An Engaged Citizenry: Using Primary Sources in Civics and Government
General Information
The Library of Congress’ Teaching with Primary Sources Program offers unparalleled online teaching resources, particularly primary sources that illustrate our nation’s development and civic functions. In An Engaged Citizenry: Using Primary Sources in Civics and Government, Maine teachers will explore civics through the lens of three topics: the Constitution, relationships with Native Americans, and emancipation. These will be used as “case studies” to understand how to best integrate primary sources—from the Library of Congress and local archives—into the classroom.
Through these three topics, and their related primary sources, participants will create lesson plans using inquiry-based methods, build their historical thinking skills, and acquire tools to implement ongoing primary source exploration with their students. Project partners will include Maine Historical Society (and their Maine Memory Network), the Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI), and local archives.
An Engaged Citizenry will be available during the 2012-13 school year and consists of a one-day kickoff in July, three webinars in the fall semester, and a culminating lesson or unit plan due in January 2013. Upon successful completion of the program, participants will receive a $50 stipend.
CEUs will be available.
Schedule
One-day kickoff session, July 2012
The program will begin with a one-day session in July 2012. To reach as many districts as possible, we will offer three identical sessions:
1. University of Maine, Presque Isle: July 23, 2012
2. University of Maine, Orono: July 24, 2012
3. Bowdoin College, Brunswick: July 25, 2012
Each one-day kickoff will include:
- A plenary session given by Charles Dorn (Associate Professor of Education, Bowdoin College), discussing using primary sources in the classroom and providing hands-on work
- An introduction to local archives
- Three tracks based on packets of primary source materials in the Library of Congress collection of exhibits and presentations on Civics and Government. Participants must choose one track, which will become their thematic focus for the overall project. Each track will be presented by a Maine scholar who specializes in that area of study.
- The Constitution (Jeff Selinger, Assistant Professor of Government, Bowdoin College)
- The American Memory Timeline: Confederation Government Policy towards Native Americans (Strother Roberts, Visiting Assistant Professor of History, Bowdoin College)
- The Emancipation Proclamation and the Lincoln Papers (Patrick Rael, Associate Professor of History, Bowdoin College)
Webinars, Fall 2012
All participants will attend three webinars, to be held in September and October of 2012, designed to build knowledge about resources, as well as to reinforce implementation skills learned in the face-to-face meetings.
Lesson/unit plan project, January 2013
Each teacher or team will produce a lesson or unit plan using the Library of Congress primary sources and local resources. Final plans will be shared statewide on the Maine Historical Society’s Maine Memory Network website.
Sign Up:
Participation will be on a first-come, first-served basis, with 45 teachers accepted in Brunswick, 35 in Orono, and 20 in Presque Isle. Teams of teachers and/or administrators are encouraged to apply.
To register, fill out the electronic form and submit it. We will send you a confirmation when we receive your completed registration form.
Thank you!
This program is sponsored in part by the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Eastern Region Program, coordinated by Waynesburg University.
Questions: Call Anne Schlitt at (207) 773-5051 or e-mail annes@mainehumanities.org.