This elementary school lesson engages students with primary source materials that make vivid the journeys and lives of immigrant children in the early 20th century and today. It features video interviews with kids who have recently immigrated and archival photos of child immigrants from the turn of the 20th century.

Incurring a disability at work was a common occurrence of the Industrial Revolution. In this lesson, students will explore how such injuries impacted the lives of workers in an era before many public and private supports that we take for granted today. This lesson integrates disability history into a much larger 14-day unit on the Industrial Revolution.

Arriba España!

As the Spanish Civil War raged between 1936­-1939, struggles between competing ideologies played out on the streets as well as in the trenches. As much of Europe prepared for another global war, the military and social clashes in Spain served a dress rehearsal for potent new tools of propaganda as well as deadly new weapons and tactics. Spanish political factions: fascist, communist, anarchist, republican, nationalist, and socialist – all sought support from the Spanish people as well as allies abroad.

Starting with this model lesson for Kindergarten, EmergingAmerica.org launches a new feature. Periodically, we will post exemplary inquiry-based lessons using primary sources from the Library of Congress. Contact us with feedback or your own drafts or suggestions for lesson ideas." - Rich Cairn, Director, Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Program of the Collaborative for Educational Services

What Do Trains Do? Kindergarten Lesson Plan

Kwame Webster, Collaborative for Educational Services

Exploring Emerging America’s Windows on History Program

Since 2006, Emerging America’s Windows on History program has mobilized more than 30 research teams of K-12 students with their teachers and in partnership with historical societies, museums, town and college libraries, expert individuals, and other very local resources. Students learn to think historically as they track down primary sources to tell the story of their communities and their place in the world.

In today’s world, technology moves at the speed of light. There are programs and websites created every day that promise to make your life easier/faster/more entertaining. But how can you tell what’s out there when everything is moving at the speed of light? “Digital Friday” is a new feature on the EmergingAmerica.org blog. One Friday a month, we will introduce a free online tool that is being used by history and social studies teachers to deepen students understanding of primary sources.

By Rich Cairn, Director Emerging America 

Beginning February 25, 2013, Emerging America will offer an outstanding course for Teachers in Alternative Settings (including detention centers and high security facilities as well as in-school alternative programs). We would like to take this opportunity to explain why we think this course carries great import.

Exploring Emerging America’s Windows on History Program

Since 2006, Emerging America’s Windows on History program has mobilized more than 30 research teams of K-12 students with their teachers and in partnership with historical societies, museums, town and college libraries, expert individuals, and other very local resources. Students learn to think historically as they track down primary sources to tell the story of their communities and their place in the world.

Teachers Matt Brown and Ann Pember first posted these ideas as part of the 2012 Emerging America Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Training of Trainers program.

Motivating Students to Question Sources

Early on, I provide the documents, and I set the questions. But eventually, I like students to choose their own documents for projects. I also like the documents to become part of the product itself. That gets students to ask, "Can I use this document to express a historical truth? How can it help me develop a narrative or theme in my product?"