Course Description

• Primary sources help students relate in a personal way to events of the past and promote a deeper understanding of history as a series of human events. Because primary sources are incomplete snippets of history, each one represents a mystery that students can only explore further by finding new pieces of evidence. This course will explore the vast digital collections and data sets offered through the Library of Congress and guide teachers and librarians on how to use them to build inquiry, critical thinking and analytical skills. Focusing on earth science and geography, participants will learn how to search for and utilize primary source data including photographs, maps, articles and more. Each participant will design an activity for teaching earth and environmental science with primary sources in their classroom.
• This remote class includes 10 hours of instructional time led by Irina Kopteva from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs and 10 hours of project work time.
• Upon successful completion of the course participants will receive 20 continuing education hours, a $300 stipend and Library of Congress swag.
• Type of Course: Blended
• Lead Learner (Facilitator): Irina Kopteva, associate professor University of Colorado Colorado Springs & Beth Church (bachurch@dcsdk12.org), DCSD Sustainability Learning Specialist
• Credit(s) and Type: 20 hours professional development/ relicensure

Timeline Overview

• Start date of course content: 7/27/2021
• End date of course content: 8/31/2021
• In Person Meeting Dates: Please contact Beth Church (bachurch@dcsdk12.org) for details

Target Audience

• This training is provided for high school Earth Science and Geography teachers as well as high school librarians.
• Open to Substitute Teachers = Not at this time
• Open to Student Teachers = Not at this time
• Open to Charter School Staff = Not at this time

Outcomes

Here are the outcomes for the course (what participants will walk away with from the course).

• Participants will learn how to utilize the Library of Congress Primary Sources database.
• Participants will design a lesson using Primary Sources to use in their classroom.