Newsletters
All Newsletters contain the“Awesome” Source of the Month, Upcoming Events, News, Important Links, and Lesson Ideas based on primary sources from the Library of Congress.
*To subscribe to the monthly e-Newsletter, email Kira.Duke@mtsu.edu.*
May 2013: Baseball
- Lesson ideas: Casey at the Bat, Women in Baseball, Jackie Robinson in Popular Culture
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, Common Core for English/Language Arts, Music
- Feature:Historic Baseball Resources
April 2013: Libraries
- Lesson ideas: The Folger Library's Shakespeare in Stone, The Core of the Library of Congress, Carnegie Libraries
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, Common Core for English/Language Arts
- Feature:2013 TPS-MTSU Civil War Summer Institute
March 2013: Medieval History
- Lesson ideas: The Power of the Pope, Castles of All Kinds, The Legend of King Arthur
- Standards Covered: World History, A.P. European History, Social Studies, Common Core for English/Language Arts
- Feature: World Digital Library
February 2013: Poetry
- Lesson ideas: Rhyme with Mother Goose, Poetry and Politics, Poetry of Wars' Survivors
- Standards Covered: U.S. History, Common Core for English/Language Arts
- Feature: Found Poetry Activities
January 2013: Medicine
- Lesson ideas: Medical Advertising, Women Medical Pioneers, Military Medicine
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, U.S. History, Common Core for English/Language Arts
- Feature: National History Day Topics Sheet
December 2012: Children
- Lesson ideas: Children of the Great Depression, Child Labor, One-Room Schoolhouses
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, U.S. History, Common Core for English/Language Arts
- Feature: America's Story from America's Library
November 2012: Women's Suffrage
- Lesson ideas: A Letter and a Vote; Pickets, Arrests, and Hunger Strikes; A Constitutional Right As Citizens
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, U.S. Government, U.S. History, Visual Arts, Common Core for Literacy in History/Social Studies
- Feature: Congress.Gov
October 2012: Aviation
- Lesson ideas: Wright Brothers Illustrated Timeline, The Magic of First Flights
- Standards Covered: Career and Technical Education, Science, English, U.S. History
- Feature: "Multidisciplinary Uses of Primary Sources in the Technology Engineering Classroom" by Perry Louden, Jr., Rockvale Middle School, Rutherford County
September 2012: Political Science
- Lesson ideas: The Presidential Election of 1920, Constitutional Powers
- Standards Covered: U.S. Government, Speech, U.S. History, Social Studies
- Feature: "Politics and Primary Sources" by Dr. Mark Byrnes, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Professor of Political Science, MTSU
August 2012: Primary Sources in the K-2 Classroom
- Lesson ideas: Classic Children's Stories, Summers of the Past, Zoo Animals, American Folk Lullabies
- Standards Covered: English/Language Arts (common core), Science, Visual Art, Music, Reading
July 2012: Shakespeare
- Lesson ideas: Shakespeare in Political Cartoons, President Lincoln and Shakespeare, Re-Imagining Shakespeare
- Standards Covered: Contemporary Issues, English/Language Arts, Social Studies
- Feature:The New Deal Stage
June 2012: Occupation in the Civil War
- Lesson ideas: Oaths of Loyalty, The Fall of Fort Donelson, Occupied Norfolk, Virginia
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, U.S. Government, A.P. U.S. History
- Feature: Civil War Photos of African Americans
May 2012: History in the Movies
- Lesson Ideas: Amistad, Titanic, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, To Kill a Mockingbird and Childhood
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, World Geography, English/Language Arts, African American History, U.S. History, U.S. Government, Theatre
April 2012: Ethnic Celebrations
- Lesson Ideas: Emancipation Day Celebrations, Chinese New Year, Cinco de Mayo
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, English/Language Arts, U.S. History
- Feature: New Issue of TPS Journal
March 2012: War of 1812
- Lesson Ideas: Mapping the War, News of Peace, The Death of Tecumseh
- Standards Covered: Math, Social Studies, English/ Language Arts
- Feature: 2012 Civil War Summer Institute
February 2012: Performing Arts
- Lesson Ideas: Zora Neale Hurston as Playwright, Dance and Early Film, Leonard Bernstein and Musical Appreciation
- Standards Covered: Music, Social Studies, Theatre, English/Language Arts, Technology Engineering, Art
- Feature: Performing Arts Encyclopedia
January 2012: Civil Rights
- Lesson Ideas: Jackie Robinson & Civil Rights, "Separate but Equal" Education, Marian Anderson's 1939 Concert at the Lincoln Memorial
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, Music
