Primarily Teaching

Credit Option

Please review all course requirements carefully. You may download the syllabus in pdf form, or view it below.

Regional Locations

  • National Archives (Atlanta, Morrow, GA) June 22-26
  • National Archives (Chicago) June 22-26
  • National Archives (Seattle, WA) July 6-10
  • National Archives and Records Administration (Washington, DC) July 6-10
  • The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum (West Branch, IA) July 20-24

Instructors

Dr. Kelly Schrum, Director of Educational Projects at CHNM and Associate Professor in the Higher Education Program at George Mason University.

Nate Sleeter, Graduate Research Assistant at CHNM and doctoral researcher in the Department of History and Art History at George Mason University.

Primarily Teaching Syllabus

3 Graduate Credits

Instructors: Kelly Schrum and Nate Sleeter

Center for History and New Media 4400 University Drive, MSN 1E7
Fairfax, VA, 22030-4444

Participants in Primarily Teaching who enroll to earn 3 graduate credits in history from George Mason University will learn exciting new methods for teaching with a range of primary sources held by the National Archives, including text documents, photographs, maps, motion pictures, sound recordings, and digital resources. Participants will learn how to research historical records and will create classroom materials for teaching with primary sources with the goal of enhancing student skills and enthusiasm for history, government, and related subjects. Participants will conduct original archival research and will develop a primary source-based lesson plan.

Concepts and Skills

Assignments

Prior to workshop

During Workshop

After Workshop

Sample Course Schedule

**Please note: Workshop schedules will vary by location

Monday [date varies]

8:45 Welcome
9:00 Continental Breakfast
9:30 Special Rotunda tour
10:00 Introductions and overview
10:15 Break
10:30 Overview of docsteach.org
11:15 Obtain researcher Cards
12:00 Lunch
12:45 Orientation to Research Rooms and Procedures
1:30-4:00 Case Study Research

Tuesday [date varies]

9:00-4:00 Case Study Research

Wednesday [date varies]

9:00-4:00 Case Study or Independent Research
(You should have 3 case study documents scanned by the end of the day.)

Thursday [date varies]

9:00-4:00 Docsteach.org Activity Development
Staff available to assist with DocsTeach
(You may also use this time for further research)

Friday [date varies]

9:00 Continental Breakfast
9:45 Presentation of DocsTeach learning activities
10:45 Break
11:00 Special Exhibit Tour
12:00 Lunch
1:00-3:00 Presentation of DocsTeach learning activities (Cont’d)

August 21, 2015: Lesson plan draft due to Kelly Schrum and Nate Sleeter
Draft must include relevant primary sources (maximum of 3 sources) and a description of how the plan engages students, builds critical thinking skills and constructs knowledge as well as what will happen in the activity and how student learning will be assessed. See guidelines for details.

October 1, 2015: Revised Lesson Plan due to Kelly Schrum and Nate Sleeter

November 13, 2015: Teach Lesson Plan by November 13, 2015.

December 4, 2015: Completed Assignments Due **Please note: all materials may be submitted digitally

Lesson Plan Requirements

Description

At the conclusion of the regional workshop's activities, participants will draft a final lesson to be taught in the classroom before November 13, 2015. The fall semester provides the opportunity to revise and teach a primary source lesson to engage students in the historical thinking process.

All project materials should be submitted electronically to Kelly Schrum by the due date indicated on the schedule.

Guidelines