Source URL:

http://www.loc.gov/teachers/

Details about the site:

The Library of Congress has a teacher website that provides educators with ideas and materials to use the Library’s collection of primary sources in the classroom. The materials include lesson plans, document analysis tools, timelines, and presentations. You do not need to register or pay a fee to use these teacher resources.

Educational Uses:

One of the best types of primary sources to use in early childhood classrooms is photographs. Students can analyze photographs from the past. Teachers can use photographs to spark discussions about moments in history, or have students compare and contrast life then to life today.

Content Standards:

There are standards in 1^st-3^rd grade that can be connected to the use of primary source documents such as photographs. On the Library of Congress Teacher Page, you can also search for classroom resources by standard and grade level.

1^st Grade:

2. Photographs, letters, artifacts and books can be used to learn about the past.

2^nd Grade:

Change over time can be shown with artifacts, maps, and photographs.

3^rd Grade:

2. Primary sources such as artifacts, maps and photographs can be used to show change over time.

Assessment Tools:

The assessment you use depends on the resources you choose to use from the Library of Congress page for teachers, and the standards you choose to align your lesson to.

Value/Merit of Tool:

This is a great website for teachers to use to find credible, primary sources from history to use in the classroom. The website is also completely free to use, which is another positive attribute of this tool. The fact that you can find lessons with resources on a variety of subjects is also very useful and would fit a variety of classroom needs.

Screenshots Created by Olivia Johnson taken from:

Teachers. (n.d.). Teacher Resources. Retrieved February 25, 2014, from http://www.loc.gov/teachers/