August 23, 2012
The current issue of the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) Journal focuses on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and how the inclusion of “primary sources can support teaching to meet the standards.” The Library of Congress describes primary sources as the “raw materials of history” and provides teachers with authentic materials, such as government documents, photographs, newspapers, film, and economic data that expands teacher resources and can hone students’ critical thinking skills. The issue outlines ways to use the Common Core by grade level and includes sample learning activities that educators can use to align their own lessons and curriculum to the CCSS. The TPS Journal also profiled library media specialist, Joyce Mason of Pennsylvania, who discusses using primary sources as an effective means to aligning her lessons to the Common Core.
