Smithsonian's History Explorer Resources Related To "Creating Stories: America on the Move Electronic Field Trip, Part 2"

America on the Move Homepage

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 18:12:13 GMT

This online exhibition explores the role of transportation in American history. Students will learn about communities wrestling with the changes that new transportation networks brought; how cities change, suburbs expand, and farms and factories become part of regional, national and international economies; and hear the stories of people who travel for work and pleasure, and move to new homes. This online exhibition also includes an interactive collection search, thematic essays by museum staff and guest curators, interactive games and learning resources for the classroom and home.

The website includes the following subsections: Transportation in America before 1876; Community Dreams (Santa Craz, California); Delivering the Goods (Watsonville, California); A Streetcar City (Washington, D.C.); People on the Move; the Connected City (New York, New York); Crossing the Country; Americans Adopt the Auto; Lives on the Railroad (Salisbury, North Carolina); The People's Highway: Route 66; Roadside Communities (Ring's Rest, Muirkirk, Maryland); Family Camping (York Beach, Maine); On the School Bus (Martinsburg, Indiana); Suburban Strip (Sandy Boulevard, Portland, Oregon); City and Suburb (Chicago and Park Forest, Illinois); On the Interstate (I-10); Transforming the Waterfront (San Francisco, California and Oakland, California); and Going Global (Los Angeles, California)

Immigration, Migration, and How We Got There - Electronic Field Trip Part 1

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:41:25 GMT

This electronic field trip was designed to introduce grades 4–8 to the America on the Move exhibition on transportation in U.S. history. Curators and a student host visit the exhibition and examine the impact of immigration and migration and the influence of various forms of transportation on American history.

Creating Stories Activity Kit

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 13:57:31 GMT

In this activity kit, students will use primary and secondary sources, and conduct oral history interviews to construct a family immigration or migration story. The kit contains step-by-step instructions, sample interview questions, and research guidance. The kit can be used in conjunction with a 28 minute streaming video called Creating Stories: America on the Move Electronic Field Part 2. It is included in the online exhibition entitled America on the Move, which focuses on transportation in US history.

Making the Exhibition: America on the Move

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:25:31 GMT

Students can learn more about the America on the Move exhibition and how it was created. Students will go behind the scenes to learn about the many activities that comprise exhibition development: research, writing, design, object selection, acquisition, and care; construction; deinstallation; and installation. This reference page is included in the online exhibition entitled America on the Move, which focuses on transportation in US history. It includes the following sections: About America on the Move; CTA Car 6719: From Scrap to History; Container Back Story; Creating an 1890s Orchard in a Museum; Exhibiting Transportation at the Smithsonian; How Did You Do It? Moving the 1401 into the Museum; Pete's Postcards; Tending Aids to Navigation; and What is an emblem?

Learning About Museums

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 16:05:51 GMT

What do museums do? In this classroom activity, students will recognize the Smithsonian Institution and be able to explain what a museum does. This is accomplished through the use of discussion questions and activities in which they relate stories from prior museum visits or share ideas for a museum that they would like to create. This activity is included in the online exhibition entitled The Star-Spangled Banner: The Flag that Inspired the National Anthem.