The Library of Congress and American Memory:
A Primary Resource for Unit Design

Scott Durham and Gigi Lincoln
Project TIME Professional Development
July 11-12, 2001

The purpose of this workshop is to introduce our colleagues to the unique resources of the American Memory historical collections and to assist them in incorporating primary source material into meaningful instructional units. Throughout the workshop, we will include some illustrative examples drawn from our own World War I American Memory lesson and from the rich heritage of the African-American experience. This workshop was first offered on the occasion of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr..

1. The Library of Congress web site offers card catalog access, legislative information from THOMAS, virtual exhibitions and a link to over one million digitized items in the American Memory historical collections.
2. American Memory Gallery
   • Select an item that appeals to you - perhaps something related to your professional or personal interests. After you have chosen and sampled this item, make a few notes about the primary source investigated.
   • Which item did you select and why?
   • Mention the collection that supplied your sampled item.
3. Treasure Hunt
   • Follow the link to one specific URL.
   • Record your answer to the activity question.
   • Go to the home page of the collection you used for this question. What is the title of this collection and its general scope?
4. Primary Sources can literally bring history alive for students.
   • View the photograph of Ypres, Belgium, 1919.
   • Examine this source more closely using the Primary Source Analysis Sheet.

1. The List of All American Memory Collections can be browsed..
   • Click on "Show descriptions".
   • Use your Internet browser’s "edit find" tool to locate Civil War collections. Name three relevant collections. Cite one special presentation associated with a collection.
2. Collection Finder can be used to identify collections that focus on particular topics, format, time period or place.
   • Click on Manuscripts. Enter A. Philip Randolph and Washington march as search terms. Click to view the item. Expand the image. The proposed march would bring freedom from what three obstacles? 
   • Search under Sheet Music. Locate the item "In the days of old black Joe". What information about African Americans and their lives does the sheet music convey?
3. Search all collections or a specific collection. Pull down menus let you specify "exact phrase" and number of records to be returned.
   • Use Croix de Guerre as your search term. Retrieve a relevant newspaper article. What words are used to describe the soldier's bravery?
   • Search for material about Sojourner Truth. Select Narrative of Sojourner Truth from the collection Upper Midwest Books. Click to see full text of document. From Table of Contents, choose "From Battle Creek Papers". What local names and places do you notice?
4. Today in History Archive has a valuable archive search feature.
   • Find a date where material is available about James Baldwin.
   • Which date has an overview of Plessy v. Ferguson?

1. Why might a particular primary source be interesting for students to examine?
2. What type of classroom activities involving primary sources might be engaging for students?
3. How have you found the experience of searching in American Memory? Have there been surprises or obstacles?
4. American Memory has been described as an archive, not an encyclopedia or homogenized, easy-to-read textbook. Could this cause frustration for students?

1. Click on getting started and then How to Search. Use Pathfinders to associate events, people, places, time and topics with collections.
   • Under topics, which collections are suggested for the Depression?
   • Go to places. Name two collections suggested for Spain.
2. Select features & activities to view presentations that bring together items from across the collections.
   • Examine the American Memory Timeline. Go the section on Postwar United States, subsection on The Presidential Election of 1960.
   • What poem did Frost read at the Kennedy inauguration? Does this poem suggest how Frost regarded JFK?
3. The collection connections link gives a summary of content and suggestions for classroom use.
   • How might you use the Jackie Robinson and Baseball Highlights collection in the context of US History?
   • Give a possible use for the Mapping the National Parks collection as related to Language Arts.
4. Lesson plans offer teacher-created and classroom-tested curriculum materials and guides for using primary sources.

1. Browse The List of All American Memory Collections. Use the Collection Finder or Pathfinders to get a general feel for the scope of American Memory. Is there a collection that has a tie-in to your curriculum?
2. Consider the topics of already formulated lessons listed on the Learning Page. Could an existing lesson be modified to meet a curricular need?
3. Review your course syllabus. Is there a unit of study that could be enriched through the inclusion of primary source material?
4. Think small! Look at some Quick Ideas and Lessons generated by other educators in a workshop setting.
5. Write a brief overview of a potential lesson which you might develop using American Memory and Unit Design. Mention possible primary sources that would be incorporated into your lesson.
6. Share your initial proposal with workshop members.

1. Consider the historical topic or theme which you have selected. What enduring understandings might you choose as the foundation for the development of your unit? Use the following four filters suggested by the Wiggins/McTighe model to help determine enduring understandings. Decide to what extent the idea, topic or process
   • represents a big idea having enduring understanding beyond the classroom
   • resides at the heart of the discipline
   • requires uncoverage
   • offers potential for engaging students
2. List the essential questions that will guide your unit and focus teaching and learning.
3. Identify the curriculum standards and benchmarks to be achieved by the end of the unit.
4. State the key knowledge and skills that students will acquire as a result of the unit. Tasks 1-4 follow pages 1-2 of the Battle Creek Schools Area Unit Design Template.
5. Give workshop members a brief summary of your progress in completing the first portion of the Unit Design Template.
6. Determine acceptable evidence that will let you know if students have achieved desired results and met standards.
   • Select a performance task or project that will assess enduring understanding. Refer to the Performance Task-Idea Generator handout for suggestions.
   • Keep in mind that understanding (learning) occurs when students are able to explain, interpret, apply, have perspective, empathize and have self-knowledge.
7. Indicate what ongoing evidence will be used to gauge understanding (quizzes, tests, prompts, work samples, observations, dialogues, student self-assessments).
8. Plan learning experiences and instruction by noting
   • sequence or timeline of learning concepts
   • activities students will engage in
   • instructional strategies the teacher will use
   • resources needed for the unit (including American Memory collections)
9. Write a brief summary or overview of the unit.
10. Provide feedback by filling out the American Memory User Survey online.

Please contact us with any questions or comments as you begin to integrate American Memory online resources into your curriculum and use the Unit Design model. Send an email to sdurham@bc-lakeview.k12.mi.us or mlincoln@bc-lakeview.k12.mi.us.