Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Education: Spotlight Biography Inventors
This site provides information on American inventors Benjamin Franklin, Robert Fulton, Eli Whitney, Thomas Jefferson, Isaac Singer, Wilbur Wright, Thomas Alva Edison, Elias Howe, and Alexander Graham Bell. It offers pictures from and...
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Smithsonian Learning Lab: Prehistoric Climate Change and Why It Matters Today
Introduce students to environmental issues by studying a time of rapid global warming that occurred 50 million years ago. Lessons, video segments and interactive activities will engage students as they learn about average annual...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Learning Lab: What's Your Problem? A Look at the Environment in Your Own Backyard
The Smithsonian provides a guide that classrooms can use to explore the environment in their own backyard. For example, a second-grade class in Colorado interviewed people in their community to inquire about the state of the local...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Education: Idea Labs: Prehistoric Climate Change
Sort fossil leaves from 55 million years ago into groups with smooth or 'toothed' edges. Then, use a formula to calculate the percentage of each type and, from there, look at how high the temperature might have risen when global warming...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Education: Tomorrow's Forecast: Oceans and Weather [Pdf]
A lesson unit for Grades 4-9 on how the ocean affects climate and weather. Includes worksheets (also in Spanish) and maps.
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Smithsonian Learning Lab: Portraits: Written and Visual
A wonderful resource on the lives and work of American authors, Louisa May Alcott and Samuel Clemens. You will get a unique look at them through the study of their portrait and their writing. Includes two great lesson plans.
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Smithsonian Learning Lab: Landscape Painting
A Smithsonian website plus lesson plans on the art of landscape painting. Includes details on landscape painting techniques to create the illusion of depth and space as well as information on four landscape artists.
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Smithsonian Education: From Carbons to Computers, the Changing American Office
A site including lesson plans, photographs, and text about the offices of yesterday and those of today. Topics discussed include office equipment, office organization, globalization, and technology. Also included is an historical...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Education: Artifact & Analysis: Historical Interpretation
A companion to American history courses, Artifact & Analysis features historical artifacts and documents about consumerism and the nation expanding, teacher's guide, writing assignments, and essays.
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Smithsonian Education: Native American Dolls [Pdf]
Students examine dolls from the online collections at the Smithsonian and connect them with the correct cultures. Includes lots of background information about Native American clothing and how the way each cultural group dresses reflects...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: Legendary Coins and Currency
Archived images of coins from a beautiful online exhibition on the history of money.
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Smithsonian Institution: Star Spangled Banner and the War of 1812
This site discusses the history behind the Star Spangled Banner by Francis Scott Key, written during the War of 1812. Visitors can view an image of the actual American flag which flew over Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore and...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian: Creativity and Resistance: Maroon Cultures in Americas
An education resource guide based on an exhibit on the role of "Maroons," who were escaped slaves in Latin America who established communities with extensive cultural contacts. The guide includes activities which can be used in middle...
Smithsonian Institution
Gifts and Blessings: The Textile Arts of Madagascar
To the people of Madagascar woven cloth is more than just something nice to wear. Come explore the topic of textiles and their importance to these African people.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of African Art: Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Kente
Learn about African kente cloth, including how it is made, when to wear it, and how to wear it. Accompanying interactive lets you can design your own kente.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of African Art: El Anatsui: Gawu
The work of Ghanaian artyist El Anatsui is presented in this on-lone companion to the travelling ehibit of his work created by the Arts Council of Wales.
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National Museum of African Art: Artful Animals
African artists commonly base their work on animals observed in their natural habitats. Artful Animals lets you view African art that takes animals as its subject and inspiration. Learn about animals as symbols in African art, the beauty...
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Smithsonian Institution: Marine Science at the Smithsonian Institution
A site for networking many institutions, laboratories, and research groups working in the field of marine science. Has links to many scientists and their research interests.
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Smithsonian Institution Archives: Scopes Monkey Trial
Find previously unpublished photographs of the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial that were found in the Smithsonian Archives. The photos include captions that explain the context.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of African Art: Contemporary African Art
An exhibition of contemporary African art that pulls together the work of 28 artists from 15 different countries. Read artist biographies, view representative works, and think about two prominent themes that emerge from the collection:...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of African Art: Big and Small Are Tricky
An exhibition that uses African art to explain the concepts of bigness and smallness. In the world of art, big and small can refer not only to physical size but to relative size, to the impression an object makes, or to the largeness of...
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of African Art: Inscribing Meaning: Writing and Graphic Systems
These works of art reveal symbols and graphic systems that help to communicate values and ideas of the African people.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of African Art | African Mosaic
Identify and understand this exhibit of African art presented by the National Museum of African Art. A brief video provides and overview of the exhibit. Experience the tour virtually and quiz your observation skills with the Gallery Hunt.
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National Museum of African Art: African Vision: Explore African Art: At Home
This printable guide is to be used in conjunction with the African Vision web site from the NMAfA. It offers six different activites to try on your own including connections between art and science as well as some games.