Free PreK-12 lesson plans, activities, and resources
The Smithsonian
A little know fact about the founding of the Smithsonian…
It all started in 1826 when James Smithson, a British scientist, drew up his last will and testament, naming his nephew as beneficiary. Smithson stipulated that, should the nephew die without heirs (as he would in 1835), the estate should go “to the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men.”
It took another 20 years (until 1846) for the Smithsonian to become a reality.
Throughout American history, teachers and parents have used objects--from colonial--era slates to modern electronic calculators--to help students master abstract mathematical concepts. These math teaching tools reflect society's hopes… learn more
Another safe avenue for allowing students to do their own searches of discovery is to search one of the larger wide ranging content sites, like The Smithsonian Institution.… learn more
In addition to the Learning Lab, the Smithsonian has a very wide range of on-line resources, with everything from the National Postal Museum and the National Portrait Gallery… learn more
Check out over 100 on-line exhibits, covering a wide variety of subjects from Fantastic Worlds: Science and Fiction, 1780-1910 to Views from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera and… learn more
