• Applicants should submit plans and other documentation for an innovative lesson or series of lessons that they created using the collections of the Norwich University Archives. The lesson(s) can have been taught previously or be planned for future implementation and should emphasize document analysis, critical thinking, and evidence-based reasoning with primary sources.
• It is not required that the academic year of the award be the first time the lesson was taught, as iteration often breeds innovation.
• Faculty members who have previously received the Caraganis Prize are eligible to apply, but may not submit previously awarded lesson plans.
• Primary sources should be selected to stimulate discussion and support your learning outcomes.
• The ideal lesson plan will contain a teaching methodology that can be reused across the curriculum.
• Meeting with an archivist while preparing your lesson plan(s) is highly recommended to help you understand the broad range of resources that are available to you. Archives staff are also happy answer questions faculty may have relating to our rules or how to access our collections.
• Archivists are available to give-in-class instruction on handling unique or rare materials, if desired, when lesson plans are implemented; however, faculty submitting Caraganis Prize applications are responsible for creating and conveying the core content of their lesson plans.

The lesson plan should draw on NU Archives resources and should contain the following elements:

• Learning objective(s)
• Explanation of teaching methodology
• Specific materials from the University Archives
• Active learning techniques employed
• Any associated course content such as readings or homework assignments
• The role, if any, played by University Archives staff in developing and teaching the lesson
• Reflections on the success of the lesson, if previously taught, and opportunities for improvement

Faculty must complete and submit a proposal application describing their lesson plan in detail. Proposals will be submitted to the Executive Director of the Library, Archives, and Museum, who will distribute them to members of the Faculty Library Committee for review. The Library Committee may consult with University Archives staff. The Faculty Library Committee will meet to weigh and discuss the merits of the proposals. The Executive Director of the Library, Archives, and Museum will notify the winner and all other applicants will also be notified of the Committee’s decision.

The following criteria will be used to evaluate proposals:

• Clearly articulated, faculty-generated learning outcomes
• Completeness/thoroughness of lesson plan
• Creative use of specific archival resources
• Degree to which active learning is incorporated
• Potential for primary source literacy skill development