Teaching with Primary Sources - MTSU

Funded by a grant from the Library of Congress, the Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) program at Middle Tennessee State University joined the national TPS Consortium in May 2008 and is administered by the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU. TPS-MTSU seeks to link current state-focused educational initiatives to larger national themes and to emphasize the student exploration of history, science, arts, and culture through the use of primary sources available from the Library of Congress.

TPS-MTSU offers a variety of in-person and virtual professional development. TPS-MTSU is also committed to creating educational materials such as lesson plans, primary source sets, and newsletters to support our program areas. The materials and resources found on our Web site were designed to meet Tennessee curriculum standards and were written by our staff and Tennessee educators.

Teachers can start exploring primary sources today on our Web site and at the Library of Congress Teachers Page.

Since 2020, TPS-MTSU has offered regular virtual workshops and presentations. These sessions are archived on our TPS-MTSU YouTube channel and can be viewed for PD credit. Click on the title above to access our channel and scroll through our library of PD videos.

WWII Home Front in TN_digital.pdf

World WAr II HOmefront in Tennessee

The World War II Home Front in Tennessee curriculum is organized into four units: New Deal Programs during WWII; Tennesseans at Home; Tennesseans at War; and Social, Economic, and Political Changes in Wartime and Post-War Tennessee. Each unit includes a historical overview designed to complement content within student textbooks and to provide needed context for the accompanying activities. Within each unit, primary source-driven activities incorporate inquiry along with social studies practices, such as developing historical and geographical awareness. Activities are accompanied by suggestions for how they can be differentiated for grade and ability levels, as each classroom environment presents unique challenges. Each unit also includes additional resources that will provide educators with information for related historic sites in the state; collections and supplemental materials from other archives, museums, and historical societies; and additional resources not included in the activities from the Library of Congress.

If you have questions about TPS-MTSU, please contact Kira Duke at kira.duke@mtsu.edu.