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The Smithsonian Summer Sessions

Inspiring Civic Engagement

Briana Zavadil White, Phoebe Hillemann, Dr. Orlando Serrano, Candra Flanagan, Kirsten McNally, Tess Porter, and Jessie Aucoin

How can educators of all disciplines prepare students to be active and informed participants in a democracy? Join us to explore this question through the lens of six Smithsonian collections! Discover how museum objects can help learners explore the challenges and opportunities of living in a democracy and inspire civic action.

All educators are welcome. This institute is ideal for classroom teachers. This course is part of the Smithsonian Summer Sessions series. The previous courses are not a prerequisite for this course, the courses can be accessed here.

What you'll learn

Museum educators will explore connections among their collections and model teaching strategies that participants can implement with their students in the classroom. We’ll introduce the Smithsonian Learning Lab, a free, online platform for accessing digital museum resources and creating interactive learning experiences with them. Participants will discover how to teach with museum resources to engage students in deeper thinking and support content learning across disciplines.

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Read about what's good

what should give you pause

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Suitable for all educators, making it a versatile course

Led by experienced museum educators, providing practical insights

Introduces the Smithsonian Learning Lab, a valuable resource for educators

Focuses on teaching with museum resources, enhancing student engagement and content learning

Part of the Smithsonian Summer Sessions series, indicating a reputable and well-established program

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Reviews summary

Civic engagement for educators

According to students, this course offers a unique opportunity to explore civic engagement through the lens of Smithsonian collections. Learners find the practical teaching strategies provided to be immediately applicable across various disciplines, helping them prepare students to be active and informed participants in a democracy. The course also introduces the Smithsonian Learning Lab, highlighted as a free, online platform for accessing digital museum resources and creating interactive learning experiences. While valuable for all educators, its broad scope might mean that deeper dives into specific disciplinary applications are left to the individual to explore further.

Beneficial for educators across all disciplines, highly adaptable.

"As an educator from a non-history background, I found the strategies presented to be truly adaptable to my subject area."

"It's refreshing that the course welcomes all educators, making its valuable content widely accessible."

"While the course covers a broad range, I now have a solid framework to deepen my focus on specific disciplinary topics."

Delivers actionable methods for immediate classroom application.

"I could immediately see how to implement the teaching strategies discussed in my own classroom settings."

"The course provided concrete ideas for inspiring civic action with my students, which is exactly what I needed."

"It's great that the methods are practical and adaptable for different subjects and age groups."

Effectively explores civic participation through engaging content.

"The course clearly articulated how to prepare my students to be active and informed participants in our democracy."

"I really appreciated the emphasis on exploring the challenges and opportunities of living in a democracy using compelling museum objects."

"This course directly addresses the critical need for civic education, providing me with fresh perspectives and tools."

Provides unparalleled access to museum collections and digital tools.

"I appreciated how the course modeled using actual Smithsonian collections to teach about civic engagement. It's truly unique."

"The introduction to the Smithsonian Learning Lab was a game-changer for me; it's an amazing free platform for digital resources."

"Learning to teach with museum objects really opened my eyes to new ways of engaging my students with history and civics."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in The Smithsonian Summer Sessions: Inspiring Civic Engagement with these activities:

Review basic principles of civic education

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Strengthen your foundation in civic education to enhance your engagement with the course materials.

Browse courses on Citizenship

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Review textbooks or online resources on civic education.
Participate in online discussions or forums related to civic education.
Attend workshops or webinars on civic education topics.

Review Museum Studies

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Refresh your understanding of museum studies to enhance your understanding of the course materials.

Browse courses on Museum Studies

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Read introductory articles on museum studies.
Review foundational texts in the field.
Attend an online lecture or workshop on museum studies.

Read 'Museum Education: Theory and Practice' by Elizabeth Vallance

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Familiarize yourself with the essential principles and practices of museum education.

View Conceptual Foundations - E-Book: The Bridge to... on Amazon

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Obtain a copy of the book.
Read chapters relevant to the course.
Take notes and reflect on the key concepts.

Ten other activities

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Explore the Smithsonian Learning Lab tutorials

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Enhance your understanding of museum resources and their use in education.

Browse courses on Museum Education

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Visit the Smithsonian Learning Lab website.
Explore the available tutorials.
Select a tutorial relevant to your interests.
Follow the tutorial instructions.

Analyze Museum Objects

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Develop your skills in analyzing museum objects to deepen your understanding of their historical and cultural significance.

Browse courses on Art History

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Visit a museum and select several objects for analysis.
Research the objects' provenance, materials, and techniques.
Write a brief analysis of each object, considering its historical context and cultural significance.

Plan and develop a lesson plan incorporating museum resources

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Apply your knowledge of museum resources to practical lesson planning.

Browse courses on Lesson Planning

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Select a specific museum collection or exhibit.
Identify learning objectives aligned with the curriculum.
Create a lesson plan outline.
Incorporate museum resources into the lesson.
Plan for student engagement and assessment.

Design Museum Lesson Plan

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Create a lesson plan that incorporates museum resources to enhance your teaching practice and engage students in history and culture.

Browse courses on Lesson Planning

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Choose a topic and grade level for your lesson.
Research relevant museum objects and resources.
Develop learning objectives and activities that connect to the objects and resources.
Create a lesson plan outline and materials.

Join a study group focused on museum education

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Share insights, support, and engage in discussions related to museum education.

