Skip to main content
Teaching with Primary Sources

Michigan

    • InnovatED 313

      PBL3 Summer STEAM Institute

      The PBL3 STEAM Institute in Detroit was a multi-day professional learning experience made to introduce teachers to project-, problem-, and place-based learning. The institute leveraged Detroit's histories, culture, museums, community organizations, and outdoor spaces as launching pads for PBL3 unit ideation. Using Detroit’s island park, Belle Isle, as home base, a cohort of fifteen Detroit Public Schools Community District teachers grades 3 through 7 visited an array of local, informal learning spaces, including Henry Ford's automobile Piquette plant, to discover everything from underlying histories to current community-action efforts. Institute staff then lead collaborative conversations with our participants, helping them see the valuable connections these rich community resources have for student learning across grade-level curriculum connected to larger educational goals. 

      Contact: June Tiesan

  • Grand Valley State University

    Analyzing Primary Source Data Visualization with Slow Reveal Graphs

    This project awarded to Grand Valley State University developed Slow Reveal Graphs based on W.E.B. Du Bois’ hand-drawn charts on the Library of Congress website. These visual materials served as a basis for designing professional learning opportunities for middle and high school history teachers. Educators learned about the use of data literacy in history, as well as understood how to work with Slow Reveal Graphs as engaging instructional tools to aid students in making sense of data.

    Contact: Tamara Shreiner

  • Michigan Council for the Social Studies (MCSS)

    (Digitally) Writing New Histories: Building Educators’ Capacity to Teach Disciplinary, Digital, and Critical Literacies with the C3 Framework

    In this project awarded to the Michigan Council for the Social Studies (MCSS), Michigan social studies educators (grades 3–12) joined a year-long online Teaching with Primary Sources project about digitally writing new histories. In addition to resources from the Library of Congress, teachers used virtual museum visits to examine also historical documents and artifacts as primary sources. Furthermore, teachers learned how to use digital writing tools such as Adobe Spark, Sutori, ThingLink, and Zbib. Educators had the opportunity to lead a webinar showcasing the instructional unit that they developed.

    Contact: Troy Hicks and Rebecca Bush

    Regional Center Pilot

    The focus of this project, awarded to the Michigan Council for the Social Studies (MCSS), was to increase the awareness and use of the Library of Congress web resources by teachers and media specialists in the Oakland School District. Teachers and media specialists were trained during a three-day workshop to effectively use primary sources from the website, as well as create lesson plans that can be incorporated into the Michigan curriculum.

    Contact: Anthony Salciccioli

    Oakland Schools & MCSS

    Teaching with Primary Sources Workshop

    The focus of this project, awarded to the Michigan Council for the Social Studies, was to increase the awareness and use of the Library of Congress web resources by teachers and media specialists in the Oakland School District. These educators were trained during a three-day workshop to effectively use primary sources from the Library's website, as well as create lesson plans that can be incorporated into the Michigan curriculum.

    Contact: Anthony Salciccioli

  • Little Traverse History Museum

    Creating Teacher Leaders: Teaching Reading, Writing and Critical Thinking with Primary Sources

    This year-long institute was a collaborative effort with the Little Traverse Historical Museum, Top of the Mitt Writing Project (a site of the National Writing Project), and Regions 7 and 10 of the Michigan Council of Teachers of English. With engaging lesson models and access to primary sources, collaborative teams from seven public school districts created and shared their own context-specific lesson plans that required close reading, critical thinking, and composing in multiple genres. The participating teacher teams wrote lesson plans using primary sources and the Primary Sources Analysis Tool from the Library of Congress. The lesson plans were published for shared access via the museum's website. Embracing the role of leaders within their own districts, teams of teachers were supported in developing their own professional development sessions to present to staff and school boards in their home districts.

    Contact: Jane Garver

  • The Regents of the University of Michigan

    The Historical Writing Project: Developing Capacity so Students Can Meet the Challenge of the C3 and CCSS

    This project, which was awarded to the Regents of the University of Michigan in order to provide professional development for the social studies department at Scarlett Middle School, focused on supporting students' historical thinking and argument writing. Teachers learned to teach with primary sources, as well as find and select primary sources to be used in instruction. The project team developed authentic primary source-based writing tasks that supported historical thinking and argument writing. These tasks presented primary sources from the Library of Congress website to students as they explored historical questions and constructed written evidence-based interpretations.

    Contact: Chauncey Monte-Sano

  • Livonia Public Schools

    Teaching with Primary Sources Workshop

    This project trained 7th- and 8th-grade social studies educators from Livonia Public Schools. They participated in a four-day seminar that was designed to give them a working knowledge of how to teach with primary sources using the Teaching with Primary Sources program and the American Memory website of the Library of Congress.

    Contact: David Hales

  • Michigan Council for History Education (MCHE)

    Copper Country ISD & MCHE (2012)

    Teaching with Primary Sources Workshop

    This grant, awarded to Copper Country Intermediate School District, increased the awareness of Michigan teachers and media specialists about using web resources from the Library of Congress. Recruitment for the project focused on the underserved areas of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, nearby northwestern Wisconsin, and northern Minnesota. During a three-day seminar, workshop participants were acquainted with the Teaching with Primary Sources program of the Library of Congress. They created lesson plans appropriate for use with the Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations for grades 4, 5, 8, and high school. Participants continued to make presentations using these resources at professional development conferences, including the Michigan Council for History Education (MCHE), the Michigan Association for Media in Education, and the Michigan Council for the Social Studies (MCSS).

