Teach
Speculative Annotation was created for students and teachers. This Q&A addresses how Speculative Annotation can be used in the classroom.
What are annotations?
Annotations are notes or marks added to an existing text or object. They can add additional information, share something you noticed or loved, or offer another point of view. Annotations provide a way to be in dialogue with a text or image, and possibly another person.
Why would students want to annotate items from the Library’s collection?
Speculative Annotation enables students to analyze and examine historical materials through hands-on engagement. History is an enduring mystery. Speculation is a form of investigation. This tool allows students to question and examine the point of view of the creators of primary sources. In response, student’s annotations are an interpretation. We are asking students to make their insights visible and in doing so, join history’s record.
Why is the tool called Speculative Annotation?
We define speculation and annotation as follows:
Speculation:
Engaging in or projecting on to future events. Theorizing, imagining without knowing.
Annotation:
A note of explanation or comment added to a text or diagram. Examples include margin notes, highlighting, thought bubbles.
Speculative Annotation provides a space for students to examine history with an eye for fact-finding and storytelling.
How is Speculative Annotation different from other online annotation tools?
In addition to providing basic tools for annotation, Speculative Annotation provides a couple of unique features that offer context and aid in analysis.
Quick Questions: These question prompts, some of which came from Project Zero at Harvard University, can be found at the top of the tool bar. As stamps they provide general questions applicable to any item in order to jump start the conversation.
LC Staff Annotations and the Learn More panel: The LC Staff Annotation associated with some items offers the expertise and perspective of an individual Library of Congress staff member. Additionally, the Learn More button links to a metadata panel which provides general information about the item, like who made it and when it was created.
How do you teach with primary sources, particularly if you are not a history teacher?
Primary sources are for everyone, not just historians and history students. You probably already use them-- photos, maps, personal correspondence, newspaper articles, or professional documents. They can enrich any K-12 classroom. The Professional Learning and Outreach Initiatives Office offers many resources about how to incorporate primary source materials in your classroom.
Primary source guides:
How do you select the right item to annotate for you and your students?
The items included in the Speculative Annotation mini collection were chosen with the K-12 audience in mind. Of course, some items will be more applicable to specific subjects and ages. To help select material that is right for your students, review the subject headings in the Learn More panel available for each item.
A few suggestions of items associated with academic subject and age:
Finn and Edith Ronne Photograph
An elementary school Geography class learning about AntarcticaCivil rights march on Wash[ington], D.C. / [WKL]
An elementary school Social Studies class learning about Civil RightsThomas Biggs Harned Collection of the Papers of Walt Whitman: Recovered Cardboard Butterfly and Notebooks, [1847]-[circa 1863-1864]; Notebooks; [1847]
A high school American Literature class studying PoetryWm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Broadsides, 1866-1867
A high school American History class studying the Civil WarThe Star Spangled Banner
A middle school Band class studying AnthemsProposed Recording Expedition into the Floridas by Zora Neal Hurston
A high school American Literature class preparing to Read Their Eyes Were Watching GodṢuwar al-kawākib.
A high school Astronomy class studying constellationsCandide Costume
A middle school Theater class studying Works Progress Administration productions[Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Competition drawing]
A high school Current Events class studying MonumentsNapoleon's bedroom, Palace of Fontainebleau, France
A high school World History class learning about the French Revolution[Robert Cornelius, self-portrait; believed to be the earliest extant American portrait photo]
A high school Photography class studying self portraitureSave The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus
A elementary school Language Arts class working on internet literacy
Can students annotate the same item concurrently?
No. Currently, students can not co-annotate a Speculative Annotation item simultaneously. While students cannot edit the same item on separate devices in real time, to allow for such annotations they can download and share their annotations with one another and their teacher, using #AnnotateLOC. Additionally, teachers can project or share their screen and model annotations for their students.
Can students turn in their annotations?
Yes, students can download their annotations as a PNG file and share it.
How can you continue the conversation with Library staff and fellow teachers?
Help grow Speculative Annotation’s learning community by following other educators’ lessons, exercises, and implementation of the tool, or share your own with #AnnotateLOC.
Use the Library’s Ask a Librarian service to further research a particular item or collection: https://ask.loc.gov/
Additional resources, interviews and events about Speculative Annotation can be found here: https://labs.loc.gov/work/experiments/annotation/?loclr=blogsig