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Teaching with Primary Sources

Kentucky

  • Western Kentucky University

    Increasing Pre-service and In-service Teachers’ Competence to Utilize and Implement Primary Source Instruction in the K–12 Classroom

    This primary source project awarded to the Western Kentucky University developed and implemented a primary source instructional program for pre-service and in-service/ cooperating teachers aimed at increasing teachers’ content knowledge and pedagogical skills in utilizing primary sources from the Library of Congress. This project involved curricular modification to the elementary pre-service teacher program course, Materials and Methods in Social Studies, as well as the master’s degree course, Advanced Methods and Materials in Social Studies. Pre-service teachers created inquiry-based lesson plans that incorporated primary sources and taught them during their field experiences. The project also provided professional development to cooperating social studies teachers on the use of the Library’s digital primary sources.

    Contact: James Oigara

  • Frazier History Museum

    Inquiry and Teaching with Primary Sources: What is a Vote Worth?

    In this project awarded to the Frazier History Museum, teachers explored, analyzed, and taught with primary sources, navigated the primary source collection from the Library of Congress, understood the inquiry process, and created inquiry materials using the Inquiry Design Model from C3 Teachers and the Library’s digitized sources. Teachers from Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville participated in professional development workshops about constructing and implementing inquiry-based learning.

    Contact: Carly Muetterties and Ryan New

  • University of Kentucky Research Foundation

    Common Core English Language Arts Standards Implementation: An Opportunity for Social Studies

    The University of Kentucky Research Foundation collaborated with the Social Studies Assessment, Curriculum, and Instructional Collaborative (SSACI), which was facilitated by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO). The CCSSO is made up of department consultants, assessment experts, and administrative personnel within state-level departments of education. Designed to use Library of Congress resources, the instructional and assessment exemplars followed approaches developed by the Literacy Design Collaborative (LDC), a multi-state initiative to design demanding content that meets common core literacy standards. The project developed exemplars using an adapted version of the LDC three-part system of tasks, modules, and courses for teaching Common Core in social studies.

    Library of Congress Digital Documentary Kits

    The University of Kentucky was awarded a grant to create movie-making kits for American history teachers using primary sources from the Library of Congress. This project utilized the train the trainer model for the in-service teacher training. Teachers provided professional development workshops for other teachers in their departments or districts. The in-service teachers were instructed in the use of premade kits, movie making, and the use of the Library of Congress databases.

    Contact: Kathy Swan

  • Kentucky Historical Society Foundation

    The Kentucky Literacy Leaders Academy for History/Social Studies

    Awarded to the Kentucky Historical Society;Foundation, this grant led to the creation of a Kentucky Literacy Leaders Academy for History/Social Studies, which utilized best practices to train teachers in grades K–12. The Academy focused on research-based practices, 21st-century skills, and National History Day project skills. These teachers shared the information they learned with teachers from each education cooperative region, who then shared the information with teachers in their school districts.

    Contact: Tim Talbott

    Kentucky's National History Day;

    The Kentucky Historical Society Foundation was awarded a grant that provided professional development workshops for in-service teachers to help students in grades 4–12 to locate, analyze, and interpret primary sources. The workshops consisted of an introduction to the Library of Congress website, an activity designed to teach analytical and interpretive skills, and the opportunity to practice using primary sources by completing a sample National History Day project. The workshops increased teacher awareness of available resources and their ability to use primary sources.

    Contact: Jody Blankenship

  • Kentucky Council for the Social Studies

    American Studies: Developing Units Using Teaching with Primary Sources

    Awarded to the Kentucky Council for Social Studies (KCSS), this project designed, tested, and distributed pedagogical and curricular supports that helped teachers effectively guide their students through the process of creating historical documentary films. They worked specifically with the documentarians as they designed, developed, and distributed storyboard templates, assessment rubrics, and facilitation guides that were shared online. Professional development opportunities included in-service teacher training, a teacher training workshop at KCSS and NCSS (National Council for the Social Studies), and an online module that teachers accessed remotely. This includes teachers who were unable to attend a face-to-face workshop, particularly those in the Appalachian region.

    Toward a Better Historical Documentary: Improving the Digital Docs in a Box Website;

    Awarded to the Kentucky Council for Social Studies (KCSS), this project designed, tested, and distributed pedagogical and curricular supports that helped teachers effectively guide their students through the process of creating historical documentary films. They worked specifically with the documentarians as they designed, developed, and distributed storyboard templates, assessment rubrics, and facilitation guides that were shared online. Professional development opportunities included in-service teacher training, a teacher training workshop at KCSS and NCSS, and an online module that teachers accessed remotely. This includes teachers who were unable to attend a face-to-face workshop, particularly those in the Appalachian region.

    Contact: Malana Salyer

  • Bellarmine University

    Digitizing Elementary Teaching Social Studies

    In this course, students at Bellarmine University learned to navigate, access, and use primary sources from the Library of Congress website. They used approaches that illustrated how digitized primary sources can promote differentiated reading materials. They also created activities that used primary sources from the Library's website, in preparation for lessons involving international issues. These activities also;facilitated the Common Core Literacy Standards.

    Contact: Corrie Block

  • University of Kentucky

    Digital Docs in a Box

    Using electronic primary sources from the Library of Congress, this project created eight new digital moviemaking kits for American history teachers that were later made available online. In-service and pre-service teachers were trained in the use of digital documentaries and digital documentary kits through the train the trainer model.

    Kids as Detectives: The Historical Scene Investigation Project

    This project, awarded to the University of Kentucky, introduced teachers to using the Historical Scene Investigation (HSI) project and primary sources to engage students in the process of “doing history.” The HSI project guided students in the analysis of primary sources to solve a case. Participants were provided examples of how HSI has been used in the classroom, as well as resources to replicate these experiences.

    Contact: Kathy Swan

  • Kentucky Department of Education

    Professional Development Grant for Teachers in Kentucky;

    Awarded to the Kentucky Department of Education, this project provided professional development to social studies teachers on the use of the Library of Congress archives to prepare students for 21st-century learning.; This proposal, along with four others submitted by the Social Studies Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction collaborative (SSACI) under the umbrella of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), used a multi-state approach to share resources and professional development models among the members of the collaborative.

    Contact: Mendy Meehan