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Teaching with Primary Sources

Kansas

  • Lyon County Historical Society

    Using Primary Sources to Create Classroom Based Assessments: A Professional Development Grant for K-12 Teachers

    The purpose of this grant project is to train teachers in the Lyon County area to effectively use primary sources to create lesson plans and content-based assessments that not only support the state’s social studies curriculum but also meet the state’s newly adopted classroom-based assessment mandate. Teachers in grades K-5 and grades 6-12 will participate in separate four-day, face-to-face workshops at the Lyon County History Center. During the workshops, teachers will not only learn how to use the Library of Congress website to find primary sources but also learn a variety of analysis strategies they can use to analyze the different kinds of primary sources that they find. The teachers will be required to create at least one inquiry-based primary source lesson and its accompanying materials as well as an assessment that can be used for the state social studies classroom-based assessment.

    Contact: Lisa Soller

  • ESSDACK

    CIG Culturally Relevant Pedagogy Support Project (2022)

    This project, awarded to ESSDACK (Educational Services and Staff Development Association of Central Kansas), allowed for the gathering of members of the Culturally Relevant Pedagogy TPS Consortium Interest Group (CIG). Meeting first at the Minnesota Historical Society in 2022, members of this group shared the state of culturally relevant pedagogy within their own states and discussed its role within their organizations. They followed up this meeting through the creation of lesson plans and instructional designs focused on relevancy of Library of Congress resources. This group met again at the National Council for History Education in 2023 to discuss their practices and utilizations of these resources. In total, this grant encouraged the collaboration of 23 educators across eight states.

    Reading Historically: Integrating Primary Sources & Language Arts into the Middle-Level Classroom (2021)

    This project, awarded to ESSDACK (Educational Services and Staff Development Association of Central Kansas), was designed to increase the ability of thirty middle school-level teachers in rural Kansas school districts to integrate culturally inclusive literature alongside social studies content. Project objectives focused on delivering professional learning activities that highlighted Library of Congress materials, developed the effective use of primary sources, built teacher efficacy in culturally inclusive lesson design and delivery, and supported the ability of teachers to find and select culturally relevant, grade-level appropriate literature. Throughout the project, participants developed, finalized, and submitted their lesson plan designs.

    Thinking Historically Through the 1930s (2009)

    This project, awarded to ESSDACK (Educational Services and Staff Development Association of Central Kansas) was intended for American history teachers and media specialists. The content mastery of these educators was increased, especially with regard to the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression in Kansas. Teachers were instructed on finding and using primary sources to increase students' historical thinking and content knowledge. Each participant created a lesson plan that was shared on the project website. Also, project staff and participants presented project outcomes at the Kansas Council for the Social Studies (KCSS) and the Kansas Council for History Education (KCHE) conferences.

    Contact: Glenn Wiebe

  • William Allen White Community Partnership

    "Feels Like Home:" Teaching with Primary Sources and the Library of Congress

    This project, awarded to the William Allen White Community Partnership, targeted social studies and English language arts teachers in grades K–5 from the Emporia Public Schools and beyond. Participants were divided into two groups (grades K–2 and grades 3–5) for three days of face-to-face workshops with an optional fourth day for completing or creating any hands-on materials they weren't able to finish during the previous workshop days. As a result, each participant developed at least one hands-on primary source lesson plan and supplemental materials. The lessons were sent to the Kansas Council for the Social Studies (KCSS) and the Kansas Council for History Education (KCHE) to be posted on their websites.

    Contact: Katie Buckman

  • Johnson County Community College, Kansas Studies Institute

    Not Just Flyover Country: Exploring Kansas History through Primary Sources

    This project conducted a four-day workshop for training middle school and high school teachers of social studies and history about best practices for incorporating primary sources into their classrooms. The training focused on active learning and inquiry-based teaching strategies while covering both pedagogical and historical content. The Johnson Community College, Kansas Studies Institute collaborated with the Kansas Historical Society to help participants learn more about Kansas during crucial times in history. This project reinforced project-based, active learning pedagogy by having participants research, develop, and present a primary source-based lesson.

    Contact: Farrell Jenab

  • Emporia Public Schools (USD 253)

    It’s Elementary: Using Primary Sources and the Library of Congress is as Easy as 1, 2, 3!

    Emporia USD 253 teachers from grades K–5 participated in two sets of three-day workshops about navigating the Library of Congress website and finding primary sources to complement curriculum goals. The workshop leader modeled how to use the Library's analysis tools as well as several primary source strategies for analyzing images and documents. Teacher participants created two lesson plans (which were posted later on the district website for others to access) that included resources from the Library and met state curriculum and district standards. Teacher participants shared lesson plans and strategies with colleagues during grade-level professional learning community meetings. Teacher participants were able to attend an optional “make and take” day where they could print classroom sets of primary sources or other supplemental materials needed to teach the lessons they created.

