THE SOURCE BLOG

Hitting the ground running...

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:55:00 +0000

2013 is off to a fast and furious start of workshops and presentations, but TPS EIU would have it no other way!

The application deadline for the 2013 Summer Teacher Institutes at the Library of Congress is Monday, February 4! If you are planning a trip to DC or are looking for something new for the coming summer, I encourage you to check these out! Travel to DC can be affordable if you plan early and you will have the opportunity to work with amazing people at the Library of Congress and meet peers from across the country. Learn more at http://www.loc.gov/teachers/professionaldevelopment/teacherinstitute/.

On Thursday, February 7, Cindy is presenting Eyewitness to the Struggle for Change: Teaching With Primary Sources at the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center in conjunction with the exhibit Courage: The Vision to End Segregation, the Guts to Fight For It. We are fortunate to have several respected museums and facilities in Illinois. While we may not be able to take our students to these sites, many offer opportunities for teachers to learn about their sites and resources that can be brought to the classroom electronically.

In coming weeks we will announce Summer 2013 plans for TPS EIU.

TPS EIU Update Nov. 2012

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 19:00:00 +0000

RESOURCES
The December 2012 issue of The Source is now available. Our topic for December is Diaries.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Remember that you can always find current information about professional development events on our homepage at www.eiu.edu/eiutps.

TPS EIU in Action and TPS EIU Jump-Start! We are now offering our hands-on professional development project that combines research, exploration, collaboration and authentic application at your local site, but with two options for scheduling. TPS EIU in Action allows teachers to participate in the program over six to twelve weeks. TPS EIU Jump-Start packs the program into four intense weeks with more independent work expected. Check them out and contact us!!

2013 SPECIAL EVENT!
If you are able to travel to the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie, Illinois in February, please join us for a packed day of professional development. Eyewitness to the Struggle for Change: Teaching with Primary Sources at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center (Skokie, IL)Thursday, February 7, 2013,9:00 am - 2:30 pm 5 CPDU Cost $20.00

In conjunction with the exhibit Courage: The Vision to End Segregation, the Guts to Fight For It, The IHMEC in partnership with Dr. Cindy Rich from the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources program at Eastern Illinois University will explore the stages of the fight for equal educaiton, The Supreme Court argument, and the events that followed. The workshop will provide an opportunity for participants to engage in inquiry learning through the study of primary sources available from the exhibit and Library of Congress and to experience first-hand accounts of individuals who were embedded in the movement and experienced the aftermath. We will study photographs, documents, cartoons, audio, video, and more, and discuss how these events relate to other historic civil rights struggles and those occurring today. Register online.

Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass)

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 15:58:00 +0000

November 9, 1938

German synagogues and Jewish businesses were destroyed on Kristallnacht, or "The Night of Broken Glass". Although there are limited primary sources available from the Library of Congress that are directly related to Kristallnacht, some resources can be located for the days and events leading to this night and following. Be sure to look for additional resources and information at trustworthy sites such as the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center.

Berlin Jewish shop owners and wreckage. 1938 Nov. 10.Prints and Photographs Division. Library of Congress.

Want to learn more?

1. Teaching the Holocaust with Primary Sources themed resource site. This site is organized much like our other themed resources. The sections and their contents include, an introduction (Nuremberg Race Laws, Kristallnacht, Ghettos, Concentration Camps and individuals highlighted in Righteous Among Nations), links to Library of Congress resources, primary source and analysis tool information and a primary source set.

2. The Source is our monthly themed publication. The October 2012 issue focuses on the Holocaust with more information that supports our themed resource.

3. TPS EIU is thrilled to collaborate with the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center to present Eyewitness to the Struggle for Change: Teaching With Primary Sources. This workshop for teachers will be held Thursday, 2/7/13 at the IHMEC in Skokie, IL.

Common Core State Standards and Library of Congress Teacher Resources

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 17:39:00 +0000

The Library of Congress Teachers Page has incorporated the Common Core State Standards into their teacher resources. From the Teaching with the Library of Congress blog announced yesterday that we are now able to search for materials based on CCSS. The Search by Standards option has been in place for a couple of years and results are presented exactly the same. If you are looking at a specific lesson plan, instead of a list of standards you are now able to search for the aligned CCSS as well.

I haven't had the opportunity to explore this yet, but I did want to share the new feature with you. Please feel free to share your thoughts as Melissa and I are trying to learn about the CCSS and how we can improve TPS EIU to support teachers in the classroom.

