“There was a time—in recent memory for some of us—when posting a video on the web was all but out of reach, requiring dedicated hardware and some serious nerd skills. On April 23, 2005, YouTube, a side project created by three PayPal employees, posted its first video. Viewership skyrocketed, a

The Resettlement Administration was created in an effort to curb rural poverty among farmers. It purchased small, economically unviable farms and set up government-monitored cooperative homestead communities. These farm families received educational aid along with supervision. A community called Sky

Tell the story of early American science with an online exhibition and digital reproduction of the oldest surviving Anglo-American star map. This hand-drawn star map, created in 1780, reflects a story of scientific curiosity and the practical applications of astronomy in colonial America. Simeon

Make your own constellation commemorating an American woman, like Maria Mitchell. Many cultures have used constellations to remember the stories of heroes, like the Greeks and some American Indians. Included in an OurStory module from Smithsonian's National Museum of American History entitled

People around the world have studied the stars and shared stories through constellations and astrology. By using this OurStory module, children and adults can enjoy exploring history together through children's literature, everyday objects, and hands-on activities. Focused around Maria's Come

Scientists have had to record their observations in different ways throughout time. Use Google Sky to explore the sky, then share your observations through sketches and figurative language.  Included in an OurStory module from Smithsonian's National Museum of American History entitled Ex

Maria's Comet is a work of children's literature about a young girl who longs to study the stars.  Included in an OurStory module entitled Exploring the Sky, this activity includes strategies that will help adults and children actively read Maria's Comet together.

Find out about the sky through a field trip!  In this activity, children will determine the best way to observe the night sky (through a visit to a planetarium, using a telescope, or a trip outside in the evening) and discuss what they see.  The activity guide includes printable tip she

Aladdin Industries profited from the success of The Jetsons television cartoon series in the fall of 1963 by introducing a domed lunch box featuring that space-traveling suburban family and their robotic maid. American notions of family life in the 1960s traveled effortlessly outward to

The astrolabe is an astronomical calculating device used from ancient times into the eighteenth century. Measuring the height of a star using the back of the instrument, and knowing the latitude, one could find the time of night and the position of other stars. The openwork piece on the front, ca