Library of Congress: News for Teachers

The New Teachers Page

The Library of Congress has a new home for its teacher resources: the Teachers page at loc.gov/teachers.

For more than ten years, the Library has provided teachers with access to millions of digitized primary sources and the tools educators need to use them in the classroom. As of today, these tools are moving to a new, easy-to-find center for teachers just one click away from the Library's home page. Some of the new features include:

- TPS Direct, the Library's new build-your-own professional development tool.

- A dedicated home page for primary source sets.

- Using Primary Sources, a quick introduction to the authentic classroom use of primary sources.

- Coming soon, a new search tool just for classroom materials.

The full transition will take place over time, and new features will become available from now on, so keep watching for the latest developments. If you’re having trouble finding a familiar resource, ask our reference staff using the Contact link at the bottom of every Library Web page.

Whether you're a longtime user or just beginning, we hope you'll explore the new site, update your bookmarks, and discover the instructional power of primary sources at loc.gov/teachers.

Join Us at NECC June 27-July 1

The National Educational Computing Conference will be held at the Walter Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC from June 27-July1. Staff from the Library of Congress will be offering a number of workshops, presentations, Bring Your Own Laptop sessions and poster sessions during the conference. In addition we will be introducing our new online professional development system, TPS Direct, on Monday, June 29th from 11-12. Visit us in our booth in room 146B on the concourse of the convention center. We hope to see you there.

Lyrical Legacies

Want to find ways to incorporate music and poetry into classroom activities? Lyrical Legacies helps teachers explore eighteen American songs and poems from the digital collections of the Library of Congress. Each song and poem is represented by an original primary source document, along with historical background information and, in many cases, sound recordings and alternate versions. Also included on the Lyrical Legacies website are links to analysis tools and activity ideas to use in the classroom.

Exploring the Early Americas

Interested in helping your students learn more about the Americas prior to colonization by the Europeans? Exploring the Early Americas documents the complex and fascinating past of the Americas. It provides insight into indigenous cultures, the drama of the encounters between Native American and European explorers and settlers, and the pivotal changes caused by the meeting of the American and European worlds. Jay Kislak, a noted collector and philanthropist, donated this collection to the Library where visitors will be able to behold the first map using the word “America” to describe this part of the world, the paintings and other materials that document the lives of those living in the Americas prior to the arrival of the explorers and results of the encounters of the explorers and the indigenous cultures. Make sure to visit the Learn More section to find lesson plans, a bibliography and links to other resources.

Celebrate Memorial Day with the Veterans History Project

Learn more about the experiences of our combat veterans through the Veterans History Project. Students can listen to veterans talking about their experiences and understand the realities of war. This month’s feature, Experiencing War: Helicopters: the Multi-Mission Aircraft explores the important role of helicopters in military missions including its role in rescue missions, in delivering troops or munitions to battle sites and by allowing troops access to areas with rugged terrain.

New Journeys and Crossings Webcasts

Journeys and Crossings presentations allow students to hear from the Library’s curatorial staff about collections and resources of interest. The newest Journeys and Crossings look at Library resources on the Amish, the life of gold miners in the mid-19th century, and the development of school gardens. All Journeys and Crossings presentations include links to web resources and a bibliography including books for younger readers.

Bring Podcasts from the Library of Congress into your Classroom

Did you know the Library provides podcasts of some of its presentations and online resources? Listen to book festival presentations, material on music and its impact on the brain and oral history interviews with African Americans who provide first-person accounts of the hardships of the slave plantations and of life during and after slavery. Download the audio recording and a transcript of the program to your iPod, other portable media player, or to your computer from the Library of Congress website. You may choose to automatically download this and subsequent episodes via a free subscription from the Library's podcast website or through Apple iTunes.

Introducing the World Digital Library

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and 32 partner institutions today launched the World Digital Library, a website that provides free, unrestricted public access to unique cultural materials from libraries and archives from around the world. The site includes manuscripts, maps, rare books, films, sound recordings, prints and photographs. The World Digital Library functions in seven languages―Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish―and includes content in more than 40 languages. Descriptions of each item and videos, with expert curators speaking about selected items, provide context for users and are intended to spark curiosity and encourage both students and the general public to learn more about the cultural heritage of all countries.

Celebrate Law Day on May 1st

The Law Library of Congress provides information on the history of Law Day, when Americans celebrate the rule of law and its contributions to our freedoms. Learn more about the history of Law Day, this year’s theme and links to our World Treasures exhibition section on the rule of law around the world.

Also make sure to explore the teacher resources on Thomas <http://thomas.loc.gov/> where you and your students can learn about Congress, the Supreme Court and find links to primary sources on the founding documents of the United States.

Lincoln Exhibit ends May 10th

Because of overwhelming demand, the Library of Congress is extending both the closing date and public hours of "With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition."

The exhibit will remain open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building at 10 First Street S.E., Washington, D.C. (Normal visitor hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., will prevail Monday though Thursday.) In addition, the Library is taking the rare step of opening to the public on a Sunday. The exhibit will be open on Sunday, May 10, its closing day, from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (The original closing date was May 9.)

The exhibit will close to the public on May 10th and then will travel to

The California Museum, Sacramento, CA, June 22–August 22, 2009
Newberry Library, Chicago, IL, October 10–December 19, 2009
Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis, IN February 12–April 11, 2010
Atlanta History Center, Atlanta, GA, September 4–November 6, 2010
The Durham Museum, Omaha, NE, January 8, 2011–March 5, 2011

Also make sure to visit the online presentation. Make sure to click on the Learn More tab to see links to other resources, a bibliography including books for younger readers and resources you can use in the classroom.

