Web Smarts

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/start/index.html

WHAT: A site designed to guide teachers through the Library of Congress's American Memory Historical Collection.

BEST POINTS: The Learning Page is designed to help educators use the Library of Congress's American Memory Collections to teach history and culture.

American Memory is an online archive of more than 100 collections of rare and unique items. The collections contain more than 7 million primary source documents, photographs, films, and recordings.

The site offers tips, activities, and discussion groups. There are also lesson plans and curriculum suggestions for using the collections in classes. Teachers can download lesson materials ontopics ranging from "1900 America: Historical Voices, Poetic Visions" to "Women, Their Rights & Nothing Less." Teachers can also participate in online chats about topics that change monthly.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW: The site includes a professional development page that acquaints educators with the available materials.