In 1962, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring changed the way people thought about their relationship to nature. Warning readers of the impact of man-made pesticides on birds, insects, and other wildlife, Carson’s book caused a firestorm of public responses and is considered by some experts

Mama Went to Jail for the Vote is a work of historical fiction about a girl whose mother joins the suffragists in working to win the vote for women during the early 1900s. Part of an OurStory module entitled Winning the Vote for Women, this activity includes strategies that will

See one of America's earliest steam locomotives, the John Bull, come to life while riding the rails. Part of an OurStory module entitled All Aboard the Train!, this activity includes strategies that will help adults and children actively view a 4-minute video of the John Bull in

Use this guide to actively read Ballet for Martha an award-winning work of children's literature about the collaboration of three artists to create an American masterpiece. Part of an OurStory module entitled An American Story in Dance and Music, this activity includes discussio

Playing, singing, and cooking can bring learning about trains to life! Part of an OurStory module entitled All Aboard the Train!, this activity includes tips for incorporating special terms used by railroad workers into playing with trains, cooking a train café car menu, or singing trai

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

Students will learn about life on the prairie and in sod houses in this OurStory module, entitled Life in a Sod House. The module includes the interactive activity Building a Sod House, hands-on activities and a list of recommended readings related. OurStory is a series of modules design

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.

Cartoons are great documents that can tell both funny and serious stories. In this activity, children will first read Mr. Lincoln's Whiskers. Then they will use what they have learned about Abraham Lincoln and their critical thinking skills to add a scene to the story in the form of a co

Architects design the buildings we use every day. Their designs solve problems, like how to make a sturdy building, and reflect their ideas about beauty and history. By using this OurStory module from the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, children and adults can learn about archi