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Gigi,

The set below is the agenda that Maggie and I used when we taught a class similar to what I think you are planning. We set a couple of priorities as we made the plans. First, we made certain that the majority of the time was for teachers to work on their lesson. Even the guided searching on the second evening was focused particularly on the lesson they were creating. Second, we made certain that there was time for sharing each evening about what they were working on. We had them talk about what they were doing, raised any questions, difficulties, and success and the final sharing was a show and tell on the computer so that they could really see what each other had done. 

If we had more time, we would have also had them do the project as if they were a student in their own class. In other contexts, I have found this to be an important part of a workshop of this type. This helps the teachers in two ways. First, it focuses their attention what students will do with the collections more than on how they will use the collections to create great presentations they will do for their students. Second, it often shows them the difficulties their students will face as they do the project. 

We also believe that the time between sessions was important as it allowed some gestation time and more time for the teachers to explore the site on their own, both for the documents and for the lesson ideas already on the site.

Moreover, we constantly referred to the lesson they were creating as one they WOULD use with their students, not one they might or could use.

David Barber
Vancouver School District
Vancouver, WA

Program Goals and Objectives

                1.      Teachers will become familiar with the variety and expanse of documents available at the Library of Congress website
2.      Teachers will learn to search the website.
3.      Teachers will become familiar with the lessons available on line to use these materials in their classrooms
4.      Teachers will learn to develop their own lessons and rubrics
5.      Teachers will create lessons for use in their own classrooms using these materials

Program Outline and Schedule:

January 13

                5:30-6:30       Introductions and overview of the Library of Congress web site
6:30-7:30       Guided searching in the website
                7:30-8  Discussion of lesson ideas for using primary resources and the site, homework assignment: return with a lesson idea for use with your students

January 20

5:30-6:30       Guided searching for materials to support the lesson
6:30-7:30       Create a lesson plan outline
7:30-8  Guide work creating the lesson

January 27

5:30-6  Create a rubric for evaluating the lessons
6-8:30  Guided work creating the lesson

February 3

5:30-6:30       Finish creation or lesson
6:30-7:30       Sharing and peer review of lessons
7:30-8  Final evaluation of lessons and creation of an implementation plan for use of the lesson, further evaluation and revision of the lesson for posting on the district website