You Tube at the Library of Congress

The Library of Congress now has its own channel on You Tube. Our page currently has more than 70 videos, arranged in the following playlists: 2008 National Book Festival author presentations, the Books and Beyond author series, Journeys and Crossings (a series of curator discussions), “Westinghouse” industrial films from 1904 (I defy you to watch some of them without thinking of the Carl Stalling song “Powerhouse”), scholar discussions from the John W. Kluge Center, and the earliest movies made by Thomas Edison, including the first moving image ever made (curiously enough, a sneeze by a man named Fred Ott). We will continue to add additional videos from American Memory, the National Book Festival, and our webcasts from Library presentations.

The Spring 2009 issue of the TPS Newsletter now available

The Spring 2009 issue of the Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) Newsletter is now available at http://www.loc.gov/teachers/tps/newsletter/. This issue focuses on the theme of technology integration, exploring how teachers can use technology to bring primary sources into their classrooms to enhance learning. Previous issues on the themes of literacy integration, promoting critical thinking and differentiated instruction are also available in both html and pdf versions through the newsletter’s archive.

Is a coconut a fruit, nut or seed? Find out the answer from Everyday Mysteries

Did you ever wonder why a camel has a hump? If you can really tell the weather by listening to the chirp of a cricket? Or why our joints make popping sounds? Everyday Mysteries will help you get the answers to these and many other of life's most interesting questions through scientific inquiry. In addition, Everyday Mysteries also introduces users to the Library of Congress' rich collections in science and technology.

Once you finish with Everyday Mysteries make sure to explore the Science and Technology Reading Rooms other online resources at http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/.

New Web Guides from the Digital Reference Section

The Digital Reference Section has created several new web guides, highlighting online resources on Gwendolyn Brooks, Booker T. Washington, Harriet Tubman, Alexander Hamilton, Presidents William Howard Taft, Grover Cleveland and Zachary Taylor, Poet Laureate Kay Ryan and the states of Georgia, New York and New Hampshire. See these guides and many others at the website listed above.

Celebrate Woman’s History Month

The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of women whose commitment to nature and the planet have proved invaluable to society. The website includes information about programs at the various institutions, information on exhibits and links to resources for teachers.

Print and Photo Researcher's Toolbox

Want to learn more about how to identify photographs or how to incorporate photographs into classroom activities? The Prints and Photographs Division has created a researcher’s toolbox which includes links to visual literacy exercises, how photographs can be used to support research and how to locate images found within the Prints and Photographs collections.

New Additions to Flickr from the Library of Congress

Abraham Lincoln Images Available on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/sets/72157613324367705/

Looking for images of Abraham Lincoln? The Library has made several available on the Flickr website. Additional Lincoln Images are available at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/sets/72157613324367705/

The Library has also made available panoramic photographs from World War 1 http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/sets/72157608675448396/
and outstanding Photochrom Travel Views http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/sets/72157612249760312/.

Lincoln Activities at the Library of Congress

Interested in learning about all of the activities that the Library is doing as part of the celebration of the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth? Visit the website listed above to learn more.

Make sure to review our Thematic Resource on Lincoln found at http://memory.loc.gov/learn/community/cc_lincoln.php and our Lincoln Primary Source Set at http://memory.loc.gov/learn/community/cc_lincoln_kit.php. You can also see some portions of the exhibition online at http://myloc.gov/Exhibitions/lincoln/Pages/Default.aspx

Celebrate African American History Month

The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to become a backbone American society. The website includes information about programs at the various institutions, information on exhibits and links to resources for teachers.

Tour the Library of Congress Main Reading Room on February 16th

Interested in seeing one of the most beautiful rooms in Washington? The Library will be offering tours of the Thomas Jefferson Building and the Main Reading Room on February 16th from 10am-3pm.

On Feb. 16, the Main Reading Room will be open for viewing only. No reference services will be available and all other reading rooms and facilities will be closed.

Unreserved guided tours of the Thomas Jefferson Buildings will be offered at 9:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 pm. Tours begin at the Visitors Theater on the ground floor. Public tours, which are limited to 50 people, are designed to accommodate individuals and families, not large groups. More information about the Library or tours is available at the Orientation Desks or www.loc.gov/visit/ or by calling (202) 707-8000.

Evening Opening of New Exhibit: With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition

On Thursday, Feb. 12, The Library invites the public to a special evening opening of its new exhibition, "With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition," in the Jefferson Building from 5 to 9 p.m. http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2008/08-199.html

That day, the Jefferson Building Great Hall and exhibitions will be closed to the public until 5 p.m. No general visitors will be allowed in the Jefferson Building, although researchers will be able to use all Jefferson Building Reading Rooms. Researchers should enter the building via the Southeast Entrance. The Library Shop in the Jefferson Building will be closed for the day.

The Jefferson Building will reopen for normal business hours on Friday, Feb. 13.

Teaching With Primary Sources Newsletter

Want to learn more about ways to use primary sources in differentiated instruction? Read the latest issue of the Teaching with Primary Sources newsletter. Find links to research on differentiated instruction, discover activities you can use with your students, and meet a teacher who uses primary sources in her classroom activities.

Would you like to see back issues of the newsletter? You can access them through Teaching with Primary Sources Web site.

Lincoln Teachers Institute

These one day institutes invite educators from across the country to learn about Abraham Lincoln through the Library’s primary and web based materials. Participants will leave with strategies and materials they can use in their schools. The institute uses the Library's exhibition With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition as its foundation

Institutes will be held on the following dates:

Friday, February 27, 2009; 9 am – 4 pm
Saturday, February 28, 2009; 9 am – 4 pm
Friday, March 27, 2009; 9 am – 4 pm
Saturday, March 28, 2009; 9 am – 4 pm

Registration is limited to the first 20 applicants for any date.

