Fine and Performing Arts | Teaching with the Library

Cover of sheet music for "You're a Grand Old Rag," from 1906. The cover features patriotic symbols of red and white stripes and a blue background with stars, as well as an image from the play for which the song was composed.

From “Rag” to “Flag” – A Patriotic Melody with Broadway Origins

July 1, 2025

Analyzing two different versions of "You're a Grand Old Flag" allows students both to hone their listening skills and to consider how music changes over time and how word choice may shift depending on historical and cultural contexts.

Posted in: Fine and Performing Arts, Primary Source Highlights, Teaching Strategies

Cover page of sheet music titled "We're On Our To France" and featuring the image of soldier holding a banner with the words "Yip-Yip-Yahphank" on it.

Americanization Through Song: WWI-Era Songs by Irving Berlin

April 8, 2025

Posted by: Michael Apfeldorf

This blog offers free primary sources and teaching strategies to help students reflect on how some WWI-era music sought to invoke a singular American identity.

Posted in: Fine and Performing Arts, Industrial United States, World Wars and the Great Depression (1914-1945)

A collection of image tiles showing different photographs and prints

Free to Use–and Useful for Teachers

September 24, 2024

Posted by: Danna Bell

Learn more about the Free to Use and Reuse sets.

Posted in: Fine and Performing Arts, Primary Source Highlights

Cover of the Constitutional Centennial March with image of George Washington, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and other on the Centennial Commission

Piquing Student Curiosity About the 100th Anniversary of the Constitution with Sheet Music

October 10, 2023

Posted by: Danna Bell

Learn about the celebrations that took place on the 100th anniversary of the Constitution.

Posted in: Constitution, Development of the Industrial United States (1877-1914), Fine and Performing Arts

Image of two moving image cameras on a street in Mississippi

Archival Footage for Student Documentaries

August 31, 2023

Posted by: Danna Bell

Consider how to use films and film making to engage students in history.

Posted in: Contemporary United States (1945-present), Fine and Performing Arts

Drawing of the face of John Lewis with words from his final editorial surrounding the image

The Lewis-Houghton Civics and Democracy Initiative: Opportunities to use Creative Arts to Engage Students

June 1, 2023

Posted by: Danna Bell

Learn about the Lewis-Houghton Civics and Democracy Initiative within the Library’s Teaching with Primary Sources program which will provide grants to organizations to develop digitally-enabled learning initiatives for secondary education based on creative arts driven instruction, especially focused on music, in history, civics and democracy.

Posted in: Fine and Performing Arts, News and Events

Dancers Nina Sorokina and Yuri Vladimirov from the Bolshoi Theater

Launching Units with Primary Source Phenomena: Like a Shot from a Bow

May 4, 2023

Posted by: Danna Bell

How can an image of two dancers help students learn about gravity, equilibrium and force?

Posted in: Fine and Performing Arts, Science Technology and Math

Three frames from the film Jack and the Beanstalk

Adding Sound to the Silence: Students Build on Silent Films

March 16, 2023

Posted by: Danna Bell

How can using the Library's silent film collections help make literature more accessible to students? Intern Talia Smith has some ideas.

Posted in: Fine and Performing Arts, Poetry and Literature

Image from the Taming of the Shrew with two male and one female character in Shakespearan dress

Silent Shakespeare

January 3, 2023

Posted by: Danna Bell

How can you use the Library of Congress silent film collections to help students better understand Shakespearean plays? Teaching with Primary Sources intern Talia Smith has some suggestions.

Posted in: Fine and Performing Arts, Lesson Ideas, Poetry and Literature

Category: Fine and Performing Arts