Virginia Tech

Overview

The Teaching With Primary Sources Eastern Region Program at Waynesburg University developed the following brief tutorials for educators on how to search, retrieve, cite and use primary sources to support inquiry learning. The first six tutorials focus on Library of Congress features and tips for navigating. Tutorials 7-11 are teaching strategy examples for using primary sources in the classroom. The last tutorial introduces you to the TPS Teachers Network, an online community of educators who share their ideas and questions about TPS.

Introductory Video

The Library of Congress is a treasure house of American culture. Curators and experts from the Library staff describe the breadth and depth of the Library's collections and services in this video co-produced with the History Channel.

Library of Congress 2008 Visitor Orientation Film Title Screen

Read About It

Each tutorial will end with a Read About It section in which you will have the option to go directly to loc.gov to read an article or blog and explore a special library feature.

DO IT!

Try it out? Search for your own topics. Put on your student hat and actually complete the analysis tool or inquiry activity.

Write About It

Discuss the potential for this content or strategy in your field placement classrrom.

Get Started

When you are ready to start, go to the menu at the top of this page and click on "Teachers Page". That webpage will give you links to short videos and some online readings. At the bottom of the Tutorial Page you will see a section called Write About It that will suggest ways to reflect on and record what you have learned in the tutorial. Post your reflections on the Discussion Board in Canvas.

Contact: Teaching with Primary Sources Eastern Region directed by Barbara Kirby at Waynesburg University, Last updated January 2022 by Ann Canning.