular grade level.
   • Brainstorm an activity for a particular grade that enables students to make personal connections with selected primary sources from American Memory.
   • Participate in a Gallery Walk to share information with colleagues.
   • Create a metaphor for American Memory or the experience of searching American Memory.
3. Patron Actions

   What is your purpose for visiting the Library of Congress today?

   • Visitor - Orientation Activity (Novice): Library of Congress Scavenger Hunt - Orientation Activity (Novice): A Library of Congress Visitor Search Guide
   • Researcher - Orientation Activity (Experienced): Exploring the Library of Congress via the Internet
   • Docent - Orientation Activity (Advanced): Research Center Overview and Search Box - Library of Congress Research Centers Overview

   Performance tasks

   • Give an overview of the resources found at LOC.gov to a peer highlighting at least three areas with descriptions of the relevance to the curriculum at a particular grade level.

   After completing one of the scavenger hunts, participants create a short overview of the Library highlighting at least three different areas with specific relationships to different grade levels or content areas. Participants share their overview with peers.

   Participants learn the terms, visitor, researcher, and tour guide to understand the different ways patrons might use Library resources through examining sample search goals and search results .

   Participants brainstorm possible primary source-based Learning Experiences.

   Assessment

   • Gallery Walk (Described in the American Memory Collection Activity.)
4. Exit Card
   • Complete a self-assessment using a rubric to reflection on ability to complete the identified performance tasks.
5. Follow-up Activity
   • Create and implement primary source-based Learning Experiences.