Module 3

Website Identification

Overview

Many Websites are available that have lesson plans already associated with digital archives. PBS TeacherSource integrates video and online resources to produce technologically enriched lesson plans using primary source documents. The American Memory Historical Collections for the National Digital Library has over 100 collections of historical documents, photographs, maps, films and audio recordings. Teachers can access lessons, features, and activities utilizing these resources.

Some textbook publishers, such as Glencoe, have online resources for teachers. High tech companies also have sites, like Apple and Microsoft. Some web sites for teachers are fee based, such as Curriculum Pathways designed for teachers of high school students.

Browsing through thousands of web sites containing digital archives would take an enormous amount of time that the teacher does not have. Using a search engine would be more effective than surfing. Meta-search engines such as Google, Ask Jeeves, or MetaCrawler may be used by those who have an understanding of indexing. The Smithsonian Institute’s guide to archives has a keyword search engine that may benefit those who are not as skilled in searching or for those who have little time to search for needed material. See the section Related Reading for help on Internet searching. Outcomes

• The participant will compare and contrast lesson planning Websites that use primary sources.