Inaugural Resources at the Library of Congress

As we celebrate the inauguration of our new president take this opportunity to look back at previous inaugurations. The American Memory collection "I Do Solemnly Swear . . .": Presidential Inaugurations http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/pihtml/pihome.html provides information from prior inaugurations including presidential inaugural speeches, diary entries, letters from those who witnessed inaugurations and photographs. If you want to learn how to incorporate these resources into classroom activities you can look at our feature on presidential inaugurations http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/features/inaug/theatre.html and our Collection Connection on the Inauguration which is jammed-packed with teaching ideas http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/collections/inaug/.

Find Primary Resources from your State on the Teachers Page

The Library of Congress has rich documents and artifacts from every state, the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia. You can browse some of the best primary sources by state in the Features and Activities section of the Teachers Page. Also included on each state resource page are tools to help teachers use these items in the classroom and links to the American Memory collection home page and Prints and Photographs online catalog for those looking for more primary sources.

Learn More about the Poem “A Visit from St Nicholas”

Interested in learning more about the famous poem that starts with the words “Twas the Night Before Christmas…?” This Today in History Feature presents information about the author and his inspiration.

Visit our Updated MyLOC website

We have updated the MyLOC pages to make them even more interactive. We have also added new lesson plans and activities. Make sure to try our Knowledge Quest which allows even deeper exploration of the Library’s architecture and the materials in our exhibitions.

Science Reference Resources

Reference staff from the Science Reading room have created a variety of reference resources that will lead you to books and online resources of interest. Learn more about Podcasts, Webcasts and other Digital Media Files, Aeronautics, Beer and Brewing, Studying Bird’s Migration patterns from space and Wind Power. Watch webcasts on Earth’s Water Cycle in a Changing Climate and on School Gardens. Also make sure to visit the link for resources for teachers and students including one on resources for science fair projects.

Celebrate Thanksgiving with the Library of Congress

As we pause to give thanks next Thursday take a few moments to look at these resources that show how we celebrated Thanksgiving in the past and how some celebrate today:

Review the Thanksgiving Timeline and other materials that document American tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving
http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/thanks/thanks.html#

Use our Thanksgiving Primary Source set to see resources that document the first Thanksgiving
http://memory.loc.gov/learn/community/cc_earlyamerica_kit.php

Look at the Today in History feature to learn more about the history of Thanksgiving
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/nov25.html

Learn more about other “First Thanksgivings” through the LC Wise Guide
http://www.loc.gov/wiseguide/nov06/thanksgiving.html

Want to find out why turkeys have white meat and dark meat? Read the Everyday Mysteries feature at
http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/turkeymeat.html

Learn about Somali Food Traditions for Thanksgiving? You can view a webcast featuring Barlin Ali author of Somali Cuisine at
http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=4365

Learn More about the Library’s Musical Instrument Collections

Did you know that the Library has a large collection of musical instruments? Learn more about this collection which includes several Stradivarius violins, a huge collection of flutes and a collection of Thai musical instruments. Of special interest is a comparison of five of the violins in the collection. Those interested in how scientists insure that their experiments are done in controlled situations will be fascinated by the materials discussing how the performer developed the controlled conditions to make sure that the violins were played in the same manner in similar conditions. Musicians and those interested in sound will enjoy hearing how five different violins handle the same musical piece and hearing the difference in tone and sound between the different violins.

Veterans History Project

As we pause to honor America’s veterans on Veterans Day consider having your students visit the Veterans History project website. They can listen to the stories of veterans or read chapters from the book “Forever a Soldier.” Students may also want to interview family members and friends who have been veterans following the procedures listed on the website and then consider offering these interviews to the Library for addition to the collection of oral histories and other materials.

Solving a Civil War Mystery

Want to help students learn more about how photographs can be manipulated to tell a story or change someone’s opinion or point of view? The Prints and Photographs Division has presented a case study based on a reference question about a photograph of Ulysses S. Grant. Students can use the clues provided to determine if the photograph is real or not. Want students to learn more? Have them look at the special presentation “Does the Camera Ever Lie” found in the Selected Civil War Photographs collection in American Memory.

Pictorial Americana

Looking for images on subjects relating to American History? Pictorial American has collections of images documenting historic American events and themes. Users will find historical images documenting the states, Congress, images of explorers and exploration, industry, sports and much more.

Elections and Political Cartoons

As we get closer to Election Day help students learn more about the process. Our Elections Thematic Resource page provides links a variety of sources focusing on the election process. Also visit the Political Cartoons Thematic Resource page <http://memory.loc.gov/learn/community/cc_pcartoon.php> to access links to collections of political cartoons and our It’s No Laughing Matter Political Analysis exercise.

Ideas for National Newspaper Week

Did you know that October 5-11 is National Newspaper Week? Want to include historic newspapers in your classroom activities? Here are resources from the Library of Congress Web site.

Chronicling America
http://www.loc.gov/chroniclingamerica/

Provides access to pages from several historic American newspapers from 1880-1910 as well as information on American newspapers published between 1690 and the present day.

Stars and Stripes
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/sgphtml/sashtml/sashome.html

Published for members of the armed forces, this collection includes copies of The Stars and Stripes from 1918-1919 that document events from World War I.

Newspaper Pictorials: World War I Rotogravures
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/rotogravures/

A new printing process created in the early 1900s, rotogravure printing produced richly detailed, high quality illustrations and allowed newspapers to create new pictorial sections. This collection includes an illustrated history of World War I selected from newspaper rotogravure sections that graphically documents the people, places, and events important to the war.

Photographs from the Chicago Daily News, 1902-1933
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpcoop/ichihtml/cdnhome.html

A collection of photographs taken by the photographers of the Chicago Daily News.

