Explore the recently opened Cellphone: Unseen Connections exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History and participate in hands-on, object-based activities to discover how cellphones, a historically transformational object, can serve as a hook to teach about the environment, culture, technology, and society. Encourage students to think critically about the broader impacts of technology innovations from environmental shifts to cultural implications. Experience conversation boards, the Exploded Object thinking routine, the Phone of the Future board game, and other learning activities adaptable to a wide range of contexts! Leave with new ideas and access to a free digital Educator Toolkit, printable Do-it-Yourself (DIY) exhibit panels, and poster.

Join the National Air and Space Museum for a docent-led tour through our transformed galleries, which highlight key milestones in flight and space exploration, the importance of innovation across American history, and endless possibilities for the future.

Discover how personal narratives, digital media, and historical objects can transform how students in upper elementary grades can engage with the Revolutionary Era. Participants will screen clips from THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, a new documentary series directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, premiering in November on PBS. Participants will examine objects from the National Museum of American History and explore PBS LearningMedia’s resources that amplify personal narratives, such as that of a young girl who came of age during the Revolution. These first-hand accounts help tell a more complete story of the era that resonates with younger students. This session is geared toward elementary teachers and will focus on building grade-appropriate inquiry skills.

How can art engage students in thinking deeply about our nation’s civic ideals? How do museums preserve art objects that tell America’s story, so they will speak to generations to come?  Join educators and conservators from the Smithsonian American Art Museum for an opportunity to look closely at artworks as visual metaphors for an individual, a state, or a nation. Participants will explore how artists represent the idea of “We, The People” visually, and consider ways in which many voices can contribute to a national story. You'll also get a behind-the-scenes perspective on how the museum conserves our national treasures.  

Attendees will join Education Department staff on a tour through the gallery’s collection that uses our most engaging strategies for fostering interdisciplinary learning through portraiture. Looking towards the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, let us take you on a journey with the individuals who have shaped our democracy while learning about all the techniques the National Portrait Gallery uses.  From the oldest work in our collection to making an art keepsake, the team will model the ways portraiture can bring the story of our nation to life. 

In this interdisciplinary session, discover artworks and outdoor spaces as prompts for close-looking, reflection, and personal connection. Practice slow looking and creative writing strategies while viewing Shifting Boundaries: Perspectives on American Landscapes, an exhibition exploring the erasure of Indigenous histories and human impacts altering landscapes today. Step outside for a tour of the Haupt Garden to consider the ways this landscape has changed over time. Leave with new perspectives on the natural world around you, transferrable strategies to lead similar investigations in your local communities, and clear connections across subject areas.

Teachers will go on a guided gallery tour of "Americans," an exhibition at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian, which features nearly 350 objects and images, from a Tomahawk missile to baking powder cans, all showing that Indian names and images are everywhere in American life. Through this display and an examination of the staying power of three stories— the life of Pocahontas, the Trail of Tears, and the Battle of Little Bighorn—the exhibition shows that Americans have always been fascinated, conflicted, and profoundly shaped by their relationship to American Indians.  Through the intentional use of a dialogue toolkit, educators can tap into the Americans material to facilitate new conversations with and among students about the power of images and words, the challenges of memory, and the relationship between personal and national values. After the guided gallery tour and dialogue, teachers will learn about digital, classroom ready resources and walk away with print materials and learning experiences they can share with their colleagues and students to transform teaching and learning about American Indians. 

Join us for a tour of the exhibition ¡Presente!  A Latino History of the United States, providing educators with a comprehensive understanding of the contributions and experiences of Latino communities in American history. Engage in a hands-on activity at the GM Learning Lounge. Inspired by the museum's collaboration with family literacy programs, attendees will learn best practices for museum-community art projects and gain insights into working with adult English language learners. Participants will learn how to replicate similar projects in their own learning contexts by using the museum's online resources.

Discover how personal narratives, digital media, and historical objects can transform how students in middle and high school can engage with the American Revolution. Participants will screen clips from THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, a new documentary series directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, premiering in November on PBS. Participants will also examine objects from the National Museum of American History and explore PBS LearningMedia’s resources that amplify personal narratives such as that of a young New England private in the Continental Army. These narratives help tell a more complete and nuanced story of the Revolutionary era that resonates with students. This session is geared toward middle and high school educators. This session will apply grade-level appropriate critical and historical thinking skills and strategies.

What does it take to prepare young minds for the business of space? In this immersive conversation, discover the Emerging Leaders Program from the Inter Astra Institute—an initiative designed to equip youth with the tools, imagination, and confidence to lead across space, science, and society. Educators will explore real-world applications for integrating space industry pathways into their classrooms, including storytelling, diplomacy, and innovation. Participants will leave with actionable frameworks, engagement strategies, and insights into how to nurture next-gen cosmic change-makers.