- Feature: NAACP: A Century in the Fight for Freedom
December 2011: Colonial America
- Lesson Ideas:Female Patriots, Colonial Maps
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, U.S. Governmnet
- Feature:"Early America Through Primary Documents" Article By Dr. Lynn A. Nelson, Associate Professor of History at Middle Tennessee State University
November 2011: Electricity
- Lesson Ideas: Tennessee Valley Authority - Hydroelectric Power, Electricity and Culture, Consuming Electricity
- Standards Covered: Science, Social Studies, English/Language Arts
- Feature: Edison's Films and Sound Recordings
October 2011: Armchair Travel
- Lesson Ideas: Armchair Traveler, Creative Travel Writing, A Trip to Wonderland
- Standards Covered: English, Social Studies, Science
- Feature: Travel Narratives
September 2011: Progressive Era
- Lesson Ideas: Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Progressive Presidents, Women’s Suffrage & the Progressive Movement
- Standards Covered: African American History, English/Language Arts, Social Studies, U.S. History, U.S. Government
- Feature: American Memory Timeline
August 2011: Children's Literature
- Lesson Ideas: Teach Dear America, Form Your Own Book Club
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, Language Arts, English
- Features: Writing Contests for Students @loc.gov, Read.gov & the Center for the Book
July 2011: Civil War – Divided Tennessee
- Lesson Ideas: "A House Divided," Liljenquist Family Collection of Civil War Photographs
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, Language Arts, A.P. U.S. History
- Feature: "Divided Tennessee" article by Dr. Antoinette Van Zelm, Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area Historian
June 2011: National Parks
- Lesson Ideas: Safety in the National Parks, National Parks Photography, Tennessee's Own National Park
- Standards Covered: Lifetime Wellness, English/Language Arts, Social Studies, Environmental Science, World Geography
- Feature: Mapping the National Parks
May 2011: Art
- Lesson Ideas: Art Around the World, Art as Propaganda, Art & Advertising
- Standards Covered: Visual Art, World History, U.S. History
- Feature: Online Exhibitions
April 2011: Inventors & Inventions
- Lesson Ideas: Thomas Edison's Light Bulb, The Evolution of Flight, Civil War Communications
- Standards Covered: Science, U.S. History, English/Language Arts, Career & Technical Education
- Feature: Ingenious Inventions Throughout History
March 2011: Native American History & Culture
- Lesson Ideas: Indian Removal Perspectives, Analyzing Artwork: Historical Inaccuracies
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, English/Language Arts, Art History
- Feature: 2011 Civil War Summer Institute, New Lesson Plans on the TPS-TN Web Site
February 2011: Presidents & First Ladies
- Lesson Ideas:Cartoons & Controversies, "Modern" First Ladies, Tennessee Presidents
- Standards Covered: English/Language Arts, Social Studies
- Feature: "I Do Solemnly Swear..."
January 2011: The Ancient World
- Lesson Ideas: Examining Religious Texts & Artifacts, Be an Egyptian Archaeologist, The Parthenon and Neo-Classical Architecture
- Standards Covered:Social Studies, Visual Arts
- Feature: Lesson Plan on Minerva Mosaic
December 2010: Photography
- Lesson Ideas: Worth a Thousand Words, Photography & Animation, Child Labor in Tennessee
- Standards Covered: English/Language Arts, Visual Arts, Science, Social Studies
- Feature: New Lesson Plans on the TPS-TN Web Site
November 2010: Agriculture
- Lesson Ideas: Agriculture Around the World, Mapping the State with TN Century Farms
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, Science, Health Education, Agricultural Science
- Feature: "Agriculture in Tennessee" article by Caneta S. Hankins, Director, TN Century Farms program
October 2010: Elections
- Lesson Ideas: The Vote, The Wilmot Proviso and the Election of 1848
- Standards Covered: U.S. Government, U.S. History, English
- Features: THOMAS, Elections...the American Way
September 2010: Immigration
- Lesson Ideas: Mother of Exiles, Immigration in Political Cartoons, Immigrant Culture
- Standards Covered: English/Language Arts, Contemporary Issues, Social Studies, Music, Foreign Languages
- Feature: New Professional Development Modules
August 2010: Transportation
- Lesson Ideas: Graphing the Automobile Boom, Railroads in Tennessee, Get Your Kicks on Route 66
- Standards Covered: Math, Social Studies, Technology Engineering, World Geography, Economics, Geography, English/Language Arts
- Feature: Carol Highsmith Photographs
July 2010: Civil War
- Lesson Ideas: Mapping Tennessee in the Civil War, Civil War Music, The Role of Photography in Wartime
- Standards Covered: Math, Geography, Music, Social Studies, Language Arts, Visual Art
