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Smithsonian Education: From Old World to New World
Plants have migrated around the world just like people. This site explains how several African plants and food crops made their way into American life.
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Smithsonian Education: "Gypsies" in the United States
This site has many photos from the Carlos de Wendler-Funaro Gypsy Research Collection. The site is an introduction to several groups of people from other countries who refer to themselves as "gypsies" in English. Each group, which has a...
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Smithsonian Education: Borders and Identity
This collection of essays about the United States - Mexico border is useful in studying how living along a border affects people.
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Smithsonian Learning Lab: The Universe, an Introduction
Start with the questions all students ask: How big is the universe, how far away are the planets and stars, how did they form and when, how do they move and why? Build on their natural curiosity. The Smithsonian, in cooperation with...
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Smithsonian Institution: Scientists at the Smithsonian
This is a collection of video interviews with twenty Smithsonian scientists who work in a scientific areas as vastly different as measuring the moon and figuring out what kinds of birds collide with aircraft. An interesting way to...
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Smithsonian Education: United States Mexico Borderlands
This is a great site that talks about changes in the U.S.-Mexico border. It also discusses the meaning of the border, the people that live there, and border regions. Click "next" at the bottom of the page for more information on the...
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Smithsonian Learning Lab: Revolutionary Money
A two-lesson unit using the Smithsonian collection of currency to teach students about the first American money. Other resources are given and all materials are downloadable.
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Smithsonian Education: Lewis and Clark: The Language of Discovery
Lewis and Clark discovered many new animals and plants, and they mapped areas unknown. Young young scholars will draw pictures of some of the discovered animals and write about them; older students will mimic the mapping expedition...
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Smithsonian Learning Lab: The Expansion of the United States, 1846 48
This online lesson plan shows students through primary sources how the borders of the U.S. changed in just a few years. They are asked to analyze maps and use map skills. All maps and worksheets are included as well as additional resources.
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Smithsonian Learning Lab: Japan: Images of a People
Students learn to view Japanese paintings, they make a screen, and they learn about the culture of Japan. There are three lesson plans and all allow all needed materials to be downloaded.
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Smithsonian Education: Teaching From Objects and Stories: Eskimo People
The object of these three lesson plans is for the students to use objects and stories to learn about the Eskimo people of the Bering Strait. All worksheets and materials are included. Students will solve historical problems, using...
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Smithsonian: Shape Note Singing [Pdf]
An essay and lesson plan on traditional American shape-note choral singing.
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Smithsonian Learning Lab: Making Friends With Franklin
This site is an introduction plus a series of three lesson plans that explore Franklin's portraits plus aspects of his work in science and writing.
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Smithsonian Education: Textiles
A comprehensive site on textiles of the North American Southwest. Includes a gallery, map, catalog, glossary and timeline.
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Smithsonian Education: Partners in Pollination
Here is a three-part lesson plan on the plant and animal relationship in respect to pollination.
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Smithsonian Education: Make the Most of Visiting Museums
Advice from the Smithsonian about ways to enrich your family's experience with museums. Practical tips about how to make your trip stress free as well as suggestions for learning games to play with your family as you roam through...
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Smithsonian Education: What We Can Learn From Objects in Museums
Ways to take advantage of children's natural curiousity to ensure that your next museum visit is a lively and engaging learning experience. Provides excellent question prompts, along with advice for tailoring a visit to suit your child's...
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Smithsonian Learning Lab: Students
This wide-ranging collection of resources includes games, informational slideshows and other online activities. Subjects include art, science, history, nature and culture.
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Smithsonian: Textiles of the North American Southwest
This site explores the weaving traditions of the Native American and Hispanic peoples of northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. A gallery of artifacts, timeline, map glossary, and textual descriptions are included. This is a...
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Smithsonian Education: Impacto, Influencia, Cambio
This multimedia resource provides information about science, technology and invention in Latin America.
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Smithsonian Learning Lab: Stories of the Wrights' Flights
This lesson plan has students read primary materials from the Smithsonian collection written by the Wright brothers, and compare and contrast them to secondary sources, such as newspaper stories from the next day. There is background...
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Smithsonian Education: Decoding the Past
The Smithsonian offers students a background on what archaeology is and what an archaeologist does. Several lesson plans are also provided.
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Smithsonian Education: Prehistoric Climate Change and Why It Matters
Through interactive and engaging learning site, students become the scientists and learn how to determine earth's temporal past.
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Smithsonian Education: Apollo 11 Walking on the Moon
Check out this interactive website about the space race.