Smithsonian's History Explorer Resources Related To "Blog Post: Eco-cities on the Horizon"

First Lady for the Environment Homepage

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:23:43 GMT

Learn more about First Lady Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson, wife of President Lyndon Baines Johnson and her work to protect the environment and bring beauty to every community. This module from the OurStory program includes active reading suggestions and discussion questions for the illustrated biography Miss Lady Bird's Wildflowers, by Kathi Appelt.

OurStory is a series of modules designed by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History 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 allow students to think critically, to be creative, and to achieve academic standards both in and out of the classroom.

The Feather Trade and the American Conservation Movement

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 14:34:33 GMT

Through this online resource students will learn how the popularity of birds and their feathers as fashion accessories led to the creation of conservation societies, such as the Audobon society, as well as the passage of laws intended to prevent certain species of birds from extinction due to the tastes of America's upper class. The 19th-century vogue for feathers as fashion adornments threatened many bird species with extinction, and socially prominent Bostonians began a campaign for tough new laws to preserve the nation's wildlife.

Smithsonian Education Online Conference: Climate Change

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 14:55:35 GMT

Students and teachers can deepen their understanding of the challenge of climate change through this archived online conference. An excellent professional development resource, the homepage for the online conference provides the conference schedule and speakers, as well as general information about virtual conferences. Also included are links to learning activities, the conference blog, and a brief essay entitled Why the Ginkgo? that explains the importance of the Ginkgo tree to science, art history and research at the Smithsonian.