Smithsonian's History Explorer Resources Related To "History Explorer Podcast: Portraiture and Identity"

History Explorer Podcast: Investigating Portraiture

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:54:16 GMT

In this episode of the History Explorer podcast series, Curator Shannon Perich discusses how portraiture can be used in historical research. Shannon presents three historical portraits (including Dorothea Lange's Migrant Mother), describing the historical context of each, while also providing information on how curators and researchers look for clues within historical photography. The resource includes audio and image enhanced podcasts, a teachers guide and student worksheet, and related images.

Understanding and Using Primary and Secondary Sources in History

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:57:03 GMT

Learning to use primary and secondary sources correctly takes practice. In this classroom activity, students will understand the difference between primary and secondary sources. After class discussion and a written assignment based on primary sources, students will also be able to explain the importance and limitations of using primary sources for historical research. This activity is included in the online exhibition entitled The Star-Spangled Banner: The Flag that Inspired the National Anthem.

Understanding Historical Photos

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:28:51 GMT

This resource will help students understand how to analyze historical photos to better understand the intentions of those who took them. Every photograph is both truthful and deceptive. These images were selected to illustrate some of the intricacies in reading historical photographs. This activity is included in the online exhibition entitled Whatever Happened to Polio?

Creating Stories: America on the Move Electronic Field Trip, Part 2

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 11:05:38 GMT

In this electronic field, curators from the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History's exhibition America on the Move take students behind-the-scenes to show how they develop individual stories for exhibitions and provide guidance to students who want to create their own family stories by analyzing objects, documents, and other resources.