Purpose of the Lesson Plan Collection

To provide a searchable collection of field-tested Library of Congress primary source-based Lesson Plans that use Best Instructional Practices to promote student achievement. Lesson Plans in the collection are organized by where in the learning activity students use primary sources to deepen understanding of the curriculum (Introduction, Investigation, Formal Assessment, Lesson, or LibraryQuest). The Lesson Plans in this collection can not be implemented without the primary sources.

Educators use the database to search for materials, submit new content, and field test Lesson Plans. The collection is created through a process of development, peer review, field-testing, and evaluation. Lesson Plans are correlated to state standards and are selected to form a collection that represents the identified Best Instructional Practices, breadth of Library of Congress primary sources, and depth of curriculum content from all subject areas. All Lesson Plans exemplify the Best Instructional Practice, Teaching for Understanding, and at least one additional practice of Differentiated Instruction, Literacy Instruction, or Technology Integration.

Lesson Plans in the collection share these characteristics

• Content: Library of Congress primary sources provide the impetus for learning and are directly related to curriculum standards. Primary sources are essential to the Lesson Plan and used to add dimension, depth, and different levels of challenge or interest to the topic under study.
• Process: The learning process is centered on an Investigative Question based on curriculum standards connected to an explicit Understanding Goal. Best Instructional Practices provide a means for students to develop understanding, knowledge, and skills. Student skill development includes critical and creative thinking, reading, writing, and research.
• Products: The student response to the Investigation Question reveals progress toward learning goals including: understanding, knowledge, and skills.