Publishing the Declaration of Independence
http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/journey/declaration.html

This webcast focuses on the role of early American newspapers in distributing the text of the Declaration of Independence and in leading the charge for independence.

Witness and Response
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/911/911-serial.html

See how newspapers documented the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

American Journalism Webcast
http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=3929

Listen to writer W. Joseph Campbell talk about the events of the year 1897 and how they changed the way journalists cover the news.

The People’s Art
http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/peoplesart.html

Watch a webcast featuring Julie Goldsmith, Manager of the Chicago Tribune Historical Collection at Michigan State University, where she discusses how the Chicago Tribune newspaper developed mass production techniques to help bring color and art to their newspaper.

The Américas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature

The Hispanic Division and the Center for the book invite everyone to join them and the Consortium of Latin American Studies program for the awarding of the Americas Award for Children and Young Adult Literature to Pat Mora and Rafael López the author and illustrator of Yum! ¡Mmmm! ¡Qué Rico! America’s Sproutings and Laura Resau, the author of Red Glass. The ceremony will take place on Saturday, October 4th from 10am-12 at the Mumford Room in the James Madison Building at the Library of Congress. The Américas Award is given in recognition of U.S. works of fiction, poetry, folklore, or selected non-fiction (from picture books to works for young adults) published in the previous year in English or Spanish that authentically and engagingly portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States. Please call 202-707-2013 to confirm your attendance.

We hope you can join us.

National Book Festival and Young Readers Toolkit

Please join us at the National Book Festival September 27th on the National Mall. Among some 70 authors and illustrators participating this year are Tiki Barber, Marc Brown, R. L. Stein, Judith Viorst, Sharon Draper, Neil Gaiman, Andrea Davis Pinkney, Robert Sabuda, Dorren Cronin and Steven Kellogg. Jon Scieszka, the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and Pat Ryan, the new Poet Laureate, will also be in attendance. Also meet illustrator Jan Brett who created this year’s Book Festival poster. Make sure to visit the Library of Congress Pavilion to learn about the new Library of Congress experience, the World Digital Library, our collaboration with Flickr and how to preserve your home library. Visit the Pavilion of the States to learn about reading programs in your state and the Let’s Read America Pavilion with fun activities to spur families to enjoy reading.

For those who cannot attend the book festival think about planning one of your own. The Young Readers’ Toolkit helps to bring the National Book Festival into libraries, schools and homes across the country. The Toolkit features information about National Book Festival authors who write for children and teens, podcasts of their readings, teaching tools and activities for kids. This interactive resource also shows educators, parents and children how they can host their own book festival. The Young Readers Toolkit can be found at
http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/2008/toolkit/

Celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day - Friday, September 19th

Does your school celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day? Here are some links to pirate resources to add some educational heft to a fun activity:

Watch one of the webcasts from the day long symposium on Pirates and Corsairs of the Americas in History and Literature. Find the list at http://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/webcasts.html

Explore the book The Buccaneers of America from the Exploring the Early Americas collection http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/earlyamericas/buccaneers/html/. Also share maps documenting early treasure ships and the treasures they found and the work that was done to stop pirates in the Americas at <http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/earlyamericas/online/aftermath/aftermath2.html#object119>

Read Gerald Gawalt’s Essay on the Barbary Pirates at http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/jefferson_papers/mtjprece.html

Play some pirate related sheet music. The Music for the Nation collection http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/smhtml/smhome.html has the Pirates March and the Pirates Cave March. Or listen to the song Down Around the Coast of La Barbaree from the California Gold Collection. <http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/cowellbib:@field(NUMBER+@band(afccc+a3812b1))>

Watch an Edison Film of Police Arresting Pirates <http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/papr:@filreq(@field(NUMBER+@band(lcmp002+m2b48027))>

Constitution Day Resources and Internet Archive Project

Here are two special announcements:

Apply to be part of the Internet Archive k-12 project
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/

Could your school be one of 10 middle or high schools helping to capture and archive today’s primary source materials on the Web?

A small number of individuals and institutions recognize the importance of archiving and preserving the often transitory digital cultural artifacts that are distributed over the Web. But so far, the vast majority of decisions about what Web sites will live into the future have been made by adults, and reflect adults’ sensibilities about what constitutes the important stuff of history. The Internet Archive, the Library of Congress and California Digital Library are collaborating on a project that explores archiving the Web from the perspective of adolescents.

Find a complete project description and the brief application in the "Featured Resources" section at http://www.loc.gov/teachers/. Apply by September 30 for full consideration.

Constitution Day Resources from the Library of Congress
http://thomas.loc.gov/teachers/constitution.html

In celebration of Constitution Day, the Library of Congress has compiled a variety of materials from across its collections. This year, the Library introduced two lesson plan that help students analyze drafts of the Constitution and Bill of Rights to discover the process involved in creating the new nation. New online activities for secondary students help students connect particular phrases and ideas set down in these two documents with the texts that preceded them. A third new online activity for elementary students helps them get acquainted with some of the words related to the founding documents of the United States. Explore these rich resources and features to learn more about one of America’s most important documents.

Portals to the World

Looking for information about foreign countries? Visit Portals to the World to find links to high quality websites vetted by Library of Congress staff members. Many of them are in the language of the country; perfect for those teaching foreign languages.

Folklore in the Classroom

Interested in bringing folklore materials into your classroom? Visit the American Folklife Center where you can learn about their heritage projects where they work to encourage students to learn more about their communities, see lesson plans using folklore activities, link to American Memory collections that highlight folklore materials and learn how to send for a poster providing additional ideas to use in your classroom.

