The Blackberry is a handheld wireless Personal Data Assistant (PDA) and communication device.
Lessons & Activities

Grade Range:
6-12
Resource Type(s):
Primary Sources, Lessons & Activities
Date Posted:
2/3/2011
In lesson from the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies, students examine a primary source that might seem both familiar and strange: a yearbook from Rutgers in 1860, complete with farewell messages from classmates. On close study, the messages from reveal much about the

Grade Range:
K-12
Resource Type(s):
Interactives & Media, Lessons & Activities
Date Posted:
5/31/2012
Explore jazz through listening activities, interviews with musicians, and background information on SmithsonianJazz.org. Prominently featured on this site are two suites of learning activities: one focusing on Duke Ellington for elementary students and one focusing on Louis Armstrong for middle a

Grade Range:
8-12
Resource Type(s):
Lessons & Activities
Date Posted:
10/25/2013
These three activities are designed as follow-up materials for the National Youth Summit on Freedom Summer, but can be modified for any content.

Grade Range:
6-12
Resource Type(s):
Primary Sources, Lessons & Activities, Worksheets
Date Posted:
9/12/2009
In this activity, one of three on the Bracero Archive website, students will discuss their thoughts on immigration, learn about the Bracero labor program, and use photographs to develop deeper understandings of the Bracero labor program.
The Smithso
Grade Range:
9-12
Resource Type(s):
Lessons & Activities
Date Posted:
4/16/2018
Where Do You Stand? asks students to formulate opinions on fundamental American rights while listening to and learning from the ideas and experiences of their peers.
The learning begins with the guiding question: What would you do to support what you believe in?

Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Lessons & Activities, Worksheets
Date Posted:
6/10/2008
Students will learn how to start their own collection after reading about Teodoro Vidal, a man who collected objects from Puerto Rico in this OurStory activity. OurStory is a series of modules designed to help children and adults enjoy exploring history together through the use of objects from th

Grade Range:
9-12
Resource Type(s):
Primary Sources, Interactives & Media, Lessons & Activities
Date Posted:
11/8/2009
This object-based learning activity revolves around the short-handled hoe, the bracero program, Cesar Chavez and the organizing of Latino farm workers in the American southwest after World War II. Students will learn about the role of Mexican guest workers in American agricultural histo

Grade Range:
K-5
Resource Type(s):
Lessons & Activities, Worksheets
Date Posted:
9/4/2020
These activities help young learners build skills in literacy, creativity, and communication while using everyday materials and exploring interesting topics. A series of five, each activity uses objects from across the Smithsonian as a jumping-off point for learning through play as well as tips for

Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Primary Sources, Lessons & Activities, Worksheets
Date Posted:
6/10/2008
In this activity, students will analyze images of tools that were used on rice plantations to determine each tool's purpose. These objects can tell us a great deal about slavery and the lives of the slaves who worked on rice plantations. It is included in an OurStory module entitled Slave Lif

Grade Range:
6-12
Resource Type(s):
Primary Sources, Interactives & Media, Lessons & Activities, Worksheets
Date Posted:
3/27/2013
In this lesson, students will learn about the Jim Crow era in American history through an oral history interview with jazz legend John Levy. The resource set includes photographs and newspaper clippings in addition to the oral history excerpts, a teacher guide, and a student worksheet.