This unit is intended to introduce students to the Civil Rights Movement. By the end of the unit, students will understand the inequality, segregation, and discrimination that characterized America, especially the South, until the 1960’s. They will read the book To Kill a Mockingbird to establish a firmer understanding of race and justice in America prior to the Civil Rights Movement, which will deepen their understanding of why the Civil Rights Movement was necessary. Through lessons and activities, some of which are designed for individual devices, students will learn that attaining civil rights was the result of many legislative and judicial decisions that were not achieved without the cooperation of many different groups and individuals.

This activity introduces Teacher to resources related to Cumberland, Maryland that are available through the Library of Congress. It emphasizes the importance of railroads, and guides Teacher in writing a thesis.

A Book Backdrop is a teaching resource that includes a set of primary sources carefully selected and used to extend conceptual understandings and/or historical contexts presented in a specific piece of literature, especially literature that is part of the language arts curriculum. A Book Backdrop serves as a “backdrop” for understanding the setting/time period/character or events in a literature selection, much the same way that a theater backdrop sets the stage for a scene in a play.

This inquiry examines the Civil Rights Movement as an unfolding series of historical events and actions stretching from the U.S Civil War to the present. Using Jacquelyn Dowd Hall's or other historians' notion of a "Long" Civil Rights Movement, students. examine events and actions before, during, and after the
traditionally framed civil rights movement of 1954 to 1965.

This PD activity demonstrates how educators can use literature to meet English Language and Social Studies Learning Standards.

Modern histology, biology and medicine are based on pivotal innovations and observations of many individuals. In the 17th century, the unknown world of cells was discovered, changing scientific views. As scientists learned about the “micro” world, society was uncertain of how cellular knowledge would affect them. This lesson plan involves the exploration of various primary sources to understand the historical impacts of the microscope and microscopic images to modern biological and medical fields.

A Book Backdrop is a teaching resource that includes a set of primary sources carefully selected and used to extend conceptual understandings and/or historical contexts presented in a specific piece of literature, especially literature that is part of the language arts curriculum. A Book Backdrop serves as a “backdrop” for understanding the setting/time period/character or events in a literature selection, much the same way that a theater backdrop sets the stage for a scene in a play.

This is cross curricular approach to investigate grassroots political efforts. Grassroots political efforts are not new to our democracy. The term was coined in this unhyphenated form between 1910 and 1915 in the U.S. In this inquiry, students will analyze sources about a successful grassroots political effort that began in the late 1800's by women to pass the Migratory Bird Act of 1913, even while in most states they did not have the right to vote. First, students will define the term grassroots, as it relates to political efforts. As a literary connection, this inquiry uses a work of historical fiction to set the scene for the study in a humorous way.

In this lesson, students will explore the journey of an immigrant through math, science, social studies, language arts, and art. Using primary source documents students will step back in time and learn more about the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and gain a better understanding of the hardships that immigrants faced as they entered the United States through the units activities.

This inquiry features 10 editorial cartoons published in the Library of Congress exhibit titled Pointing their Pens: Herblock and fellow cartoonist confront the issues. The cartoons illustrate Middle East politics in the 1950s and 1960s. This inquiry focuses specifically on the conflict in the Middle East and features 10 cartoons depicting the challenges facing the region in the period. The cartoons from the exhibit make clear the struggle to secure peace in the Middle East was wrapped up in Cold War politics, made even more difficult by a consistent flow of weapons into the region. The inquiry includes three supporting questions, each focused on a different aspect of the conflict - the players in the conflict including those outside of the Middle East, the military circumstances of the conflict, and efforts at peace.

Four typewritten, marked-up drafts and a final copy of Hughes’ poem “Ballad of Booker T.” are available on the Library of Congress Web site, and allow students to follow the creative process as the poet makes changes to his work over the course of three days.

Primary sources are a great tool to have in your toolbox to help you build your students’ content mastery, thinking skills, and primary resource knowledge. Closely examine Lincoln's governmental documents and speeches to analyze how Lincoln's power of the word shaped United States policy from the mid-1860s to the modern day.

Historic maps allow students to not only learn the basics of geography but also think critically about a historical time period. Teacher participating will practice analyzing historic maps from the 1700’s in a “map lab” session and discuss a focus on the role of geography in historical events. What role did geography play in the American Revolutionary events in Boston?

All primary sources are connected to a place, space, and time. Story maps can provide the geographic context to situate primary sources in time and place to develop an accurate place-based narrative. Join us to explore the geographic perspectives related to primary sources from loc.gov using dynamic multimedia story maps.

How can using statues and sculptures of Abraham Lincoln help your students understand the man and the myths that surround him?

This presentation highlights a freely available digital interactive designed to foster young children’s engaging inquiry with primary sources. KidCitizen is part of the Congress, Civic Participation, and Primary Sources Project. It is funded by a grant from the Library of Congress. The presenters will introduce KidCitizen and discuss how the models of learning showcased in the KidCitizen templates may be leveraged by Teacher to support disciplined inquiry in primary grade instruction.

In the latter part of the 19th century, the Brooklyn Bridge was a marvel of a new age when it was built in New York City, New York. Society was changing quickly because of the many new technologies being incorporated into America life during the Industrial Revolution. Not every technology was welcomed with open arms. This lesson follows the Stripling Model of Inquiry and uses the technological advances exemplified in the Brooklyn Bridge as a case-study to explore how technology impacts society and how society reacts to innovation.

Participants will practice reading a set of political cartoons and photographs to surface and build schema by using the primary source analysis tool and peer support. Teacher will learn how to design opportunities for struggling readers to practice and build knowledge. What can be learned from photographs, political cartoons and literary texts about the Dust Bowl era?

The Library of Congress (LOC) has a rich array of primary sources available online. How can you use these sources during this time of distance learning to engage your students in discussion, questioning protocols, and investigations? Join The Right Question Institute, the Library of Congress, the National Council for the Social Studies, and inquirED for practical tips and useful strategies to take inquiry-based teaching and learning with primary sources online

This inquiry examins the Removal of the Cherokee from mulitple perspectives and the consequences of the Cherokee Removal Act fifty years later? Students examine evidence from multiple relevant historical sources and interpretations and develop a reasoned argument about the past.