Cybercasts of Digital Natives Lectures Now Available

If you were unable to come to the Library to see the lecture series on digital natives three of the four lectures are now available to view as cybercasts. Lectures include Edith Ackermann speaking on The Anthropology of Digital Natives, Steven Berlin Johnson discussing the response to his argument that popular culture is growing more complex and cognitively challenging, and is not racing downward towards a lowest common denominator, Michael Wesch discussing the impact of You Tube on our world and Douglas Rushkoff speaking about the profound impact of interactive technologies, from the remote control to the joystick to the computer keyboard.

Book Festival Authors Announced

The Library of Congress and First Lady Laura Bush are once again sponsoring the National Book Festival to be held on the National Mall on September 27, 2008. Among some 70 authors and illustrators participating this year are Tiki Barber, Marc Brown, R. L. Stein, Judith Viorst, Sharon Draper, Neil Gaiman, Andrea Davis Pinkney, Robert Sabuda, Dorren Cronin and Steven Kellogg. Jon Scieszka, who was recently named the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by the Librarian of Congress, will also attend the event. You can learn more about the various authors who will be in attendance on the Book Festival website and view this year’s poster, created by noted illustrator Jan Brett.

New Poet Laureate Announced

Visit the Library’s Poetry website to learn more about the new Poet Laureate Pat Ryan. Ryan, a resident of Marin County, California, has written six books of poetry and has won numerous award including the Ruth Lilly Poetry Award, a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, 2004 Guggenheim Fellowship, an Ingram Merrill Award, the 2000 Union League Poetry Prize and the Maurice English Poetry Award and four Pushcart prizes. On the poetry website you can read Ryan’s poem “Turtle”, access a list of online resources about Ryan and learn more about the position of Poet Laureate and the people who have held this position.

New Educational Activities on MyLOC.gov

Have you visited the MyLOC.gov site yet? In addition to seeing the new online exhibits and the virtual tour of the Jefferson Building, make sure to look at our collection of new educational activities. These include teacher tested lesson plans on drafting the constitution, the decision to purchase Jefferson’s library and the details found on the Waldseemüller map. Also included are word searches, a game using actual books from Jefferson’s Library and an opportunity for students to craft an alternative version of the Declaration of Independence.

Journeys and Crossings

Take the opportunity to see our curators bring our collections to life. Journeys and Crossings cybercasts feature Library staff focusing on a specific issue while also highlighting the Library’s collections. Also included are links to online resources of interest and bibliographies for those wishing to learn more about the subject of interest.

Educational Outreach staff at the National Educational Computing Conference June 30 –July 2nd

Join members of the Library’s Educational Outreach team at the National Educational Computing Conference at the Gonzales Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. Visit us in the exhibition area at booth 9924. We will be doing in-booth presentations highlighting additions to the Library’s website and tips on teaching using our online resources. In addition Educational Outreach staff will be presenting a workshop Teaching with Primary Sources to Promote Media and Traditional Literacies on Sunday, June 29 from 8:30-11:30. Information on the workshop can be found at http://center.uoregon.edu/ISTE/NECC2008/program/search_results_details.php?sessionid=42044092&selection_id=42636061&rownumber=1&max=1&gopage= . For more information about the conference visit the NECC conference website at http://center.uoregon.edu/ISTE/NECC2008/.

Web Guides

Looking for links to web resources on topics such as literature, African – American history and the U.S. Government? Visit the Digital Reference Section’s web guides to the Library’s online collections. Each web guide provides links to resources on the Library’s website as well as links to outside resources of interest. Specific topics include the Mexican War, the Great Depression, Poetry resources and the Harlem Renaissance. Have ideas for other web guides? Let the Digital Reference Section staff know using their Ask A Librarian page found at http://www.loc.gov/rr/askalib/ask-digital.html.

Michael Wesch To Discuss "The Anthropology of YouTube" at Library of Congress on June 23

More video material has been uploaded to YouTube in the past six months than has ever been aired on all major networks combined, according to cultural anthropologist Michael Wesch. Wesch will discuss the three-year-old video-sharing Web site in a lecture titled "The Anthropology of YouTube" at 4 p.m. on Monday, June 23, in the Montpelier Room on the sixth floor of the Library of Congress’ James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C.

This is the third in a series of lectures on digital natives sponsored by the Library’s John W. Kluge Center. The event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required. The lecture will be available at a later date as a webcast at www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/

Places in the News

Looking for current maps of places mentioned in the nightly news? Visit our Places in the News website. Included is basic information about the country from the CIA World Factbook as well as maps that are usually from federal government agencies. Users can also link to maps of previous places in the news.

Veterans History Project

As we reflect on the lives lost during wartime this Memorial Day holiday, read more about the experiences of those who fought on the front lines and those providing support from the home front through the Veterans History Project. Listen to the oral history interviews collected from volunteers like you. Read their stories and letters and then consider going out and collecting interviews from veterans in your community.

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month Portal

Looking for resources to use for Asian/Pacific American Heritage month? Visit our web portal at http://www.loc.gov/topics/asianpacific/. Link to collections and exhibits with Asian themes. Learn more about the experiences of Asian American veterans through the Veterans History project. See lesson plans and other resources to help bring these collections to your students.

Second Lecture in Kluge Center Digital Natives Series May 12

The second lecture in the Kluge Center series on Digital Natives will take place on Monday, May 12 at 4:00 PM in the Montpelier Room, Madison Building of the Library of Congress. Steven Berlin Johnson will discuss his book, “Everything Bad is Good for You.” Johnson will be joined by Derrick Dekerckhove, Edith Ackerman, and Marc Prensky.

Sponsored by the Library's John W. Kluge Center, the event is free and open to the public; no tickets or reservations are required. The lecture will be available at a later date as a webcast at www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/.