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 17:45:00 +0000

Researching the Holocaust

Following a 2012 visit to the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, the staff at TPS EIU began researching the Library of Congress website for relevant resources to support educators as they teach about the Holocaust. The topic of the Holocaust is very broad, so we chose to offer a glimpse at resources on a variety of topics. There are a limited number of items on this topic found at www.loc.gov, but other institutions and museums offer access to primary sources as well. We encourage you to explore.

We are sharing our research in three ways.

2. The Source is our monthly themed publication. The October 2012 issue focuses on the Holocaust with more information that supports our themed resource.

Props to the TPS Journal (Quarterly)!

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 17:01:00 +0000

A recent post on the blog History Tech brings new attention to a past issue of the Library of Congress' Teaching with Primary Sources publication, the TPS Journal. I hope that you will check out the post which highlights the inquiry learning issue.

Although I am biased (I am on the editorial team), I encourage you to take a look at the TPS Journal. Each issue has a theme drawn for a pedagogical topic that is being discussed in schools now. You will find an informative feature article, resources for research and current thinking and classroom activity ideas.

Let's stay in touch!

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 18:11:00 +0000

WANT TO STAY IN TOUCH?

As in the past, we promise that you will only receive one email from us each month that will introduce the topic of the newest issue of "The Source" (formerly our newsletter). Within that email we will share announcements and opportunities that may be beneficial to you. You are welcome to forward these emails to colleagues. We are currently updating our subscription link and hope to have it operational soon so more teachers can be added to our contact list!

Please consider subscribing to this blog - THE SOURCE BLOG: Teaching with Primary Sources at Eastern Illinois University News. Posts are brief and informal, but you have our word that the information shared is valuable and relevant. Check it out and encourage colleagues to join the conversation and receive updates via RSS feed or email.

Do you like podcasts? Cindy will continue to be part of TechTalk4Teacher podcasts with Dr. Tom Grissom, of the EIU Instructional Technology Center. The podcasts address technology in various forms, from hardware and software to cool resources available online - with special attention paid to the Library of Congress, of course. This month we chat about a Technology Triage to start the school year, the National Book Festival and artifacts relating to the national political conventions. Check it out at http://techtalk4teachers.blogspot.com/.

NEWS

The first issue of our newsletter, The Source, is now online at and focuses on the Olympics. Take a look for interesting information and examples of Library of Congress digitized primary sources and resources available. The archived list of past issues is always available at the bottom of The Source page.

On October 5, TPS EIU is partnering with the Eastern Illinois Writing Project for a free professional development event titled "Creative Teaching that Meets the Standards: Reading and Writing Throughout the Curriculum". Dr. Tim Shanahan of the UIC Center for Literacy and author of the Shanahan on Literacy Blog will provide the keynote address followed by breakout sessions with classroom teachers. Registration information will be posted on the EIWP website at http://www.eiu.edu/~easternnwp.

As always, please contact us with any questions or comments, have a fabulous school year and we hope to see you soon!

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 20:26:00 +0000

Where did the summer go?
All of us are busy preparing for the upcoming school year. Is there anything more exciting than the optimism that comes with the first day of classes? I love it! Regardless of whether the students are entering kindergarten or the EIU campus, the thrill of a new beginning is everywhere. Soak it up and create those primary sources, folks!

The latest Teaching with the Library of Congress blog post is called "Preserving Today's Primary Sources for Tomorrow's Research". This is a program that TPS EIU and Charleston High School participated in for three years. Take a look at what web resources were selected by students for archiving.

TPS EIU had a wonderful summer, full of professional development activities with amazing teachers from throughout east central Illinois. If you weren't able to join us this year, we hope to see you during the 2012-2013 school year at your school, or maybe at our cooperative venture with the EIU National Writing Project in October or other local conferences. Events and opportunities will be posted on our website and on this blog.

Have a wonderful week!
Cindy

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:34:00 +0000

Where can you find a corset for 49 cents and a 3/4 length mink coat for $110?

During the past few weeks I have found myself spending more and more time on the Chronicling America website. Looking at old newspapers often leads to fun discoveries. This ad from the Minneapolis Journal, September 4, 1905 by the Evans, Johnson, Sloane Company offers a sale "that has never had an equal". The interactive features of Chronicling America let you zoom into a specific paragraph to read text or print the image.

NEW on TPS EIU!! Top Topics - We often research topics for presentations and hate to waste those folders of bookmarks on our computers, so we are sharing them with you! This is an eclectic, no-frills collection of topics and links.

