A collection of resources used for a mini-session at the ISTE Conference 2016. Includes strategies and resources for integrating art into an American History course, utilizing Harvard University & Project Zero's "Making Thinking Visible."

A learning resource for students about Thanksgiving. The images in this collection are different portrayals of the United States holiday of Thanksgiving. They are grouped in order of publication from 1863 to 1994. As you look through them and complete the activities, think about these three key questions:<br /> -How does the context in which the image is produced affect the result? Meaning, how does what is happening during the time period affect what kind of picture of Thanksgiving we see?<br /> -What do the images say about our national identity: who is a welcome part of the United States? What do we celebrate in this country?<br /> -Whose version of the Thanksgiving story is being told in these images?

<p>Students may use this collection to explore the reasons why Sacco and Vanzetti became a celebrated cause among liberal activists in the 1920s, and how their trial exemplified cultural divisions that emerged during the decade. Examining artists' perspectives on the trial through visual arts and music will help provide insight into the era. </p> <p>Tags: 1920s, Twenties, immigration, nativism, anarchy, socialism, Red Scare, crime, justice, inquiry, continuity and change</p><p><em>#historicalthinking</em></p><p><br /></p>

The Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s tackled many problems facing African-Americans at the time. This collection offers a brief video introduction into the March on Washington in 1963, which brought national attention to many of these issues, and asks students to analyze a photograph and three artifacts from the March. Students will answer the question "What problems did participants in the March on Washington aim to solve?" and consider how these issues continue to have relevance in the United States today. tags: Civil Rights, Martin Luther King, A. Phillip Randolph

This learner resource includes a 26 minute documentary where Charles Moore explains the context of many of his most famous civil rights images. Then, students examine the images and think about the importance of photojournalism to the civil rights movement. Finally, students are presented with Andy Warhol's image based on a Charles Moore photograph and asked to consider why certain images remain culturally significant. Guiding questions for this collection include: -How does seeing visual images of news events affect one differently than reading about them? Why? -How did the photographs in this collection impact the outcome of the Civil Rights Movement? -What makes some images more compelling than others? -Does photojournalism have a similar impact today? Tags: photography, Civil Rights, Birmingham, MLK, Martin Luther King, Charles Moore, photos, black and white

A mixed bag of artifacts of political and social protest movements in United States history. This collection can serve as a source of inspiration for students creating their own protest posters around a cause they believe in. The collection begins with a video by KQED Art School describing the characteristics of political art and a formula for making it.

<p>Preparing for World War II in the United States meant uniting the nation and encouraging citizens to support the war with their actions and funds. However, it also created divisions within the nations, as Japanese-Americans were interned, African-American soldiers were segregated, and Mexican workers recruited to help with war-time demands were discriminated against. This collection includes objects reflecting a variety of aspects of homefront life during World War II and works well as an independent activity for students to complete. </p> <p>Guiding questions for discussion before and after include:</p> <p><strong>-In what ways did World War II unite the nation? In what ways did it divide the nation?</strong></p> <p>-What new opportunities were created by the need for more workers in World War II?</p> <p>-How and why did government regulation of the economy increase during World War II?</p> <p>-Why do you think the examples of propaganda in this collection were so effective?</p>

<p>This teaching collection contains resources to support a more inclusive United States history curriculum. It includes documents, videos, and websites related to the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans-, and other sexual minorities) movement. The collection is divided into the following themes:</p><p>-People</p><p>-Pride and Diversity of Experiences (reflecting a range of LGBT identities)</p><p>-History, Challenges, and Accomplishments</p><p>-Additional Resources</p><p>This is a work-in-progress based on the digitized materials within the Smithsonian Learning Lab's collection--it is not meant to be wholly definitive or authoritative. </p>

<p><br><strong>Overview:</strong> When facing challenges in society, activists must determine not just what kinds of changes might need to be made, but how much change, and how fast. A study of the growing socialist and anarchist movement during the Gilded Age in the United States (with a focus on Pittsburgh), will help students analyze why some people might advocate for radical change while others fear it. Students will then apply their new understanding when discussing responses to current social movements. </p> <p><strong>Questions for discussion throughout the lesson include:</strong></p> <ol><li>What kind of change is/was needed?  How might the answer to this question depend on your perspective (worker, farmer, politician, or business-owner?)</li><li>How much change is /was needed? How might the answer to this question depend on your perspective (worker, farmer, politician, or business-owner?)</li><li>Why might radical change be scary for some individuals but appealing to others? </li><li>What kinds of demands and strategies result in the most progress?</li></ol> <p><strong>Pacing/curriculum: </strong>This lesson can be used when discussing the response of workers and the labor movement to Gilded Age industrialization, or as a point of comparison when studying the other social reform movements of the late 19th and early 20th century, Populism and Progressivism. Just prior to this lesson, students in my classroom would have been studying the problems of workers and city-dwellers during the Gilded Age and the rapid growth of industrialization.</p> <p><br>The lesson is designed to be used during 1-2 70 minute class periods and can be implemented in an entirely remote learning environment.  The first day could consist of the warm up around socialism, and the why did it appeal/why was it scary t-charts. The second day should focus on connections to today and the question of revolution vs. reform located in the second half of resources in the collection. <br></p> <p>#civicdiscourse</p>

<p>This collection includes an iconic labor union poster and is intended as a warm-up activity for a lesson on labor unions in the late 19th and early 20th century. Discussion questions and songs by and about Joe Hill are included. </p> <p>Guiding questions to consider:<br />-What conditions led to the development of labor unions?<br />-How did the philosophy of the IWW, or Wobblies, differ from other labor unions?<br />-Why has Hill remained an iconic figure for the labor movement?</p><p>#SmithsonianMusic<br /></p>

<p>During the late 19th century, reformers in the United States like Helen Hunt Jackson pushed for a change in attitude towards Native Americans. Rather than simply viewing them as enemies from whom land could be gained, these reformers promoted the concept of assimilation, or helping Native Americans adopt the characteristics of white culture that would allow them to be successful in American society. One of the ways they did this was through the use of Christian boarding schools for Native American children. Federal laws, like the Dawes Act of 1887, also supported this goal. </p> <p>As you investigate the artifacts, images, and readings in this collection, consider whether you think assimilation was a beneficial policy for Native Americans. How did Native American families respond to assimilation?</p> <p>Tags: point of view, assimilation, assimilate, American Indians, Carlisle, Jim Thorpe, allotment</p>

<p>Did you know that astronaut Mae Jemison carried a picture of aviator Bessie Coleman in her uniform pocket? Or that astronaut Sally Ride was a major supporter of vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro? Maybe you knew that Jane Briggs Hart was Michigan's first female helicopter pilot and flew her husband, the late Senator Hart, to his political campaign stops as well as being vocal and liberal political activist? Find out about these inspirational women and others in this collection. This topical collection is a great starting point for research about female aviators and astronauts, and includes articles, images, artifacts, and video. Some guiding questions to consider might be:<br />-Why do you think it was so challenging for female pilots to become accepted? Compare the inclusion of women in aviation to other industries and fields. <br />-What role did the military play in the growth in the number of female aviators?<br />-What connections can you find between various female pilots and astronauts?<br />-Is being the "first" of something a political act? How do many female aviation leaders use their public voice?</p><p>#BecauseOfHerStory<br /></p>