ufn44 uln44
Learning Lab Coordinator
Smithsonian Institution
Middle School (13 to 15 years old), High School (16 to 18 years old)
Teacher/Educator
Language Arts And English, Civics, Literature, Cultures, Economics, Social Studies, Geography, Writing, US History, Arts, Other
:
I'm a history-lover, art fan, and bookworm. I taught high school history (U.S. History and World Religions) for ten years in North Carolina, teach currently in Pittsburgh, PA, and am working to help teachers make the most of this new resource!
ufn44 uln44's collections
Portraits of James Baldwin
<p>This student activity begins with an analysis of two portraits of James Baldwin by different artists. Then, students are asked to create their own portrait of Baldwin by remixing source material from this collection. Student portraits should answer the following questions:</p><p>1. How do you think James Baldwin should be remembered?</p><p>2. What are Baldwin's contributions to American life and culture?</p><p>Students may need to do additional research on Baldwin and his life in order to complete this assessment. This is an opportunity for students to learn about and explore the life of a revolutionary writer who presents a unique view of the civil rights movement and status of African-Americans in the United States.</p>
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Negro League Baseball
<p>This is a topical collection of resources related to the Negro Leagues. Students and teachers can use this collection to supplement United States history lessons from after the Civil War through the mid 20th century. Sports often echoes social and cultural changes that take place in the nation and reflect the norms of the times. </p><p>tags: baseball, civil rights, African-Americans, Homestead Grays, Satchel Paige, Hank Aaron, Buck Leonard, Josh Gibson, Cuban Giants</p>
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What's in a name?
<p>This collection is based on a lesson in Bruce Lesh's "Why Won't You Just Tell Us the Answer?" and on a Smithsonian National Museum of American History lesson (both cited fully below). In this lesson, students will evaluate primary source material in order to develop an appropriate name for the site of the 1876 battle at Little Bighorn River. This collection allows students to explore the following questions:</p><ul><li>Why do different interpretations of history develop? How do they change over time?</li><li>When thinking about conflicts in history, whose perspectives are valued and remembered?</li></ul><p>tags: Custer, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Little Big Horn, continuity, change over time, perspective, historiography, point of view, Native American, indigenous, American Indian, Sioux, Greasy Grass</p>
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The Pittsburgh Survey
<p>This topical collection contains resources related to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pittsburgh_Survey" target="_blank">Pittsburgh Survey</a>, a groundbreaking Progressive Era research study of the living and working conditions in turn-of-the-century Pittsburgh. This study, published in books and magazines, led to the passage of worker-safety laws and encouraged other Progressive Era reforms. The images, readings, and links to archival materials in this collection can be used to support exploration of the questions below.</p><p>Guiding Questions:</p><ul><li>In what way did the Pittsburgh Survey reflect Progressive Era concerns, strategies, and achievements?</li><li>How did Progressive Era beliefs about social change differ from those held previously?</li></ul><p>Tags: Progressives, child labor, worker safety, scientific management, muckrakers, reform movement, Lewis Hine, Paul Kellogg, Crystal Eastman. Joseph Stella, Homestead, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania</p>
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All You Need is Love
<p>The best of love-themed graphic design in the Smithsonian Institution's collections. </p>
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Leonidas at Thermopylae
<p>This 2-resource collection is intended to introduce students to the Battle of Thermopylae through an artistic interpretation and a map and graph rendering. It could be used as a short bellringer, warm-up, or homework activity prior to in-class discussion of the battle.</p><p>Tags: Sparta, Greece, Greek, Persia, Xerxes</p>
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1950s Conformity and Counterculture
The 1950s were a period of post-war peace and prosperity. The growing economy and baby boom led to a culture of consumerism and growing Cold War tensions led to an embrace of all things American. This student activity includes a number of images reflecting the 1950s (most of them in postage stamp form). After investigating these images and evaluating how they support or challenge conformity, students are asked to research the counterculture that began to develop in the 1950s. The final assessment asks students to create a stamp image reflecting one of the people, events, or movements that pushed back against 1950s conformity. <br /><br />
Guiding questions:<br />
-What caused a sense of American conformity to develop in the 1950s? How was this feeling expressed?<br />
-What challenges to conformity existed in the 1950s?<br />
-Is it more "American" to conform or to rebel?
