Upcoming changes to the Quality Core Curriculum Standards, now called the Georgia Performance Standards, bring new challenges for the state's teachers. At the Georgia Archives, we are proud to help educators effectively navigate these challenges. While identifying, preserving, and making records that constitute Georgia's recorded history accessible, the Archives provides primary source material that contains valuable educational content, but also allows students opportunities to develop the analytical skills outlined in the new Georgia Performance Standards.
In May of 2003, the Georgia Archives relocated to the city of Morrow, just south of the Atlanta perimeter. While the move saved taxpayers a costly renovation on the old downtown location, it also allowed for state-of-the-art technological advances and more space for special programming. As a result, the Archives is now able to offer increased services for educators and students in grades 4-12.
Reference Services - Nearly 20,000 people visit the Georgia Archives each year to conduct research. Our secure environment preserves historic materials while allowing access to approximately 100,000 cubic feet of government records (from 1732 to the present) including the Surveyor General Collection of 1.5 million land grants and plats (1775-1909) and over 10,000 county and state maps. The non-government collection includes documents having cultural and historical value, such as family letters and papers, business records, records of organizations and churches, and photographs. Non-original materials such as books are also available. The research room is open Tuesday through Saturday, 8:30 to 5:00, providing research guidance to those in need of it.
Building tours - During field trips to the Archives, students get the opportunity to learn how the Archives preserves Georgia's documentary heritage and explore the value of primary resources. Classroom lectures by Archives staff are also available.
The Teachers' Advisory Forum - The Archives has established a new listserv for social studies educators to allow direct input on the development of services and resources for the classroom as well as to encourage networking and discussion opportunities across the state. Information on upcoming programs, exhibits, and other relevant news bulletins will also be announced via the listserv. To subscribe, send an e-mail to listserv@list.sos.state.ga.us. Do not enter any text in the subject field and delete any automatic signatures. In the message field, enter "Subscribe GAHISTORYEDUCATORS" and your first and last name. You will receive a message confirming your subscription and providing further instructions.
Online Information - The Georgia Archives website at www.GeorgiaArchives.org offers facts and statistics about the state, research guides, information about elected officials, tips for preserving documents and photographs, and online exhibits of primary materials. In the near future, lesson plans will be offered to support approved curriculum guidelines with corresponding online copies of original materials.
For more information, contact Valerie Frey, Education Coordinator for the Georgia Archives, at vfrey@sos.state.ga.us or 678-364-3782.
