Smithsonian's History Explorer Resources Related To Book "Dear Mr. President: Thomas Jefferson: Letters from a Philadelphia Bookworm"

American Presidents: Life Portraits

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 18:15:39 GMT

This website was originally designed to complement C-SPAN's 20th Anniversary Television Series, American Presidents: Life Portraits, which debuted in 1999. The American Presidents website, created for the television series, contains a complete video archive of the series, additional resources of biographical facts, key events of each presidency, presidential birthplaces, libraries, and gravesites, as well as reference material. The site is a great starting point for students researching a specific president.

Children Write to the President

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 13:56:08 GMT

What would you say if you wrote a letter to the President? In this activity, students will analyze primary source letters that were written to Presidents by children and answer questions based on what they have read. This activity provides a unique look at the Presidency as part of the online exhibition The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden.

The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden Homepage

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:43:08 GMT

This online exhibition examines the history of the American presidency. Through the use of objects from the museum's extensive collection, an interactive timeline and interactive activities, students will study the realities of the presidency, from its origins to the present, as well as the lives of the men who have held the office.

Dear Mr. President

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 15:13:56 GMT

In this activity, students will analyze the letter Grace Bedell wrote to President Abraham Lincoln, then write and send their own letters to the president of the United States. This activity is included in an Ourstory module entitled A Letter to Abraham Lincoln. OurStory is a series of modules designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use of objects from the Museum's vast collections, quality children's literature, and engaging hands-on activities. Ideal for afterschool use, OurStory resources will allow students to think critically, to be creative, and to achieve academic standards both in and out of the classroom.