    Contact: Vicki Schweinler

  • Emporia State University

    Eureka: Mining the Library of Congress Goldmine of Primary Sources with the Theory of Multiple Intelligences (2012)

    This project awarded to Emporia State University demonstrated how the theory of multiple intelligences can be used as the framework for creating primary source lesson plans and activities. Teachers attended a four-day workshop where they learned to use the Library of Congress website, reviewed the theory of multiple intelligences, and participated in multiple intelligences-based demonstrations and activities that can be used to teach primary sources. Afterward, teachers implemented their own primary sources lessons for multiple intelligences and reflected on these activities.

    Using Primary Sources to Meet State Social Studies and Literacy Standards (2011)

    In collaboration with the Kansas Council for the Social Studies (KCSS), Emporia State University held a four-day workshop that taught participants how to navigate the Library of Congress website for primary sources and teacher resources. A variety of research-based strategies using primary source lessons were demonstrated so teachers and media specialists could meet state curriculum standards. Participants used this knowledge to create lesson plans that were posted on the KCSS website to be shared with other workshop participants.

    Using the Multiple Intelligences to Teach Primary Sources (2010)

    Teachers attended a four-day workshop run by Emporia State University in which they learned how to use the Library of Congress website, reviewed the theory of multiple intelligences, and participated in multiple intelligences-based demonstrations and activities that can be used to teach primary sources. Afterward, teachers implemented their own primary sources lessons for multiple intelligences and reflected on these activities.

    Teaching with Primary Sources + Teaching Secondary Social Studies Methods = Better Prepared Teachers in the Social Studies Classroom (2009)

    This project, awarded to Emporia State University, modified the curriculum for two secondary social science methods courses to incorporate TPS materials and instruction on the effective use of primary sources. Students in the Introduction to Teaching Secondary Social Studies course compiled primary sources for each discipline they taught and created mini-lessons. Students in the Teaching Secondary and Middle-Level Social Studies Methods course learned how to prepare better primary source-based lesson plans. The students implemented their newly gained knowledge during their student teaching experience by utilizing at least one lesson plan that incorporated primary sources.

    “There’s No Place Like Home” (2009)

    This project by Emporia State University enabled middle and high school teachers to identify and utilize primary sources that are close to home. Participants engaged in a scavenger hunt for primary and secondary sources at the historic home of William Allen White. For the remainder of the workshop, participants examined the four phases of the instructional cycle for teaching with primary sources and integrated this cycle into two lesson plans. These newly created lesson plans were implemented into the teachers’ classrooms when they returned to school in the fall.

    Contact: Darla Mallein

  • Kansas Historical Society

    It's Elementary: Professional Development for K–6 Teachers in Kansas

    During a four-day workshop by the Kansas Historical Society, teachers in grades K–6 were trained to navigate the Library of Congress, as well as interpret and incorporate primary sources into their instruction. Participants were encouraged to conduct presentations at their schools to introduce other educators to the Library's resources.

    Contact: Mary Madden

  • Shawnee Mission School District (USD 512)

    Primary Sources and the Library of Congress: Building Capacity for Literacy in History/Social Studies (2012) 

    This project worked with social studies and history teachers in grades 6–12 and library media staff on how to effectively implement primary sources into their classroom instruction. Participants developed lessons that promoted student inquiry by posing a critical question that students must answer by analyzing and interpreting the sources that are part of the lesson. As a result of this project, the Shawnee Mission USD 512 now has a group of educators capable of mentoring other educators in the use of primary sources, navigating the Library of Congress online, and developing primary sources lessons.

    Teaching with Primary Sources: Using the Resources of the Library of Congress (2011) 

    Teachers and media specialists were trained in finding and using digital primary sources from the Library of Congress. Participants assisted principal investigators in training Shawnee Mission USD 512 educators and presented lessons at the Primary Sources Conference. This project provided sustainable professional development to Shawnee Mission School District teachers in grades K–6, gifted education teachers, and media specialists for promoting teaching with primary sources to impact student achievement and develop higher-order thinking skills.

    Contact: Deborah Brown

  • Kansas State University

    Project History Lab

    This project, awarded to Kansas State University, provided a week-long seminar to in-service history educators. This project helped teachers gain insight into professional historical research, develop pedagogical models of implementing historical inquiry into instruction, and learn enhanced methods of teaching with primary sources. Participants developed a lesson plan utilizing primary sources from the digital archives of the Library of Congress.

    Project History Methods

    This project, awarded to Kansas State University, instructed pre-service history and elementary school teachers on the use of primary sources from the digital archives of the Library of Congress. After attending six workshops, participants integrated primary source research into a lesson or unit plan.

    Contact: Brad Burenheide