UFT Teacher Center has been chosen by the Library of Congress as the New York State consortium member for Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS). This federally funded program fosters collaborations between the Library of Congress (LOC) and the educational community. The TPS program’s cornerstone is resource-based professional development in the classroom and on-line.

Developing Information Literacy Using Library of Congress Resources
Use on-line primary sources, i.e., photographs, documents, video, audio and graphics. Help students relate to events of the past and promote a deeper understanding of history. Use probing questions, model analysis and reflection as part of inquiry. Explore the teacher resources at the Library of Congress Web site.
http://www.loc.gov

Making Primary Resources Accessible to All Students
Examine instructional strategies and other supports to facilitate inquiry-based learning for students. Select materials and construct lessons to accommodate varied ability levels, interests and learning profiles. Use a variety of formats and tiered assignments to scaffold learning.
http://www.loc.gov/teachers

Promoting Critical Thinking
Explore the use of multiple types of primary sources to enhance academic rigor and build students' critical thinking skills for the 21st Century. Question the creator's bias, purpose and point of view to challenge students' assumptions. Use prior knowledge and work with multiple primary sources to move from concrete observations and facts to questioning and making inferences.
http://loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/lessons

For more information
E-mail: loc@ufttc.org