- Feature: Civil War 150th Anniversary
June 2010: Weather
- Lesson Ideas: Weather & the Dust Bowl, Predicting the Weather, Comparing Weather Disasters
- Standards Covered: Science, Ecology, Environmental Science, Earth Science, Physical Science, U.S. History
- Feature: Library of Congress Webcasts
May 2010: Music
- Lesson Ideas: Creative Writing & Music, Teaching with American Folk Music, Music & Culture
- Standards Covered: English/ Language Arts, Social Studies, U.S. History, English, Reading, Music, World History, World Geography
- Feature: New Prints & Photographs Online Catalog
April 2010: Literature & Poetry
- Lesson Ideas: Children's Illustrated Books, The Fugitives [Writing Club]
- Standards Covered: Reading, English/ Language Arts, Art Education, High School English and Government
- Feature: Exquisite Corpse Adventure
March 2010: Animals
- Lesson Ideas: Animal Advertising, Identifying Animals, Animal Adaptations
- Standards Covered: Arts Education, Social Studies (Economics), Life Science
- Feature: Science Reference Services
February 2010: The Olympics
- Lesson Ideas: Olympics: Peace or Politics?, Olympics and the Environment, Olympic Geography
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, Ecology, Environmental Science, Geography, World Geography
- Feature: Thumbnail images that do not expand (uncertain copyright)
January 2010: Politically Incorrect Primary Sources
- Lesson Ideas: Political Cartoons, Ku Klux Klan in the 1920s, The Ideal Consumer
- Standards Covered: English, U.S. History, Marketing/Advertising
- Features: "Using Politically Incorrect Sources in the Classroom," "It's No Laughing Matter: Analyzing Political Cartoons"
December 2009: Food
- Lesson Ideas: Nutrition through Graphic Design, Food Advertising, Food and Technology
- Standards Covered: Health Education, Marketing, Science, Social Studies, English
- Feature: American Folklife Center
November 2009: Veterans
- Lesson Ideas: Navajo Code Talkers, World War I and Timelines, David Glasgow Farragut & the Battle for Mobile Bay
- Standards Covered: English, Journalism, Social Studies, U.S. History, World Geography
- Feature: Veterans History Project
October 2009: Sports
- Lesson Ideas: Sports Desegregation, Music and Baseball, Using Baseball Statistics to Teach Math
- Standards Covered: U.S. History, English, Math
- Feature: Taking the Mystery Out of Copyright
September 2009: World History & Cultures
- Lesson Ideas: The Aztecs, Around the World in the 1890s
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, Math, English, Science (Embedded Technology & Engineering), Environmental Science, World Geography, World History
- Features: Zoom into the World Digital Library!, Knowledge Quest from myLOC, "Huexotzinco Codex" lesson plan
August 2009: Architecture & Architectural Landscapes
- Lesson Ideas: Living in the Suburbs, Be Your Own Architect, Bridges
- Standards Covered: U.S. History, English, Science (Embedded Technology & Engineering), Math
- Features: Architecture as Primary Source article, "Finding the Area and Volume of Buildings Using Architectural Drawings" lesson plan
July 2009: Symbols of Patriotism
- Lesson Ideas: How the States Got Their Shapes, Declaration of Independence, John Bull and Uncle Sam, Statue of Liberty
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, Government, Geography, English, World History, Physical Science
- Features: article on Level One workshops, Creating the United States word search
June 2009: Popular Culture & the Performing Arts
- Lesson Ideas: The American Dream, Vaudeville, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, Language Arts, Theater, U.S. History
- Feature: Songs for Our Times
May 2009: Summer Vacation
- Lesson Ideas: May Holidays, Local Legacies
- Standards Covered: Social Studies, Language Arts
- Features: article on spring presentations, Branding of America
April 2009: Earth Day
- Lesson Ideas: National Park Service, Environmental Science, Map Activity: Night Lights, Rachel Carson & Silent Spring
- Standards Covered: Environmental Science, English, U.S. History, Social Studies, Geography
- Feature: Everyday Mysteries
March 2009: Women's Accomplishments
- Lesson Ideas: Achievements in journalism, civil rights, and the arts
- Standards Covered: English, U.S. History, Journalism, Government, Electronic Media Production, and Visual Art
- Feature: “Women’s Achievements in Science” by Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, Department of Chemistry, Middle Tennessee State University
February 2009: African American Heritage
- Lesson Ideas: Slave Narratives, Benjamin Banneker’s Almanac
- Standards Covered: Language Arts, Reading, Earth Science
January 2009: Presidential Inaugurations
- Lesson Ideas: Jackson’s Inauguration
Last updated on: 05/22/13 10:58 am