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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.

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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.

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
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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Activities

Coming soon We're preparing activities for The Smithsonian Summer Sessions: Inspiring Civic Engagement. These are activities you can do either before, during, or after a course.

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

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.
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.
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.
This handbook provides educators with practical guidance on how to use museum resources to teach civic engagement. The book includes 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.
Provides a comprehensive overview of civic education in the United States. Hess examines the history of civic education, the current state of civic education, and the challenges facing civic education in the 21st century.
This classic work of political philosophy provides a unique perspective on American democracy. Tocqueville offers insights into the strengths and weaknesses of democracy, and he argues that democracy fragile system that must be constantly nurtured and protected.
This collection of essays was written to persuade the people of New York to ratify the Constitution. The Federalist Papers provide a detailed explanation of the principles of American government, and they remain a valuable resource for understanding the American political system.
Provides a historical overview of American political thought. Hofstadter examines the ideas of key American thinkers, and he argues that American political thought is characterized by a tension between individualism and collectivism.
Provides a theoretical framework for understanding democracy. Dahl argues that democracy system of government that is based on the principle of popular sovereignty.
Explores the challenges facing democracy in the 21st century, including the rise of populism, nationalism, and authoritarianism.
Provides a comprehensive overview of political participation, examining the different forms of participation, their causes, and their consequences.
Provides a comprehensive history of the American Revolution. Wood argues that the American Revolution was a transformative event that shaped the course of American history.
This classic work in political science examines the relationship between political culture and democratic stability, drawing on data from a comparative study of five countries.
Provides a detailed account of the American Civil War. Foote argues that the Civil War was a complex and tragic event that had a profound impact on American society.
Provides a comprehensive history of the Reconstruction era. Foner argues that Reconstruction was a period of great progress and change, but it was also a period of violence and backlash.
Provides a critical analysis of the politics of education in the United States, examining the different ways in which education policy is shaped by political interests.

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