WEBQUESTING AT THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Teaching With Primary Sources Program Levels

Level Two: Evaluate, create and teach subject-specific, standards-based learning experiences that integrate primary sources from the Library of Congress and exemplify instructional best practices.

Best Instructional Practices

Differentiated Instruction - Curriculum Differentiation is a broad term referring to the need to tailor teaching environments and practices to create appropriately different learning experiences for different students. Many of these WebQuests differentiate by expanding the content beyond existing print and media materials to include the rich digital archives of the Library of Congress. Process is also differentiated in these WebQuests when students are challenged to think creatively, collaboratively and critically. Many of these WebQuests speak to a variety of learning styles in both content and process.
Inquiry Learning - Inquiry is a process of active learning that is driven by questioning and critical thinking. The understandings that students develop through inquiry are deeper and longer lasting than any pre-packaged knowledge delivered by teachers to students. Inquiry-based learning follows a process that progresses through phases, but is recursive and reflective throughout.
Teaching for Understanding – These projects exemplify TFU by using Generative Topics that have multiple connections to students' interests and experiences and can be learned in a wide variety of ways. They also include “performance understanding” by using activities that both develop and demonstrate students' understanding of the generative topics by requiring them to use what they know in new ways.
WebQuest – All projects listed below follow the guidelines provided by Bernie Dodge and Tom March. The uniqueness is that only Library of Congress primary documents are used to engage students in real-life problem solving. The WebQuests follow a learning cycle of ITO: Input of information (LOC documents), Transformation of information (thinking process), and Output (final student product). Throughout the WebQuests, formative and summative assessment rubrics are provided.

Pennsylvania Standards Aligned System 

Common Core Standards 

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Content created and featured in partnership with the TPS program does not indicate an endorsement by the Library of Congress.