Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

What Qualified George Washington to be President?

For Teachers 7th - 9th
Learners create a list of characteristics, qualifications, and skills that make an effective President of the United States. They determine what qualificatons George Washington posessed that made him the right choice for President of the...
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Giving Speeches: George Washington's First and Second Inaugural Addresses

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students discuss the purpose of the President of the United States giving an inaugural address. They describe their impressions of any inaugural speaches they have heard or read. Students research events leading up to Washington's first...
Website
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Magazine: Eco Center: The Oceans

For Students 9th - 10th
Students explore the potential problems and fascinating phenomena of the oceans. Some topics investigated are climate change, nutrient pollution, and fishing. The resource consists of a quiz, slideshows, articles, and video clips.
Handout
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of American History: First Lady for the Environment

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
This resource provides information about Lady Bird Johnson, wife of President Lyndon Baines Johnson, and the efforts she put forth to preserve the environment. Activities, videos, and book recommendation are included.
Website
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of American History: A Vision of Puerto Rico

For Students 9th - 10th
A virtual look at a wide-ranging mix of art and artifacts that visually represent Puerto Rico's culture and history. With thematic overviews of everyday life on the island, music, families, and religion along with many useful educational...
Interactive
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of American History: Building a Sod House

For Students 3rd - 8th
Ready to be an early settler on the plains? While playing this interactive game, you'll get to build your own sod house ..if ..you have the right answers.
Website
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of American History: Whatever Happened to Polio?

For Students 9th - 10th
Online exhibit commemorates the discovery of the polio vaccine. Includes a timelined history of the disease, beginning with the first clinical description of polio by British physician Michael Underwood. Inquiries into the research to...
Article
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of American History: July 1942: United We Stand

For Students 9th - 10th
Exhibit, honoring a nationwide design contest to encourage Americans to buy war bonds while boosting morale, explains the rationale for the campaign and tells the stories behind the magazine covers designed for the campaign.
Website
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of American History: The Price of Freedom: Americans at War

For Students 9th - 10th
View comprehensive sets of artifacts that tell the story of America's wartime past and present. Artifacts from every major American military conflict, beginning with the American Revolution, can be closely examined. Full curatorial notes...
Website
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of American History: Sports: Breaking Records: Breaking Barriers

For Students 9th - 10th
A virtual exhibit featuring sports legends and great Olympians from more than a dozen sports. See artifacts from the Smithsonian's sports collection, and explore the exhibition spotlights on athletes who dominated their sports.
Article
Smithsonian Institution

Encyclopedia Smithsonian: Paleoamerican Origins

For Students 9th - 10th
This detailed article from the Encyclopedia Smithsonian lays out the theories and evidence of who were the earliest inhabitants of North and South America. Beginning with the traditional theory of migration using the land bridge, and...
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Learning Lab: A Mouse Like a House? A Pocket Elephant?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Teachers can download this teaching package that discusses the limits on animal size, both big and small, and what effect size has on animals. Students will enjoy the hands-on activities described in the lessons. Teachers will appreciate...
PPT
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Education: Walk on the Moon

For Students 9th - 10th
This online lesson helps students explore primary sources, including photographs and audio and video recordings, in order to learn about the Apollo crew and spacecraft, the history of the space race, and the incredible technological...
Website
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Education: Impacto, Influencia, Cambio: Meet Dr. Ellen Ochoa

For Students 9th - 10th
Meet the first Latina in space Dr. Ellen Ochoa, presented here by Smithsonian in a short biography and descriptions of her missions.
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Learning Lab: Plants and Animals: Partners in Pollination

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Smithsonian Education presents a series of three lesson plans whose focus is plants and animals in their role as partners in pollination. Each lesson comes complete with clear learning objectives, materials list, subjects covered,...
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Learning Lab: Every Picture Has a Story

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Smithsonian Education presents "Every Picture Has a Story". Teachers can download this comprehensive teaching package in which students examine some of the millions of photographs in the Smithsonian. This amazing teaching package comes...
Unit Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian in Your Classroom: Introduction to the Nature Journal [Pdf]

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st Standards
Smithsonian in the Classroom presents "Introduction to the Nature Journal." Teachers can download this comprehensive teaching package in which students will practice and develop their skills of writing observations and making hypotheses....
Unit Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian in Your Classroom: Introduction to the Nature Journal [Pdf]

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st Standards
Smithsonian in the Classroom presents "Introduction to the Nature Journal." Teachers can download this comprehensive teaching package in which students will practice and develop their skills of writing observations and making hypotheses....
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Learning Lab: The Music in Poetry

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
Smithsonian in the Classroom presents The Music in Poetry. Teachers can download this comprehensive teaching package for exploring the rhythms in poetry. Includes background information, lesson extensions, student handouts, examples of...
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Learning Lab: The Music in Poetry

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st Standards
Smithsonian in the Classroom presents The Music in Poetry. Teachers can download this comprehensive teaching package for exploring the rhythms in poetry. Includes background information, lesson extensions, student handouts, examples of...
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Learning Lab: Under the Spell Of...spiders!

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Learn about their unique characteristics, how they hunt, and reproduce. Young scholars will appreciate the excellent photographs and background information. Teachers will love the series of three lesson plans about spiders, complete with...
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Learning Lab: Contrasts in Blue: Life on the Caribbean Coral Reef and the Rocky Coast of Maine

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Smithsonian Education presents Contrasts in Blue: Life on the Caribbean Coral Reef and the Rocky Coast of Maine. Teachers can download this comprehensive teaching package in which students explore two marine ecosystems, the coral reefs...
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Learning Lab: Decoding the Past: The Work of Archaeologists

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Through this study, young scholars will think like an archaeologist, and move towards a better understanding of our world by taking a look back at civilizations of the past.
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Learning Lab: How Things Fly: Activities for Teaching Flight

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Through this series of three lessons, students will gain an understanding of the basics of flight. They will learn about the four forces of flight and practice their observation skills through a number of fun experiments. In addition,...