The Learning Page
http://learning.loc.gov/learn/
The Learning Page is a companion Web site
to American Memory. It is designed to help
educators and students become more familiar with
the American Memory collections and their
relevance to U.S. history and culture. The Learning
Page is comprised of the following sections:
·
Orientationa quick overview of the Learning
Page and how to get started finding materials
within American Memory. Here you'll find easy-to-use subject lists organized by events,
people, places, time, and topics, guidance in search vocabulary, and search tips.
·
Featuresfun and interactive essays that use materials from several American Memory
collections to illustrate themes and topics familiar to a K-12 school audience. Features
are not intended to be comprehensive, but rather to provide materials and starting points
for exploration. Current features focus on elections, inaugurations, immigration,
inventors and inventions, thanksgiving, and women pioneers.
· Collectionshere, you'll find documents that provide an overview of an American Memory
collection and the historical themes reflected in it. Items from the collection and search
suggestions appear throughout, as do questions
and activity ideas for building critical thinking
skills in the use of primary sources.
·
Activitiesfun student exercises for building
critical thinking skills while learning about
history. For example, students will enjoy the
Big Picture jigsaw puzzle and the Inventors &
Invention treasure hunt.
·
Lessonsguidance on using American Memory collections with specific learning objectives.
Teachers will find many useful suggestions and lesson plans including "Historians'
Sources." This lesson plan provides teacher materials and student activities that explore
how to use primary sources in general; it is an excellent launching pad for using any of
the American Memory collections.
·
Educatorsinformation about the National Digital Library Program (NDLP) and its outreach
to K-12 teachers, media specialists, and technology and curriculum coordinators. Here
you will find information on professional development opportunities and special
programs sponsored by the NDLP.
·
Resources
a variety of information, from help with copyright and citing electronic sources to
technical tips on using the American Memory collections. Also available is a directory of
links to other Web sites pertaining to history and social studies.