For those who missed Edith Ackerman’s April 4th speech on the Anthropology of Digital Natives, the webcast is now available at http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=4294

Baseball Resources at the Library of Congress

Correction: The 2008 National Book Festival will take place on September 27 not September 28.

Visit our Historic Baseball Resources page where you can learn more about the song “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” find links to historic baseball cards and see resources that teachers can use in the classroom.

Save the Date

The 2008 National Book Festival will take place on September 28, 2008 on the National Mall. Visit the book festival website to see cybercasts of previous festivals, link to our Young Readers Tool kit and in late summer see who will be joining us this year.

Making Connections through Poetry

Looking for ways to combine primary sources and poetry? Our new activity Making Connections through Poetry: Finding the Heart in History allows students to review and analyze primary sources and then synthesize the information and create poetry based on what they have learned. Students can print out their poems and the primary sources on which they are based and teachers can compile the poems and make chapter books that can be shared with students, other teachers and parents.

The Library of Congress Experience

Starting at 11am on April 12th the Library of Congress will introduce its new dynamic experience for visitors. Come to see our new exhibits and our interactive activities. Teachers will be able to learn about our lesson plans and other activities that they can use to bring the experience of visiting the Library into the classroom. We look forward to seeing you at our opening day festivities which will include music, crafts for kids and the opportunity to meet the Library’s newest Living Legacies.

After you visit the Library look for teacher resources on www.myLOC.gov. There will be five new multimedia activities to engage young people and get help them to think critically about primary sources from the Library’s collections. There will also be teacher-tested standards-based lesson plans to provide educators with the tools they need to integrate artifacts from the exhibitions into their curriculum.

National Poetry Month

Visit our Library of Congress Poetry reference resources page to find resources you can use to celebrate poetry in your classroom. Read poems written by Presidents of the United States. Learn about your state poet laureate and the current poet laureate of the United States, Charles Simic. See webcasts of poetry events that took place at the Library of Congress. Link to our Lyrical Legacies exercise and find ways to integrate poetry throughout the curriculum.

Kluge Center Lecture Series on “Digital Natives”

Today’s students have access to more information than ever before. They are more skilled at using computers and other digital devices to access their world. How can teachers work with these “digital natives” and figure out how to interact with these students on their level? The Kluge Center is sponsoring a series of presentations on “digital natives” starting with Edith Ackerman looking at how the young people of today think, learn and play.

Dr. Ackerman’s presentation will be on April 7th at 4pm in the Montpelier Room, James Madison Building of the Library of Congress. The event is free and open to the public. Other speakers in this series include Steven Berlin Johnson on May 12th, Michael Wesch on June 23rd and Douglas Rushoff on June 30th.

Lifelong Literacy Site

This new site, for parents, teachers and students in grades 4-6 was created to inspire young people to “explore new worlds” through reading and to promote literacy in all types of learning, including books, periodicals and cartoons. Your students may enjoy watching the featured Webcast, which showcases local poets and Washington D.C. students read some of their favorite poems. Watch this site - more resources are coming.

Changes to the Library's Home Page

The Library has expanded its home page to better organize and highlight the many programs, events and collections available to the public at no charge through its Web site, as well as a new section that gives users an easy search path to popularly requested topics and collections.

Today in History: September 11

The Library of Congress has collected a vast array of original materials concerning the attacks of September 11, 2001. This Today in History entry provides links to the collected content. Use this material with your students as you memorialize the anniversary of this historic day.

Witness and Response: September 11 Acquisitions at the Library of Congress

This online exhibition provides eyewitness accounts and commentaries regarding events surrounding the attacks of September 11, 2001. The exhibit includes works by professional photographers, amateur photographers, children, art students, and architects, and also includes comic book art and political cartoons that tell a compelling story. Use this material with your students as you memorialize the anniversary of this historic day.

Primary Source Set: Hispanic Exploration in America

This "ready to download and use" Primary Source Set includes maps, images, documents and a sound file to help teach about the age of exploration, specifically, the contributions and interactions of Hispanic peoples in America.

Hispanic Americans - Themed Resources

This site is a good starting place for finding resources from across the Library of Congress' Web site that you can share with your students during National Hispanic Heritage Month.

National Hispanic Heritage Month: Library of Congress Portal

Visit this inter-agency portal to find the rich resources the Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum have provided to pay tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society.

Everyday Mysteries: Why don't I fall out when a roller coaster goes upside down?

Not only will students learn the answer to this question, but they can explore wonderful images of "old time" roller coasters, read fun facts about this contraption, find web sites about roller coasters outside of the Library of Congress, and find books for further research from the site's bibliography.

Preview the New Teachers Page

Visit this preview of the Teachers Page with a new look and easier searching. Please let us know what you think about these changes.

Constitution Day Resources

As you plan your Constitution Day activities, don't overlook this offering from the Library's THOMAS Web site. You will find links to primary source documents, teacher resources, links to appropriate content from America's Library (for younger students), and book suggestions for elementary - adult readers.

Primary Source Set: The Constitution

Are you making your teaching plans for Constitution Day? This Primary Source Set, which includes images, documents, maps, sound files and analysis tools to teach about the United States Constitution, is ready to download and use in your classroom.

A Guide to the Spanish-American War

This guide links to a wide variety of Library of Congress material associated with the Spanish-American War, including manuscripts, maps, broadsides, photographs, prints, sheet music, and films, as well as external Web sites focusing on the Spanish-American War. This site also includes and a bibliography containing selections for both general and younger readers. Again, teachers will find the site useful both for teaching about Hispanic Heritage and the Spanish-American War.

