This album was created by a member of the TPS Teachers Network, a professional social media network for educators, funded by a grant from the Library of Congress. For more information, visit tpsteachersnetwork.org.

On the Home Front - a daily dose of primary sources

Album Description

As students (or teachers) are sequestered at home, give them a creative outlet that encourages them to explore and learn about primary sources in the Library of Congress.

Daily or as often as possible, have them reflect on an activity, object or feeling they have encountered during their day and take a photograph of that.  Then have them search the Photos, Prints, Drawings collections in the Library to find an image that corresponds.  They might start with the Free To Use collections: https://www.loc.gov/free-to-use/

They can also flip this process by starting with a primary source and then taking a photo of a corresponding item in their home or surroundings.

Next students upload the two images to a slide. They might use Keynote, PowerPoint or Google Slides, all can export a slide as an image.  They can share these on a class or school website or an approved social media site.

This will be good exercise to keep students connected and to personalize primary sources. And photography is fun!

In this album is my start.  All are welcome to jump in with your own photos and primary source reflections. Just be sure to add the date and a caption to your corresponding photo.

  bestof 

A solitary walk in early spring - March 18, 2020

Teaching Notes

I went out for an early walk this morning and took a photograph of these wonderful flowering trees.  Then I found the primary source Spring / JMazzanovich ; by J. Mazzanovich. Although a different time, place and medium, it had that same “spring is here” feeling. What search terms would you use to look for Spring photos?

  Spring    Sequestered    Online Learning  

Today’s Delivery - March 19, 2020

Teaching Notes

How are daily routines changing for those being sequestered?

Working from home - March 20, 2020

Teaching Notes

Offices in home or yard.  Where is your new at home workspace?

  White House    Desk    Home Office    Workspace  

Essential Services - March 21, 2020

Teaching Notes

Today I used one of the many essential services still operating in this “shelter in place” environment. Grateful for all the people still out working to keep those services going.  

  Post Office    Post Man    Mail box    Letters  

Stay-at-home Census Taking

Teaching Notes

Finished taking the Census today.  Online is made to order in these sequestered times!

  Census  

Research Access - March 23, 2020

Teaching Notes

Nice to have easy access to research for learning from mobile devices in at home locations.

  Library    Library of Congress    Phones    Mobile  

Welcome Companions - March 24, 2020

Teaching Notes

Pets provide a wonderful source of comfort and entertainment when sequestered at home.  Share your companion photos.

  Pets    Cats    Kittens  

'Using Primary Sources to Reflect on First 7 Days of Sequester'

Teaching Notes

A video journal - Students can take their slides, add some animation via slide transitions and export their reflections as a movie.  

General Hospital, Gettysburg, August, 1863

Teaching Notes

Photograph shows a group of tents that are a part of the hospital at Camp Letterman in Gettysburg.

Reference note

Summary: Photograph shows a group of tents that are a part of the hospital at Camp Letterman in Gettysburg.
Created / Published: photographed 1863, [printed between 1880 and 1889]
Subject Headings: -  United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
-  United States--Pennsylvania--Gettysburg
Notes: -  No. 5350.
-  Title from item.
-  Gift; Col. Godwin Ordway; 1948.
Repository: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print
Digital Id: ppmsca 33637 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsca.33637

Field Hospital Constructed in NYC's Central Park, March 2020

Teaching Notes

The Army Corps of Engineers has constructed a field hospital to accept COVID-19 patients during the pandemic of 2020.  This one is run by a private institution Samaritan Purse.   

The photo was taken by news broadcast NY1 in NYC, part of the SPECTRUM/Time Warner provider.

  Social Studies/History    6 - 8    9 - 12    13+    NY1    COVID-19    Central Park Field Hospital    March 2020    Army Corps of Engineers  

NBC News: A field hospital built in Central Park for coronavirus patients

Teaching Notes

field hospital built in Central Park for coronavirus patients is expected to open Wednesday, one among at least three temporary medical facilities planned for New York City landmarks amid the pandemic.

The 14-tent, 68-bed hospital in Central Park, near Mount Sinai Hospital, will include a makeshift intensive care unit with ten beds, each with its own ventilator.

The Central Park hospital will be staffed by 60 to 70 medical professionals from Samaritan's Purse, a nondenominational evangelical Christian humanitarian organization. The organization's president is Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham.