Browse courses on Museum Education

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Identify potential study group members.
Establish a schedule for regular meetings.
Prepare discussion topics or activities.
Meet regularly to share ideas and insights.

Collaborate with Classmates on Museum Project

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Work with classmates to develop a museum project that showcases your understanding of museum collections and their educational value.

Browse courses on Group Projects

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Form a group and choose a museum collection for your project.
Research the collection and select objects for analysis.
Develop a project proposal and timeline.
Collaborate on creating a presentation or exhibition.

Create a digital portfolio of course materials

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Organize and store your course materials for easy access and future reference.

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Gather all relevant course materials.
Create a digital folder or platform.
Organize materials into categories or sections.
Annotate or add notes to materials as needed.

Learn Digital Humanities Tools

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Enhance your understanding of digital humanities tools and resources to effectively incorporate technology into your museum practices.

Browse courses on Digital Humanities

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Identify relevant digital humanities tools.
Take online tutorials or workshops on these tools.
Practice using the tools in a museum context.

Gather resources on museum education best practices

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Build a valuable collection of resources to support your continued professional development in museum education.

Browse courses on Museum Education

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Search for articles, books, and online resources on museum education best practices.
Organize and categorize the resources.
Create a digital or physical folder for easy access.

Contribute to the Smithsonian Learning Lab community

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Engage with the broader museum education community and contribute to the field.

Browse courses on Open Source

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Identify ways to contribute to the Smithsonian Learning Lab platform.
Create or collaborate on educational resources.
Provide feedback or suggestions for improvement.
Participate in online forums and discussions.

Career center

Learners who complete The Smithsonian Summer Sessions: Inspiring Civic Engagement will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Museum Education Officer

Museum Education Officers develop and deliver educational programs for museum visitors, including tours, lectures, and workshops. This course can help you build the knowledge and skills to teach with museum resources. It can also help you engage students in deeper thinking and support content learning across disciplines.

See salaries and explore the career path for Museum Education Officer

Museum Director

A Museum Director manages the day to day operations of a museum. This Smithsonian course may be helpful if you'd like to gain skills in leading and managing a cultural or educational institution.

See salaries and explore the career path for Museum Director

High School Teacher

High School Teachers educate and prepare high school students in a variety of academic subjects including the humanities and the sciences. This Smithsonian course may be useful if you'd like to teach the humanities or history.

See salaries and explore the career path for High School Teacher

Museum Educator

Museum Educators teach visitors about museum collections and exhibitions. This Smithsonian course may be useful if you'd like to teach about museum collections and exhibitions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Museum Educator

Museum Collections Manager

A Museum Collections Manager is responsible for the preservation and display of museum artifacts. Courses such as this one can help you learn how to engage museum patrons with historical and educational displays. Additionally, it can help you understand how to create exciting and engaging learning experiences that help people connect with history and culture.

See salaries and explore the career path for Museum Collections Manager

Museum curator

Museum Curators are responsible for the care and display of museum collections. They also conduct research, publish findings, and develop educational programs. This Smithsonian course can help you explore the challenges and opportunities of living in a democracy, which can help you build a strong foundation for engaging visitors with museum exhibits.

See salaries and explore the career path for Museum curator

Museum Studies Professor

A Museum Studies Professor teaches courses in museum studies at the college or university level. This Smithsonian course may be useful if you'd like to teach about museum studies or work in higher education.

See salaries and explore the career path for Museum Studies Professor

Archivist

Archivists acquire, preserve, and make accessible historical documents or records. Courses about museum history and collections can help you develop the skills you need to curate a collection of historical documents or museum artifacts.

See salaries and explore the career path for Archivist

Economist

Economists study the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. They may specialize in a particular area, such as microeconomics, macroeconomics, or econometrics. This Smithsonian course may be useful if you'd like to teach or work at a museum that focuses on the history of industry and economy.

See salaries and explore the career path for Economist

Archaeologist

Archaeologists study the material remains of past human cultures. They may specialize in a particular region or time period. This Smithsonian course may be useful if you'd like to teach or work at a museum that specializes in ancient history.

See salaries and explore the career path for Archaeologist

Political Scientist

Political Scientists study politics, government, and public policy. They may specialize in a particular area, such as American politics, international relations, or public administration. This Smithsonian course may be useful if you'd like to teach or work at a museum that focuses on the history of government and law.

See salaries and explore the career path for Political Scientist

Historian

Historians research, analyze, and interpret the past. They may specialize in a particular time period, region, or topic. This Smithsonian course may be helpful to you if you'd like to teach or work with historical documents.

See salaries and explore the career path for Historian

Sociologist

Sociologists study human society and social behavior. They may specialize in a particular area, such as crime, education, or family. This Smithsonian course may be useful if you'd like to teach or work in a museum that focuses on human culture.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sociologist

Anthropologist

Anthropologists study the behavior, origin, and development of humans. They may specialize in a particular region or culture. This Smithsonian course may be helpful if you'd like to teach or work with historical artifacts.

See salaries and explore the career path for Anthropologist

Reading list

We've selected 16 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in The Smithsonian Summer Sessions: Inspiring Civic Engagement.

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This practical guide provides educators with strategies for teaching civic engagement in the classroom. Thomas offers lesson plans, activities, and resources that can be used to help students develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to be active participants in a democracy.

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Examines the role of museums in fostering civic engagement. Simon argues that museums can be powerful places for learning about democracy and practicing civic skills.

The Smithsonian Summer Sessions

What you'll learn

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Save this course

Reviews summary

Civic engagement for educators

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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