A Guide to the Mexican War

This guide links to a wide variety of Library of Congress material associated with the Mexican War (1846-1848), including manuscripts, maps, broadsides, pictures, sheet music, books, and government documents, as well as external Web sites focusing on the Mexican War. It also includes a bibliography containing selections for both general and younger readers. Teachers will find the site useful for teaching about Hispanic Heritage as well as the Mexican War.

Webcast: Julia Lathrop, First Chief of the U.S. Children's Bureau

Julia Lathrop, an American social worker at the turn of the 20th century, was a pioneer in the field of child welfare. Her career and significance as a political force is the subject of this lecture by Cecelia Tichi, Chair of Modern Culture in the John W. Kluge Center, Library of Congress. Tichi's dramatic delivery style and use of Library of Congress images will engage your students in this relevant topic.

Louisiana: European Explorations and the Louisiana Purchase

This presentation consists of 119 documents-from maps to newspapers to cultural artifacts-that help to describe the region of North America that stretched from as far east as Alabama into what is now the state of Montana. Use this presentation, and its excellent essay, to help your students understand the impact of this event on the economic, cultural and political makeup of the United States.

Literature and Poetry Themed Resources

This site makes a wonderful starting place for teachers wishing to integrate the use of primary source materials through poetry. Don't miss the primary source set on creating "found poetry."

Biography of Charles Simic from the Poetry & Literature Center

On August 2, 2007, Librarian of Congress James H. Billington announced the appointment of Charles Simic to be the 15th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. Use this online biography to introduce the new Poet Laureate to your students.

August edition: The Wise Guide

Introduce your students to the Library of Congress Web site through the playful and engaging Wise Guide. The August edition features fascinating facts on the legend of Evangeline, inventor Thomas Edison, cooking eggs on the sidewalk, the dog days of summer and singing.

Webcast: Publishing the Declaration

This discussion about the American Declaration of Independence focuses on its distribution through early American newspapers. This Webcast makes an excellent supplement to the materials you share with your students for Constitutions Day, 2007.

Webcast: Who Left the Freezer Door Open? What the Poles Are Telling Us About Climate Change

NASA scientist Robert A. Bindschadler discusses the latest space-based observations on the warming of the polar regions in a lecture at the Library of Congress. Students will learn what is actually taking place through scientific evidence, as well as what is expected to happen next.

Selected Internet Resources - Ice Cream

Did you know that July is National Ice Cream Month? The Library of Congress Science Reference Service has provided this timely, and extensive, resource about ice cream. Your students can learn about the history of ice cream, safety tips, the chemistry of making ice cream and more. The accompanying images from the Library's digital resources are sure to engage students of all ages.

Update: France in America

Conceived in partnership with France's national library, France in America is a bilingual digital library that explores the history of the French presence in North America from the first decades of the 16th century to the end of the 19th century. This substantial update (247 items) includes documents from Confederacy, and the birth of the Civil Rights Movement. The collection looks at events in history, beyond the American viewpoint, making it a wonderful resource for both World History and American History teachers.

Online Program for Teachers - Declaring Independence: Beyond the Fourth of July

Participate in this synchronous presentation on Wed., July 18 from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. (EDT). Library of Congress staff will describe how the Declaration of Independence evolved from an idea to an event. A variety of drafts and editions of the Declaration as well as related documents will be shared. The insight you gain can be shared with your students, in your classroom.

Webcast: Michael Blake

Novelist, screenwriter and activist Michael Blake, perhaps best known for his book and screenplay, Dances With Wolves, shares the discoveries he made as he researched and wrote about Native Americans. Blake draws parallels between the time of the great Native American tribes, and the political, social and physical environment today. This Webcast will capture the attention of high school students and can provide powerful impetus to further discussion and research about today's issues.

Other Digitized Materials from Rare Books and Special Collections

If you haven't discovered this treasure trove, let us introduce you to a collection of materials that is sure to intrigue and engage your students. These materials include rare books, posters, prints, miniatures, and other documents that date from the 1500s to the early 1900s. They are grouped in the following categories: American, Prints by John James Audubon, Children's Literature, Other Books, Magic Posters, Miniatures, Travels and Voyages.

Everyday Science Mysteries - Is it possible to fry an egg on the street?

The weather is in the news - many parts of the country are cooking in extraordinary heat. Your students may enjoy this science mystery and, may even feel compelled to try some hands-on experimentation of their own.

Webcast - A Portrait of Robert E. Lee Through His Private Letters

In her new biography, historian Elizabeth Brown Pryor presents dozens of previously unpublished letters to draw a new portrait of Lee's beliefs, his military ability and the times he lived in. Pryor uses Lee's newly discovered family letters as departure points for a series of surprising "historical excursions," telling his life story through an innovative blend of analysis, historiography and rich period detail. She looks into Lee's troubled childhood, the hardening of his anti-abolitionist views, his decision to join the South, his celebrated but controversial battlefield performance and his final wrenching years. Use this Webcast to bring this Civil War general to life for your students.

July Edition - The Wise Guide

This engaging edition offers a link to a fantastic summer reading list; a wealth of information about that summer barbecue favorite, hot dogs; a discussion of Woody Guthrie's song, "This Land is Your Land"; links to poetry web casts; and much more! The light, engaging design is sure to please your students and pull them into Library of Congress content. Take time to explore the archive for other "stories" to use in your curriculum.

Participate in the Veterans History Project

You may know about this excellent project but may not have known how to participate. The project has released a new toolkit to get you started. If adding an oral history project to your curriculum next year is one of your teaching goals, take time to review these resources and consider participation in this worthwhile project.

Taking the Mystery Out of Copyright

This interactive activity is a wonderful resource for introducing the mysteries of Copyright Law to students. The activity will help students understand how the law applies to their own work - what they consume and what they produce.