    Wayne RESA & MCHE (2012)

    Teaching with Primary Sources Workshop

    The Michigan Council for History Education (MCHE) worked with Wayne Regional Education Service Agency (Wayne RESA) to increase Michigan teachers’ awareness and use of the Library of Congress website, specifically the American Memory materials. This project, the third of its variety, sought to meet the demand of even more educators that were not able to attend the original two grants provided in 2008 and 2010. This project recruited social studies educators and media specialists to participate in a four-day seminar designed to fully acquaint them with the Teaching with Primary Sources program, using the Library's American Memory website. The participants created lesson plans that were appropriate for use with the Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations for grades 5, 8, and high school. Participants continued to make presentations using these resources at professional development conferences, including the MCHE and the Michigan Council for the Social Studies (MCSS).

    Kent ISD & MCHE (2012)

    Teaching with Primary Sources Workshop

    The Michigan Council for History Education (MCHE) worked with Kent Intermediate School District to increase Michigan teachers’ awareness and use of the Library of Congress website, specifically the American Memory materials. Social studies educators and media specialists from the elementary, middle, and high school levels participated in a four-day seminar that fully acquainted them with the Teaching with Primary Sources program. The participants created lesson plans that were used with the Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations for grades 5, 8, and high school. Participants continued to make presentations using these resources at professional development conferences, including the MCHE and the Michigan Council for the Social Studies (MCSS).

    Wright Museum, Wayne RESA, & MCHE (2012)

    Underground Railroad Experience Using Primary Sources from the Library of Congress Website

    The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History (Wright Museum), Wayne Regional Education Service Agency (Wayne RESA), and the Michigan Council for History Education (MCHE) identified a group of highly trained individuals to work collaboratively in creating twelve lessons using resources from the Library of Congress related to the Underground Railroad experience. The lessons were appropriate for use by the Wright Museum and conformed to the Social Studies Content Expectations of the Michigan State Board of Education. Participants continued to make presentations using these resources at professional development conferences, including the MCHE and the Michigan Council for the Social Studies (MCSS).

    Contact: Jim McConnell

    Eastern Upper Peninsula ISD, Copper Country ISD, & MCHE (2011)

    Teaching with Primary Sources Workshop

    The Michigan Council for History Education (MCHE), in cooperation with the Eastern Upper Peninsula Intermediate School District and the Copper Country Intermediate School District, helped teachers and media specialists use the vast collection of digitalized primary sources of the Library of Congress to enrich their classroom instruction. During a three-day professional development workshop, these educators developed lesson plans appropriate for use with Michigan Grade Level and High School Content Expectations. Participants also presented at various professional development conferences.

    Contact: Carla Strome

    Macomb ISD & MCHE (2011)

    Teaching with Primary Sources Workshop

    The Michigan Council for History Education (MCHE) teamed up with the Macomb Intermediate School District to recruit educators and media specialists to participate in a four-day workshop during which they utilized the American Memory website of the Library of Congress. Participants produced high-quality lesson plans for facilitating the Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations using the Teaching with Primary Sources materials. Participants then presented these lesson plans at professional development conferences throughout the state. These lessons were available in print and web form.

    Wayne RESA & MCHE (2010)

    Teaching with Primary Sources Workshop

    The Michigan Council for History Education (MCHE) worked with Wayne Regional Education Service Agency (Wayne RESA) to increase Michigan teachers’ awareness and use of the Library of Congress website, specifically the American Memory materials. This project recruited social studies educators and media specialists to participate in a four-day seminar designed to fully acquaint them with the Teaching with Primary Sources program, using the Library's American Memory website. Providing printed and bound professional development guides, this project sought to reach individuals that were unable to attend the previous workshop in 2008. The participants created lesson plans that were appropriate for use with the Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations for grades 5, 8, and high school. Participants continued to make presentations using these resources at professional development conferences, including the MCHE, the Michigan Association of Media Edcators (MAME), and the Michigan Council for the Social Studies (MCSS).

    Genesee ISD & MCHE (2009)

    Teaching with Primary Sources Workshop

    This award was given jointly to the Michigan Council for History Education (MCHE) and Genesee Intermediate School District. The goal of the project was to acquaint social studies teachers and media specialists with the use of primary sources and the American Memory collection from the Library of Congress. These educators took part in a four-day seminar to learn how to incorporate primary sources into instruction and produce lesson plans that were appropriate for use with the newly adopted Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations.

    Contact: Jim McConnell

    Wayne RESA & MCHE (2008)

    Teaching with Primary Sources Workshop

    This award was a joint effort by the Michigan Council for History Education (MCHE) and the Wayne Regional Education Service Agency (Wayne RESA) to provide professional development for social studies educators and media specialists during a four-day summer institute. The goals of this institute were to fully acquaint participants with the Library of Congress website so they could create lesson plans to facilitate the newly adopted Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations for grades 5, 8, and high school. These lesson plans were disseminated on several websites and highlighted during a number of presentations at statewide conferences.

    Contact: David Hales

  • Eastern Michigan University

    The Arsenal for Democracy: Teaching World War II with Oral Histories and Primary Documents from the Library of Congress

    The goal of this project, run by Eastern Michigan University, was to provide a three-day professional development workshop for in-service educators, university social studies methods professors, and staff at the Yankee Air Museum. The workshop provided a varied program of demonstrations, lectures, document analysis, independent research, and group work that introduced teachers to the resources at the Library of Congress. Each participant was responsible for lesson plans that were distributed on the Yankee Air Museum website, as well as an oral history that was held at the Yankee Air Museum and then sent to the Library.

    Contact: Brigid Beaubien