There is a powerful video of the grounds as the hospital prepares to admit patients.  Scroll down to access it, an apologies for any advertising that precedes it.

  9 - 12    13+    Social Studies/History    COVID-19 field hospital    NYC Central Park    March 30, 2020  

Empty Spaces March 2020

Teaching Notes

Read Peggy O'Neill-Jones' Insider post, My "Corona" Tour, to students.

Ask students to take photographs of empty spaces in the areas near where they live.

Next, ask students to search for similar historical photographs of empty spaces at loc.gov.

Students can then choose a presentation tool (PowerPoint, Keynote, or another tool) to display their photographs side by side. 

Invite other students to comment, depending on what you are using to teach online.

  Art/Music    Social Studies/History    3 - 5    6 - 8    9 - 12    online learning  

How Chicago TV journalists are broadcasting live from home during coronavirus: ‘We’re making do with the best we have’

Teaching Notes

As I look at the images and files in this album I see what is happening now in the era of Covid-19 and what life may have been like at other times.  The words of the year will undoubtedly by Conorovirus, Pandemic and Zoom.   The phrase of the year might be "working from home."  Along with that is seeing how newscasters, news show participants, politicians and so many more work from home to inform or entertain all of us.  This article from the Chicago Tribune highlights  one of those situations.

Mar 24, 2020 · How Chicago TV journalists are broadcasting live from home during coronavirus: ‘We’re making due with the best we have’ By Tracy Swartz, Chicago Tribune 3/24/2020  

Social Studies/History    Working from home  

Community workshop

Teaching Notes

A series of 19 b & w photos of a Chicago community workshop.   The lonely room and slide projector stacked on a pile of books captured my attention.  The news broadcaster in the Chicago Tribune news story also is using a pile of books to prop up his screen.

A quick google image search of Zoom has a high yield and offers a significant look at how we are communicating from our home fronts.

Reference note

Contributor Names: Kalčik, Susan J. (Collector)
Swenson, Greta E. (Photographer)
Created / Published: Chicago, Illinois,
Subject Headings: -  Meetings
-  Slavic Americans
-  Photographs
-  Ethnography
-  Illinois -- Chicago
Genre: Photographs
Ethnography
Notes: -  Online digital image numbers may be offset by 1 or 2 digits from the film negative frame numbers.
-  Film negative frame numbers, descriptions: 2a-3a, setting up for the post-fieldwork South Slav community workshop, Friday evening; 4a, Gordana Trbuhovic and Corinne Leskovar; 5a, Naomi Trinka and Corinne Leskovar, both from Slovenian dance group; 6a, Robert Salisbury of Illinois Arts Council setting up slide projector; 7a-8a, Saturday setup in the Illinois Arts Council; 9a, Mildred Pucel and Olga Ancel (specific identities uncertain), Slovenian Americans, Olga Kulovitz, Gordana Trbuhovic, Anton Angelich, Oplenac dance group; 10a-14a, clockwise from man in front of coat closet: Antone Udovich, Mr. and Mrs. George Witkovich, Mildred Pucel and Olga Ancel (identities uncertain), Slovenian Americans, Olga Kulovitz, Serbian American, Kay Zvonkovich, Helen Santy, Croatian American; 11a-13a, far side of table from left: Kay Zvonkovich, Helen Santy, Corinne Leskovar, Mary Maralt, Susann Craig; 15a, practicing with tape recorder: Mr. and Mrs. Witkovich tell Mildred Pucel and Olga Ancel about immigration; 16a, left to right, Nicola Moore, Kay Zvonkovich and Helen Santy, Gordana Trbuhovic and Corinne Leskovar; 17a-18a, left to right, Olga Kulovitz, Mr. George Witkovich, Mrs. Witkovich, Greta Swenson, Mildred Pucel, and Olga Ancel; 19a-20, clockwise from Greta Swenson (standing): Nicola Moore, Helen Santy. Gordana Trbuhovic, Corinne Leskovar, Mr. and Mrs. George Witkowich, Mildred Pucel and Olga Ancel; note: frames 17a-20a photographed by Susann Craig.
Repository: American Folklife Center

The New Fireside Chat

Teaching Notes

Listening to daily noon time COVID-19 updates from the California Governor contrasts the technology of today and that of the past. Radio & HomePod - the same but different.

Resources:

  Fireside chat    Great Depression    Radio    Technology