Teaching with Primary Sources

I just returned from Missoula for the Thirty-eighth Annual Montana History Conference, including a Thursday workshop on Teaching with Primary Sources, cosponsored by the Library of Congress, Teaching with Primary Sources-Western Region. Thus, it felt fitting to find this post on “Top Ten Tips for Facilitating an Effective Primary Source Analysis”: http://blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2011/09/top-ten-tips-for-facilitating-an-effective-primary-source-analysis/

Those who weren't able to attend the conference, but would like to learn more about integrating primary sources in your classrooms—while earning renewal units—might be interested in taking some of the six online modules put together by Library of Congress. Each module takes about an hour and addresses one of the following topics:

            Introduction to the Library of Congress

            Supporting Inquiry with Primary Sources

            Copyright and Primary Sources

            Analyzing Primary Sources: Photographs and Prints

            Analyzing Primary Sources: Maps

            Finding Primary Sources

We have links to these modules (along with brief quizzes, which you can take to earn OPI Renewal units). Click here for more information: http://mhs.mt.gov/Education/OnlineProDevelop.aspx

In addition, our friends at TPS-Western Region put together a “wiki” with resources for those attending the Educator workshop—but those who can’t make it might enjoy these links too: https://montana2011mhs.pbworks.com/w/page/44589456/Montana%20History%20Conference

Happy learning.

Best,

p.s. A note on the last post re favorite resources: One teacher recommended Joseph Bruchac’s Code Talker.  I just found out that the Indian Education Division of OPI has a middle school-level Model Unit Plan for the book. Link here:  http://www.opi.mt.gov/pdf/IndianEd/Search/Language%20Arts/Middle_Code%20Talker%20A%20Novel%20About%20the%20Navajo%20Marines%20of%20WWII.pdf.