When Work is Done

How times have changed… or have they? In this lesson, high school students can explore leisure time in the United States between 1900 and 1950 through primary sources.

Summertime

Many students are looking forward to those âlazy days of summerâ as the school year draws to a close. Visit this Learning Page Community Center to find links to travel and leisure related resources from the Library of Congress.

Jewish American Heritage Month

This Web site, created collaboratively by the Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, offers students a glimpse into the life experiences of the generations of Jewish Americans who contribute to the fabric of American history, culture and society.

World War I: The Great War

This new presentation from the Veterans History Project offers the experience of World War I through the voices, images, and effects of those who were there. Students can view written accounts (letters, dairies and memoirs) and photographs that will breathe life into a study of this long ago event.

A Century of Creativity - The MacDowell Colony

As students move into summer leisure, encourage them to celebrate their creativity. They may be inspired by a visit to the online version of this Library of Congress Exhibition. Students will learn about famous works that trace their origin to the MacDowell Colony, such as: Thornton Wilder's Our Town, Aaron Copland's ballet Billy the Kid, and Dorothy and DuBose Heyward's play Porgy. Students will enjoy hearing "insider knowledge" shared by Library of Congress curators.

New RSS Feed - Poetry 180

Did you know that a poem is available for each weekday of the school year from the Library's Poetry 180 project? Now, these poems can be delivered right to your computer desktop through an RSS feed. English teachers and poetry lovers - sign up, today! http://www.loc.gov/rss/poetry/180.xml

A Guide to Washington, D.C., Materials

Are you or your students visiting the Nation's Capital this summer? If so, this guide to Washington's history will provide background information to enrich your visit.

Baseball... As American as Apple Pie

It's time for players and fans of all ages to enjoy one of America's favorite sports. Visit this Learning Page Community Center to find links to baseball related resources from all over the Library of Congress.

Science Tracer Bullets Online - Global Warming & Climate Change

Are hurricanes, melting glaciers, rising ocean levels, eroding coastlines, crop damage, food shortages, absence of rainfall, shrinking aquifers, wildfires, and lowered water tables signs of worldwide global warming? If your students are grappling with understanding this topic, introduce them to this listing of vetted print and Internet resources from the Science Reference Section, Library of Congress.

The Battle of the Bulge - Interactive Essay

This unique presentation uses U.S. Army situation maps to illustrate this famous WWII battle. Your students will enjoy the interactivity and the historical expertise share by Library of Congress curators.

Science Tracer Bullets Online - Global Warming & Climate Change

The Battle of the Bulge - Interactive Essay

Pictorial Americana

Are you looking for a primary source image to use as a lesson starter or to support a teaching objective? Peruse the table of contents of Pictorial Americana to see if there is a topical set of images about American life and history that fits your need.

Nothing to Fear - Lesson Plan for Grades 5-8

Use this lesson to help your students learn what the World War II experience was like for Japanese Americans living on the West Coast.

Web Portal Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month

This Library-wide Web portal offers links to video selections, sound files, Library collections, and teaching materials to use with your students during Asian/Pacific American Heritage month.

Remembering… David Halberstam

We will miss this prolific Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, historian and author. Listen to a portion of his talk in this webcast from the Library's 2002 National Book Festival.

Remembering…. Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald

This trailblazing lawmaker, the first African-American chairwoman of the House Committee on House Administration, was also the founder and executive director of the League of African-American Women and the founder of the Young Advocates, a political leadership-training program. Listen to her delivery of the 2007 African American History Month keynote address at the Library of Congress.

Asian Pacific Americans Community Center

Help your students understand Asian Pacific Heritage through the resources of the Asian Pacific Americans Community Center. Don't miss the Primary Source Set on Japanese American Internment during WW II.

Amazing Grace

This new Web site explores the history of "Amazing Grace," one of the best-known hymns in America, through items from the earliest printing of the song to various performances of it on sound recordings. Don't miss the illustrated timeline, the essays on the history of *Amazing Grace,* a discography, and a selected bibliography.

A Civil War Soldier in the Wild Cat Regiment … a Collection Connection from the Learning Page

Help your students make personal connections with history by considering the lives of a young Union soldier and his family during the Civil War. Through letters and other documents, the collection describes the drudgery of life in military camps, details of troop movements, experiences of a prisoner of war, a soldier's view of politics, and feelings of homesickness and familial love.

France in America … a Collection Connection from the Learning Page

Encourage your students to view history from different perspectives using the suggested teaching strategies in this collection connection. This bilingual collection, illuminating the role France played in exploration and settlement, the French and Indian War, and the American Revolution. will be useful to both World and American History teachers.

Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers

Read the news BEFORE it became history in this rich resource. View newspaper pages from 1900 to 1910 from pilot states and find information about other newspapers published in the United States from 1690 to the present.
A partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities

Pages from the past: The Jay I. Kislak Collection

Don't miss this collection of books, maps, documents, paintings, prints, and artifacts from the time of the indigenous people of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean through the period of European contact, exploration, and settlement. The “page turner” presentation provides a wonderful window to the past.

Women at War: Veteran's History Project

Help your students gain a new perspective by seeing war through the eyes of women who were there. Read the first-hand accounts of women who participated in the war effort - from nurses to code-breakers to welders, flight surgeons and officers.

Celebrating Women's History Month

The Library has published a new resource page featuring women's collections - from suffragist profiles to veterans' oral histories, stories on major historical figures, lesson plans for use in your classroom, collection guides and online exhibitions.

St. Patrick's Day

Do you know the source of the expression, "The wearing of the green..."? Visit Today in History for March 17 to learn about the St. Patrick's Day tradition and other evidence of the influence of the Irish in America.