K-12 Teacher Courses

Classroom-based Training

Overview | Supporting Materials
Taxonomies: Skill-Centered | Research-Centered | Integrated Teaching

Class Four
Library of Congress - American Memory Photographs & Prints
(3 hours)

Edited By:
Beth Coulter, Ed.D., AAM Director (brcoulter@wcu.edu)
Western Carolina University
Amy Wilkinson, AAM Director (aisom@siue.edu)
Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville
Margo Tomaras, AAM Director (mtomaras@depaul.edu)
DePaul University

Pedagogy:

In class exercise:

• Why should I use photographs and prints in teaching and learning activities?
• How should I use photographs and prints in teaching and learning activities?

(Divide into teams of three and research, online, why and how you should use photographs and prints in teaching and learning. Each team reports on one "why" and one "how". A recorder enters these into a word processing program and projects for all to see. Copies of the findings will be distributed to each teacher for inclusion in their AAM notebooks). NOTE to instructor: make sure to stress the importance of citing sources. After teachers complete the above exercise, have them go to the web site below and read what the LOC has written about using images in the classroom.

• American Memory suggestions for using images in the classroom Library of Congress: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/primary.html

Technology Vocabulary:

• GIF, JPG, BMP, TIFF

In class exercise: Class discussion of what these letters mean. (NOTE to instructor: recommend having teachers go online and search for these and follow-up with a class discussion. It is also recommended that someone take notes and project the class' description of these extensions and that a paper copy be made and given to each teacher as a reminder.)

Resources:

• Library of Congress Photographs and Print
  
  In class exercise: Library of Congress Photographs and Prints Treasure Hunt (partner with someone that teaches the same grade level and/or subject that you do - no more than three to a team. Spend fifteen minutes exploring the resources in the Library of Congress - Photographs and Prints area.
  
• Printing images from the LOC (Library of Congress: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/start/tech/print.html )
• Linking & Bookmarking in American Memory (Library of Congress: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/start/tech/link.html )
• Saving Media in American Memory (Library of Congress: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/start/tech/save.html )
• Finding the real LOC primary source web address (Adventure of the American Mind: http://www.aamprogram.org/docs/loc_web_address.doc )
• Media Analysis Tools (Library of Congress: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/media.html )
  
  In class exercise: Library of Congress and AAM help tools (NOTE to instructor: have teachers work in five teams of and assign each team one of the above topics. Each team will be responsible for presenting their topic to the class).

Digital Cameras and the Classroom:

Discussion: How can we use digital cameras to support the concept of digital sources, Library of Congress digital sources, and teaching/learning activities?

In class exercise:

• Digital Camera operations (resources available at: http://www.aamprogram.org/pdfs/teacherWorkshops/digitalCameras.pdf
• Photo taking basics (resources available at: http://www.aamprogram.org/pdfs/teacherWorkshops/photoTakingBasics.pdf

(NOTE to instructor: Information about "Digital Storytelling" is available within the AAM Workshop modules if you wish to use this as a demonstrated use of digital cameras in the classroom - http://www.aamprogram.org/curriculum/k12_workshop_docs.aspx ).

Technology Tools:

• Computers
• Internet connections
• Digital Camera

Skills obtained:

Printing from the LOC, Linking and book marking, saving media from the LOC, finding hidden source code web addresses, digital camera operation, creation of a table.

HOMEWORK:

• Continue exploring the LOC photographs and images.
• Make a list of activities you could you use in your lesson plan that would incorporate the use of LOC photographs and images? Do these encourage higher order thinking skill development from your students?

An Adventure of the American Mind is made available through a Library of Congress grant funded by the U.S. Congress. AAM is administered through the Education and Research Consortium of the Western Carolinas Inc.
For site-related problems, e-mail aam@ercwc.org..