Smithsonian Jazz is home to several online exhibits, an interactive "Duke Ellington class," recordings, publications, oral histories, and similar resources.
Here is the National Zoological Park right at our fingertips. Students will find many things to explore at this colorful and engaging site. Any study of animals will have a successful start here. Chances are students can catch their favorite animal on a webcam. By choosing a habitat under "Animals, etc." students can learn about the major animals found there. For instance, choose the Amazonia Habitat and learn about the mammals, birds, reptiles and fish. Each section includes beautiful pictures. This would make a great site to include in a WebQuest for information on the diverse world of animals.
As part of the Amazonia exhibit at the National Zoo, this site highlights various facts and interesting information on the Two-Toed Sloth. In addition to several pictures, the site provides a description and information on habitat, diet, reproduction, and more.
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 links to exhibits in the various Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C.
Brief biographies of 7 significant people of Civil War-era America. Each has a portrait from the National Portrait Gallery. Biographies on: Henry Clay, Thaddeus Stevens, John Ericsson, Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln, Julia Ward Howe, and Ulysses S. Grant.
A useful article outlining the important features of a puppet and how to successfully use them in your classroom as a learning tool. A fun look at puppets around the world is also included.
Launch a video that helps explain the origins of the flag that inspired "The Star-Spangled Banner." [3:52]
The 'Indiana' steamboat sank in Lake Erie in the mid-1800's. The story of the ship is told through artifacts and maps.
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 information, the lesson plan, resources and finally documents all available on the site.
This resource focuses on teaching students how to do historical research via a series of steps. Historical photos and documents are included as examples.
Gives excellent information on all aspects of the nuclear submarines in use today.
Interact with a work of art to discover how symbolism is portrayed with different characters and elements.
Teachers can download this comprehensive teaching package in which students work like marine biologists studying the North Atlantic right whale. As part of this learning exercise, students will research field photographs of one of these endangered species, along with sighting records, in an attempt to track the whale's movements. Students will appreciate the excellent photographs and background information. All accompanying handouts are included in the lesson package.
This lesson is great for young learners who like to collect things. It gives you ideas of ways to teach such concepts as classifying, sorting, arranging, multiplying, graphing, and measuring with collections of simple objects.
Five lesson plans, complete with videos, primary sources, and document-based questions (DBQ) to encourage students to utilize primary sources and incorporate thinking and writing into daily learning. Topics include: Artifact & Document Analysis, Compare & Contrast, Four Corners/Jigsaw, Graphic Organizers, and PERSIA (Political, Economical, Religious, Social, Intellectual, Artistic).
A lesson in which students gain empathy for people who lived during a historical time period by writing a first-person story with experiences that would have happened during that time.
A professional development video to help your students become a more effective science learner. [10:49]
A thorough examination of the life of Theodore Roosevelt and the people and events that influenced him. You'll find photographs of Roosevelt, as well as photos, paintings, and biographies of some influential people in Roosevelt's life.
This article discusses a map generated by the European Space Agency's Swarm mission that depicts Earth's magnetic field using satellites to measure magnetism. The map reveals magnetic stripes and magnetic anomalies. The article includes a link to an ESA article on Swarm and one to the World Digital Magnetic Anomaly Map, which can be downloaded. Includes video. [1:29] (Published March 21, 2017)
This site is a complete resource for learning about Edison's life, his inventions, and electricity. If you like experimenting, there are instructions included for how to make your own light bulb. Good photos.