How
to Use American Memory for Class Assigments
Ask
students to search American Memory using
the List
of Collections, or by using the List
of Topics and:
- Find
a collection, describe its depth, variety and formulate a thesis for a paper on
a controversial issue or a “then-and-now” paper. Describe how the items
in that collection are going to be used.
- Go
to Today in History.
Locate a current newspaper article about a similar issue. Contrast the situations
and outcomes. Take a stand regarding the issue
- Examine
photographs (an
example) and write an essay tying together all the following elements: historical
period, individuals in the photograph, point of view of the photographer, collection
to which it belongs, for whom the image was created, what the photo means to you,
impact of the photo during that period and now.
- Select
a photo (an example)
and write a newspaper article about it (headlines and bylines included)
- Select
a primary source and analyze it. Choose a primary source from these categories:
- a source that
challenges a stereotype
-
a source that presents a contradiction
- a
source that offers an insight
- a
source that presents something of human interest
- Select a set of
primary sources and research how new documents support or challenge this information.
- Select
a primary source and respond to it as if you were living in that period of time.
- Select
an interview from American
Life Histories and compare it with a current similar situation.
- Select
a “living legend”
and write an essay about his/her life and how this person has impacted/ changed
your life.
- Select
a “living legend”
not on the LC list and write a biographical essay explaining why this person should
be on the list.
-
Research a “local
legacy” on the list (or one that should be on the list).
- Select
your favorite poem, analyze it and tape- record it. Write an essay on why this
is your favorite poem.
-
Find three people with different favorite poems and write an interview-essay about
it.
- Research
lyrics from different
historical periods to find out what the lyrics say about public attitudes.
-
Research an event that served as inspiration for a song in a past and find an
event that inspired a current popular song.
- Analyze
a speech. [Search American
Memory under “addresses.”]
- Analyze
an old recipe or cookbooks to determine attitudes toward food, ingredients available,
measurements used and lifestyle. [Search American
Memory under “recipes” or “cookbooks.”]
- Analyze
old advertising
(an example) and compare it with today's. [Social changes, audience, information,
etc. Search American Memory
under “advertising” .]
- Choose
a letter
(an example) Compose a return letter that tells how the events discussed in the
letter have affected modern society. [Search American
Memory under “letters.”]
Primary
Sources:
- letters
-
diaries
-
photographs
-
articles of clothing
- artifacts
- recordings
- personal
papers
- oral
accounts
- videos
* Many
of these assignments are taken from: Lesson
Plans
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Last Updated: April 2008
Created
and maintained by Sahyly Martinez
Send Your Comments to: askalib
URL: http:/www.epcc.edu/vvlib/americanmemory.htm