Podcast - The March 31 TechTalk4Teachers shares conversation between Cindy and Tom about new and old as we discuss the Titanic and Civil War. We talk about new research and information being discovered like the recent identification of a soldier in a civil war photograph and James Cameron's research on the ocean floor and where to find historic documents and images. Check it out! http://techtalk4teachers.blogspot.com/
Cindy

Bill of Rights Resources, Summer 2012 and more Railway Post Office info

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:43:00 +0000

The new issue of The Source is available. Fueled by feedback for The Constitution issue we are focusing on the Bill of Rights. Melissa, editor of The Source, has collected valuable information and resources providing alternative ways to present material and engage diverse learners. We would love to hear your idea for a theme, please share!

Summer Institutes

Thanks to great participants, EIU TPS Summer Institutes are some of our favorite events. The casual tone and interactions between teachers from different schools and disciplines energize us as we undertake a heaving schedule of professional dialogue, interaction with primary sources, presentations by experts, research and curriculum design. I believe TPS EIU alumni would agree that while we work diligently during sessions and there is homework, it is a positive experience that is worth the commitment.

We are working on some exciting new ideas! On March 1^st we will post all TPS EIU summer events on our homepage. Each event will have limited enrollment, so sign up early! Jot “TPS EIU” on 3/1/12 of your calendar!

Cool Resource

Anyone who works with TPS EIU knows about my fondness for the Railway Post Office (RPO) and clerks from the Constant Motion project. The National Postal Museum has launched a site of resources based on Owney the Railway Mail Service Mascot. Although the RPO is not specifically identified in learning standards, the stories of clerks and Owney provide a new way to approach topics like transportation, community development, geography, economics, communication and more. There are interactive applications and fabulous resources for classrooms. (Including a few links to TPS EIU.)

This pick includes TWO of my favorite things - the RPO and Trace Adkins. Download a free children’s eBook and iPad app narrated by Mr. Adkins. “The adventures of Owney, a scruffy mutt who became the unofficial Railway Post Office mascot in the 1890s, are narrated through contemporary eyes and based on primary sources with a dash of imagination” in Owney: Tales from the Rails.

~ Cindy

Veterans History Project Launches Effort to Collect Vietnam War Stories

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:15:00 +0000

Because the Library of Congress is always working to collect and share valuable resources for educators, it is very exciting to read that they are reaching out to collect stories from Vietnam War veterans for the Veterans History Project. This will broaden the breadth of information available to teach social issues across multiple decades, geographic areas and battles.

Learn more at http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2012/12-027.html.

Some of my favorite primary sources within VHP are found in Experiencing War. Scroll to the bottom of the page and check out the topics under VIEW PREVIOUS RELEASES. Looking at the items within Sweethearts, Buddies, Family Ties and Prisoners of War made me consider war in a new way.

Cindy

Safe and Happy Holiday Wishes to You

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 22:39:00 +0000

Merry Christmas to you and yours during this joyous season. We hope you make many new wonderful memories and enjoy reminiscing while sharing pictures and artifacts from your past.

Before you wrap things up for the winter break we invite you to take a look at the newest issue of The Source. This month we are specifically looking at The Confederacy. Our next issues will focus on The Constitution as we strive to create resources that support teaching with primary sources.

Best wishes and safe travels,
Cindy and Melissa

To make it any easier they would have to come to your house and tell you...

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 19:41:00 +0000

As I prepared for recording the TPS EIU guest spot "Sharing Historical Media via New Social Media" on the TechTalk4Teachers podcast I was STUNNED by the social media outreach offered by the Library of Congress. If you are out of the loop - you have no one to blame but yourself! The Library offers Blogs, Podcasts and RSS/EMail Feeds. But those of us who love the new technology delivering bite-sized morsels, the Library can can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr! There is even a Mobile App.It can all be found by following the Connect with the Library link at the bottom of each page or visiting http://www.loc.gov/homepage/connect.html.

Now no one should ever again see me and say "Dang, I just taught (insert topic here) and I forgot to look at the Library of Congress for materials." GO GET IT, PEOPLE!!!
Cindy

Happy Thanksgiving and a new edition of The Source on Population

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:23:00 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving

The document to the left is a copy of Lincoln Thanksgiving Proclamation, Oct. 3, 1863 (images 735-736).

Remember that you can find a Thanksgiving Primary Source Set on the Library of CongressTeachers Page. These sets of include select primary sources on specific topics, available as easy-to-print PDFs. Also, background information, teaching ideas, and tools to guide student analysis.