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The Concept of God in Hinduism
<p>This topical collection is meant to serve as a starting point to explore the concept of god in Hinduism. Students can review the images in the collection for clues to help them answer questions like:</p><p>-How are gods portrayed in relation to other gods, people, or animals?</p><p>-Do there seem to be one god or many gods? Do they seem to be male or female? </p><p>-What common symbols or poses are present? What do you think they mean? </p><p>-What kinds of powers do the god figures seem to have? In what ways are they like human beings and in what ways are they different? </p><p>The final resource in this collection is a video that gives insight into the Hindu concept of god. After exploring this collection, encourage students to choose one aspect of Hinduism that they would like to research further.</p><p>tags: India, religion, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, trimurti, Ganesh, avatar</p>
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Pittsburgh Landscape
<p>This collection was prepared for a workshop with Pittsburgh Public School teachers about integrating the visual arts with Social Studies curriculum. It models how to use the claim-support-question visible thinking strategy as well as the use of historic lenses that suggest different questions to ask about a work of art.</p><p><br /><br /></p><p>The content focus of this collection is Pittsburgh during the Great Depression. </p><p><br /><br /></p><p>Tags: Pittsburgh, Great Depression, 1930s, New Deal, steel mills, workers, economy</p>
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Jainism
<p>This is a topical collection of resources related to Jainism. It includes sculptures, manuscripts, and paintings from the Smithsonian Institution's collection as well as links to outside web resources for further background information. Some questions to guide thinking are embedded throughout. </p><p>As they explore the collection, users might consider how Jain art and architecture reflect the main beliefs of the religion.</p><p>tags: ancient, India, religion, Jain, tirthankara, Mahavira, faith, Digambara, Svetambara</p>
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Attention-grabbing headlines don't always tell truth!
<p><strong>Attention-grabbing headlines don't always tell truth!</strong></p><p><strong>Pictures are powerful, sometimes edited!</strong></p><p><strong>Twitter doesn't tell whole story.</strong></p><p><br /></p><p>In the era of "fake news" and information overload, we all need to become better readers of the words and pictures that are used to explain what is going on in the world around us. In this activity, students and teachers will consider:</p><p><strong>How<span></span></strong><strong> can the choice of image or words convey different messages about current events? How do journalists and editors shape the news through their choices?</strong><br /></p><p>This student activity asks students to look at several images of young people resisting a law or recent event. Their task is to write two different headlines for that image designed to appeal to different audiences. They will also be asked to research the context for the image and to consider how that might impact their headlines. </p><p>The goals of this lesson are to:</p><ul><li>explore image and word choice as news drivers (factors that make items newsworthy or appealing to readers)</li><li>determine how journalists and editors shape the news through their choices</li><li>encourage news literacy and a critical reading of headlines and photojournalism in the future. </li></ul>
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Examining Icebergs
<p>What can we learn about global climate change by examining icebergs? This teaching collection provides resources to support a lesson on climate change and polar ice melt. It includes a video, link to a lesson plan and photo essay from the Global Oneness Project, images, and a Smithsonian article. </p><p>tags: climate change, global warming, iceberg, glacier, melt, temperature, environment</p>
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Iconic and Ironic? Depression-Era Photographs
<p>This collection includes three photographs by Farm Security Administration artists that use language and image to create an American scene in the late 1930s-early 1940s. The first has become an iconic image of the Great Depression by Margaret Bourke-White, although it has a more specific history that users will learn about. Students will be asked to consider why the first image became so closely linked with the Great Depression, how the artist and author used irony to make a statement, and how different groups may have experienced the Depression in different ways. After reading a passage from Bud Not Buddy (by Christopher Paul Curtis) and answering reflective questions, students will write their own passage about one of the remaining photographs.</p><p>Essential Questions:</p><p>-How do these artists use images and language to create rich portraits of America?</p><p>-In what way do these images suggest divisions or unity within America during hte 1930s and 1940s?</p><p>Tags: Bud Not Buddy, Margaret Bourke White, Dorothea Lange, Ben Shahn, Farm Security Administration, soup kitchen, bread line, hobo, hoboes, comparison, irony, descriptive writing</p>
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Forced Removal during Apartheid: Examining Historic Photographs
<p><em>How did apartheid affect the lives of blacks living in Johannesburg in the late 1940s and early 1950s? What was the purpose of forced removal?</em></p><p>This student activity uses the examination of historical photographs as an entry point to learning about the forced removal of blacks from urban areas to townships & homelands under apartheid in South Africa. The images here are all from Sophiatown and Soweto. What details emerge about the life changes that resulted from being moved? What questions remain?</p>
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Earl Hines: An Innovative Jazz Musician
<p>Earl Hines embodies the innovator mindset because he was experimental, collaborative, resilient and resourceful. He invented a new style of playing the piano and became well-known for his work with other jazz musicians. As you look through this collection, try to find more examples of his innovator mindset. </p><p>For more on the characteristics that make up an innovator, look at the Heinz History Center website. You can even take a quiz and find out what innovator you are most like:</p><p><a href="http://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/education/school-programs-k-12/steam/innovator-match-up">http://www.heinzhistorycenter.org/education/school...</a></p><p>tags: Pittsburgh, Chicago, jazz, segregation, music</p>
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Ekphrastic Poetry Lesson
<p>According to <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/resources/learning/glossary-terms/detail/ekphrasis" target="_blank">the Poetry Foundation</a>, "An ekphrastic poem is a vivid description of a scene or, more commonly, a work of art. Through the imaginative act of narrating and reflecting on the "action" of a painting or sculpture, the poet may amplify and expand its meaning"</p><p>This collection is based on a lesson plan from the Smithsonian American Art Museum, which guides users through the process of using artwork to inform and inspire poetry. Strategies for developing original poems, sample ekphrastic (art-inspired) poems, and suggested artworks are included to stimulate thinking.</p><p>tags: creative writing, art, poetry, poems</p>
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What were the causes of U.S. imperialism?
