Seven months after making the switch from a public library to a school library, I took part in a weeklong institute that I had dreamed about for years: The White House History Teacher’s Institute. I spent 40 hours learning about White House resources, touring amazing local sites, and thinking critically about how I can incorporate primary sources, engaging historical moments and national history into my work as a school librarian.
While the White House and its grounds and history were the crux of the week’s work, this was not a celebration of presidents as end-all be-all historical figures. The White House Historical Association (WHHA) does a great job of centering diversity in relation to the White House, which includes trips to the Frederick Douglass and Mary McLeod Bethune homes in DC to learn about their dynamic with the White House and a presentation on slavery in the President’s neighborhood that is available online. We learned about First Ladies and their roles, the soft power they deployed and their public perception. We learned about the art of the White House—famous paintings like the Gilbert Stuart and Alma Thomas pieces as well as china, furniture, vases, etc. Whatever you wanted to hone in on, there was a chance to do so.
I left reinvigorated not only from learning from 29 other teachers from around the country with various lengths of service and interests, but also from the chance to think about my adopted hometown of Washington, D.C. not just as the place my students bus through to get to the classroom but also this place at the crux of so much history.
As a school librarian, I wasn’t quite thinking about the ways I would use this week’s information to teach history in and of itself, but rather how I could incorporate it into activities that could pair with a book, a craft project, or a little research.
This school year, I’m excited to try a few of these and challenge you to do the same as the White House becomes a big focus during the election:
- White House China Activity & Book Tasting
The WHHA has a great website full of activities to do with young learners, including a craft activity to learn about and design your own White House china. Why not pair this with a traditional library book tasting? Grab some paper plates, have readers design their own china pattern, and then use those plates to serve up some interesting books about the White House such as the new book about Willow Biden, the White House Clubhouse time travel middle grade series, or even a Fly Guy nonfiction easy reader about the most famous house. This could easily be scaled up and down for different grades, and would work well in a public library looking to pair crafts with a more traditional book-based activity. - White House Readers Theatre with Popsicle Puppets
The WHHA website has some Readers Theatre plays that are great for making history come to life! Pair this with a craft to make popsicle puppets of the major players–great for friends who love coloring or designing puppets–and take it that extra step. I recommend their play on the burning of the White House because there are some great books you can tie to the topic. - iCivics Brief the Chief & The Emancipation Proclamation
For older readers, why not engage them with a book about the Emancipation Proclamation or Juneteenth and then play the WHHA’s new game with iCivics, Brief the Chief. This is an interactive research-based game that invites participants to interrogate a presidential question–such as that of the Emancipation Proclamation–and then talk to other people to come to an answer. This is a great way to highlight the ways technology can be a learning tool and take what you might learn in a nonfiction book about history and bring it to life on the screen.
Do you create programming, lessons, or craft kits inspired by the White House? How are you planning to change your programming during this election year? I’d love to hear about it!
Today’s guest contributor is Aryssa Damron. Aryssa is a school librarian in a Washington, D.C. elementary school. She previously worked as a children’s librarian. She is currently serving as the co-chair of the Children and Libraries Editorial Advisory Board and previously served as co-chair of the ALSC Membership Committee.
Please note that as a guest post, the views expressed here do not represent the official position of ALA or ALSC.
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