Population is the theme of the November 2011 edition of The Source. Primary sources are a wonderful tool to encourage students to explore the changes in our country and the world. Atlases, census documents and resources from communities offer a unique glimpse into day to day life and the information gathered at that time. If you are an alumni of TPS EIU you know that the Immigration special presentation from the Teachers Page is one of my favorites. The message offered when you click the globe for each ethnic population is powerful as we watch the dots appear at ports of entry and then see the Native American's diminishing lands.

We hope you have a safe and happy holiday and make new family memories for YOUR primary source collection.

Cindy

A Heartfelt Thank You to Veterans

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 20:12:00 +0000

I'm humbled when speaking to veterans who sacrificed to serve our country. It never crossed my mind to postpone school, time with family or friends and comforts of home to join the military. I have an enormous amount of respect and gratitude for the men and women who did and still do. I know families with loved ones that returned scarred inside and/or out. I know families that have folded flags. As a mother I ache for them. I feel that the only thing I deserve is to say "thank you".

As educators we try to share information with students that helps them understand that military actions across time and place are more than simply names and dates to memorize. Primary sources of veterans are priceless tools to empower student learning through personal, diverse and unique perspectives. Many teachers use the Library of Congress Veterans History Project for resources. You want to bookmark this site for artifacts and interviews provided by veterans. Learn how to develop a project in your community. My favorite part? The stories of Experiencing War (yellow circle on image) are amazing. NOTE: Scroll to the bottom of the page for 40+ amazing categories such as Life Altering Moments, Buddies or Military Intel: In Harm's Way.

TPS EIU is reaching out...

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 19:40:00 +0000

Remember... TPS EIU is here for YOU! In an attempt to stay in touch with busy educators we will continue to develop our website, present and provide workshops at schools. We are also trying our hand at some new tools.

www.eiu.edu/eiutps - between 09/24/11 and 10/24/11 our site averaged 528 pageviews and 289 unique visitors EACH DAY! Our first thought was "cool" which then turned to "oh my gosh, we need to step up our game!" This motivates us to keep content fresh and provide educators with tools they need.
Blog - since you are already here we hope that you will subscribe and news will be sent to your RSS feed or email. You can do this using the tools on the right side of this page.
The Source - previously called our newsletter, this publication will continue to have a central theme and showcase resources and ideas for your classroom. What do you really know about MONUMENTS? Take a look at the newest issue and you might be surprised and learn something new.
TechTalk4Teachers Podcast - Dr. Tom Grissom (EIU ITC) has graciously allowed us to record a brief "guest segment" within his monthly podcast and discuss classroom applications of Library of Congress primary sources. Check them out!
Conferences and Presentations - (okay, this isn't new) We love the opportunity to introduce Teaching with Primary Sources to new audiences and will post information about presentations we give.

Have a wonderful week and keep making history!
Cindy

A new title for an old pal...

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 17:04:00 +0000

Although this blog isn't officially published yet I am posting for the archives when we go live. :)

It suddenly clicked with Melissa and myself that our newsletter wasn't a newsletter at all. Our goal is that it be a source of information and (hopefully) inspiration for incorporating Library of Congress resources into the classroom. So during our annual "renovation" of this publication we lovingly gave it a new name ...drum roll please.....THE SOURCE. (sound vaguely familiar?)

New issues will be published each month starting with Military Medicine. From this link you can visit the html version or download and print a pdf of the full version or text only for those trying to cut printing costs.

Military Medicine is a fascinating topic that crosses discipline boarders by blending history with science, geography, politics, women's history, health and more. The harsh images and statistics may be the hook to attract some students, but changes in medical practices and care of wounded soldiers will keep learners engaged and longing to learn more. Of course, the Library of Congress provides primary sources and resources spanning centuries and miles.

~~ Cindy

Welcome to THE SOURCE

noreply@blogger.com (CWR) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 20:43:00 +0000

Welcome to THE SOURCE: Teaching with Primary Sources at Eastern Illinois University News. Our new blog allows us to quickly share news about and links to resources, coming events and changes to educational materials important to those of us who recognize the benefits of teaching with digitized primary sources from the collections of the Library of Congress. Posts will be brief and informal, but you have our word that the information shared will be valuable and relevant. Please subscribe to THE SOURCE and encourage colleagues to join the conversation and receive updates via RSS feed or email. Remember to visit our site at www.eiu.edu/eiutps. Thank you and come back soon!