<p>This collection examines the causes of U.S. imperialism at the turn of the century through the lens of two political cartoons. Students will investigate both cartoons and develop a definition of imperialism based on what they find. </p>
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Why did the Second Great Awakening inspire reform movements?
<p>The Second Great Awakening was a religious revival movement in the first half of the 19th century. It emphasized emotion and enthusiasm, but also democracy: new religious denominations emerged that restructured churches to allow for more people involved in leadership, an emphasis on man's equality before god, and personal relationships with Christ (meaning less authority on the part of a minister or priest). There was also a belief that the Second Coming was imminent, and society must be improved before that time. Women were heavily involved in the 2nd Great Awakening movement, converting in large movements and taking on leadership roles in service committees and reform work. </p><p>Students and teachers might use this collection as a topical resource to explore:<strong> Why and how did the Second Great Awakening inspired a range of antebellum reform movements?</strong></p><p>Other questions that might support this inquiry include:</p><ul><li>How are concepts of democracy and equality important to both the Second Great Awakening and the rise of reform movements?</li><li>Why do you think women were often leaders in antebellum reform movements?</li><li>More Americans were moving westward during this period. How do you think that impacted the religious revival movement?</li><li>Can you hypothesize a connection between the increase in utopian societies during this time and the growing reform and religious movements?</li></ul><p>Tags: abolition, temperance, women's rights, women's suffrage, second coming, antebellum reform, asylum and prison reform, education, 2GA</p>
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The Steamboat Arabia
<p style="margin-left:32px;">This collection was made to pair with a learning experience during the November 17th workshop for Pittsburgh teachers working with the Smithsonian Learning Lab. Teachers will visit the Steamboat Arabia exhibit and learn from a Heinz History Center curator about the decisions made and limitations faced when creating an exhibit for visitors to learn from. </p><p style="margin-left:32px;">Both the online collection and the Heinz History Center exhibit explore the question "<strong>How do new innovations in transportation affect American life?"</strong></p><p style="margin-left:32px;">The collection below contains artifacts and images from the Smithsonian collection that might help students and teachers respond to the question above. Suggested scaffolding questions might include:</p><ul><li>Identify the changes in technology and transportation that occurred between 1800-1850.</li><li>How did these new transportation systems impact the movement and interactions of groups of people, the expansion of trade, and cultural life on the frontier?</li><li>How do the items in this collection compare to what was found during the recovery of the Steamboat Arabia?</li></ul>
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Red Caps and Pullman Porters
<p>This is a topical collection of items relating to red caps and Pullman porters, positions associated with train travel during the 20th century.</p><p>Teachers and students might use this collection to explore how these jobs reinforced the social status of African-Americans while at the same time ensuring steady, reliable work and the rise of an African-American middle class. They also might consider the impact of A. Philip Randolph and the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. How did the development of this labor union later impact the Civil Rights movement?</p><p>tags: amtrak, railroad, trains, sleeping car, segregation</p>
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The Mughal Empire
<p>What is the role of art and culture in the expansion of nations or empires? This collection traces the general history of the Mughal Empire and its influence on Indian art. The Mughals were a dynasty of Islamic leaders who conquered India in the 16th and 17th centuries. Their blend of influences and the stylistic preferences of the emperors created a distinct style. </p><p>Guiding questions to consider are:</p><p>How did the Mughals assert their authority over and create a sense of unity within India?</p><p>Why is art so important to powerful leaders, and how can they influence artistic styles?</p><p>Tags: religion, culture, syncretism, Islam, Muslim, India, Hindu, cause effect, chronology</p>
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Dulce et Decorum Est--Poetry from World War I
<p>Why are artists' representations of war important? This student activity uses a poem by Wilfred Owen, "Dulce et Decorum Est," and several images to encourage reflection on soldiers' experiences and views of war. Students will explore the descriptive language and artistic choices made to determine what emotions are evoked by the art and what attitudes towards war are represented. Finally, students will be asked to consider and write about their own beliefs regarding war.</p>
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The Seventies: A Crisis of Confidence
<p>This is a teaching collection designed to support an inquiry into why the public lost confidence in the government in the 1970s (70s). Topics covered include the economic recession, the Nixon presidency and Watergate, the Ford presidency, the Carter presidency, the Iran hostage crisis, the oil embargo, the Kent State massacre and the Pentagon Papers.</p><p><br /><br /></p><p>Guiding questions:<br /></p><p>-Why did the U.S. public lose confidence in the presidency in the 1970s?<br /></p><p>-What impact did economic crises have on American lives?</p>
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TRETC Explores the Learning Lab
<p>Let's take a journey to see what the Smithsonian has for you and your students. We will use this as a FRIENDLY challenge, and as a way to explore the types of diverse resources and features found in the Learning Lab.</p>
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