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

Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Primary Sources, Lessons & Activities, Worksheets
Date Posted:
6/10/2008
What can we learn about life in a sod house by looking at photographs? In this activity, students will analyze two photographs of families who lived in homes made of sod in order to answer questions about these families' lives. OurStory is a series of modules designed to help children and adults

Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Lessons & Activities, Interactives & Media
Duration:
25
minutes
Date Posted:
3/31/2014
Although many children are already familiar with what money looks like and with how and when their families use money, it is important that they also understand how money itself works. The money we use, coins and currency, has very little value on its own. Coins and bills only h

Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Reference Materials, Lessons & Activities, Worksheets
Date Posted:
9/9/2008
This booklet, connected to the Invention at Play online exhibition from the Lemelson Center, highlights inventors who started out as great players and who recall a strong link between their play and inventing. It encourages adults to create an enriching play/inventing environme

Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Lessons & Activities, Worksheets
Duration:
45 minutes
Date Posted:
11/20/2008
In this activity, children will learn about the power of light by comparing what happens to paper that has been left in the sunlight with paper that has been left in the dark. They will use a chart to write a prediction ("hypothesis") and compare it to the results of the experiment. They will the

Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Reference Materials, Lessons & Activities
Duration:
75 minutes
Date Posted:
3/5/2012
September 11, 2001 was a shocking day in American history. By using this OurStory module from the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, children and adults can start discussing the events of that day through children's literature, museum objects, and hands-on activities. Focused arou

Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Lessons & Activities, Worksheets
Duration:
30 minutes
Date Posted:
5/21/2009
Do you live near the water? There is probably a body of water closer than you think! In this activity, students will use Google Maps to first find their school, and then locate and learn about the closest body of water to their school. Included in an OurStory module entitled Li

Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Reference Materials, Lessons & Activities
Date Posted:
5/21/2009
For hundreds of years, seacoasts, rivers, lakes, and canals have had a big impact on the ways America has changed as a country. By using this OurStory module from the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, children and adults can enjoy exploring lighthouses and the maritime hist

Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Lessons & Activities
Duration:
20 minutes
Date Posted:
9/24/2012
Explore the outdoors with a digital camera! Part of an OurStory module entitled Discover and Protect Nature, this activity includes step-by-step directions, suggestions for familiarizing your child with the camera, and tips for what to look for during your trip. OurStory is designed to help child

Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Interactives & Media, Lessons & Activities
Date Posted:
3/31/2014
This useful reading guide will help engage young readers as they read Lemonade in Winter: a Book About Two Kids Counting Money, a children's book based that tells the story of two siblings who decide to spend an otherwise snowy winter's day opewning a lemonade sta

Grade Range:
K-4
Resource Type(s):
Reference Materials, Lessons & Activities
Date Posted:
6/10/2008
In this resource, students will investigate the roles that pottery and water played in the lives of the Pueblo Indians of New Mexico. Students will learn about Native American culture by reading the book entitled When Clay Sings and discover the symbolism of two modern pots in a hands-on