"This black t-shirt, which says “Silence = Death” with a pink triangle, symbolizes the struggle against AIDS.
Lessons & Activities

Grade Range:
K-5
Resource Type(s):
Reference Materials, Lessons & Activities, Worksheets
Date Posted:
1/5/2010
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is one of America's celebrated heroes for his use of nonviolent protest strategies during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. By using this OurStory module, children and adults can enjoy exploring history together through children's literature, everyday obje

Grade Range:
9-12
Resource Type(s):
Primary Sources, Lessons & Activities
Date Posted:
9/29/2008
In this lesson, students will carefully examine an authentic Massachusetts thirty-shilling note (1775) from the Museum's collection and hypothesize the meaning of its visual elements. Students will use primary and secondary sources to refine the hypothesis and in the process, discover the role th

Grade Range:
6-12
Resource Type(s):
Primary Sources, Lessons & Activities
Date Posted:
9/24/2020
In this lesson plan, students will learn how Cindy Whitehead, a skateboarding pioneer, changed the culture of skateboarding and fought for girls to have greater access to all sports. Students will examine the question: Why does gender equality in sports matter?

Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Reference Materials, Interactives & Media, Lessons & Activities, Worksheets
Date Posted:
3/12/2010
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 biog

Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Lessons & Activities, Worksheets
Date Posted:
1/7/2013
OurStory is designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through children’s literature, everyday objects, and hands-on activities. Each OurStory module examines a moment in American history through a work of historical fiction and related activities and includes a

Grade Range:
K-12
Resource Type(s):
Lessons & Activities
Date Posted:
2/22/2010
Prototype Online: Inventive Voices is a podcast series from the Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center that reveals the stories behind the invention—motivations, successes, and disappointments—and highlights the persevering spirit shared by all who call themselves “inventor.”
Grade Range:
9-12
Resource Type(s):
Primary Sources, Lessons & Activities
Date Posted:
9/10/2008
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

Grade Range:
5-12
Resource Type(s):
Lessons & Activities
Date Posted:
11/20/2013
This game show template demonstrates the importance of examining multiple sources in historical interpretation and shows the type of information that can be gleaned from different types of sources. The game is based on the show "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and can be updated to reflect any tim

Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Lessons & Activities, Worksheets
Date Posted:
6/10/2008
Quilts do more than just keep us warm; they preserve history by telling us stories about the people who made them. In this hands-on activity, students will learn about women's history by studying quilts. They will then make a quilt square in honor of a person who is important to them. It is inclu

Grade Range:
9-12
Resource Type(s):
Lessons & Activities
Date Posted:
8/31/2011
In this lesson, students will learn the story of September 11 and the process for building a collection at the Museum by listening to curators discuss collecting objects to represent the September 11 terrorist attacks, interviewing family or community members who remember the events of that day,