Nebraska
Nebraska Department of Education
Utilizing Library of Congress Digital Resources to Teach About Historical Controversies
This project by the Nebraska Department of Education was a statewide effort that trained a cohort of teachers from every Educational Service Unit in Nebraska to demonstrate how primary sources support discussions of controversial topics. Participants created primary source lessons that helped students connect the Library’s primary source documents to service learning opportunities.
Contact: Harris Payne
Professional Development Grant for Teachers in Nebraska
This grant, awarded to the Nebraska Department of Education, was one of the multi-state projects submitted by members of the Social Studies Assessment, Curriculum, and Instruction collaborative of the Chief Council of State School Officers (CCSSO). It was designed to provide several one-day professional development workshops to social studies teachers. The participants were introduced to the framework of 21st-century learning and the use of resources from the Library of Congress. Participants gained hands-on experience in creating documentaries using Microsoft Moviemaker and Digital Docs in a Box. Each participant also developed and implemented a lesson plan that incorporated newly developed knowledge and skills.
Contact: Larry Starr
Nebraska Wesleyan University
Integrating Library of Congress Digital Resources for Historical Thinking in a 1:1 Classroom Environment
This project, awarded to Nebraska Wesleyan University, made it possible for the university to work with Lincoln Public School District's history, geography, civics, and government and politics teachers and helped them integrate Library of Congress resources into a 1:1 learning environment. The project conducted two week-long summer workshops for teachers.
Contact: Kevin Bower
Board of Regents, University of Nebraska, and University of Nebraska Omaha
Managing Collections Course Workshop
The curriculum for the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) Managing Collections course was modified to include a Teaching with Primary Sources component. Candidates developed a topic, primary source set, source analysis, and final project that was presented in a school library environment for Grades K–12. The UNO Library Science Education Program candidates became familiar with the breadth and organization of digital primary sources from the Library of Congress, understood their instructional value, and increased instructional use of the Library’s resources with K–12 students through inquiry-based learning experiences.
Contact: Bridgett Kratt
Lincoln Public Schools
Connecting History Instruction with Primary Sources – CHIPS
This grant, awarded to Lincoln Public Schools, focused on integrating digital resources from the Library of Congress into their districtwide initiative to implement historical thinking in all social studies classrooms in Grades K–12. This was accomplished by making the Library's digital resources the core of three separate professional development courses offered to teachers during the summer. The district’s evaluation specialist conducted research during the fall to measure the use of the Library's resources and assess the efficacy of the pedagogical tools teachers utilized to deliver the content.
Contact: J.P. Caruso