Courses: Professional Speaking, Business and Professional Communication, Environmental Communication, or any course covering topics related to neoliberalism and the environment. Objectives: In this single-class activity, students will first examine the possible environmental effects of fracking near the Bakken Oil Formation in North Dakota.…

Elementary students find it difficult to connect the apparent motion of objects in the sky with how celestial objects actually move in the solar system. As a university astronomy education researcher, the author has been investigating methods to help children learn astronomy through workshops and summer camps at science museums and planetariums.…

This book details the Guggenheim Museum's classroom-tested, inquiry-based approach to learning. This user-friendly guide provides teachers (grades 2-8) with strategies and resources for investigating art to enhance student learning across the curriculum. "For the classroom teacher", Art Investigation provides an exciting way to study contemporary…

This article invites teachers to let their students' imaginations soar as they become part of a team that will design a whole new kind of living technological museum, a facility that celebrates the world of infrastructure. In this activity, a new two-story building will be built, occupying a vacant corner parcel of land, approximately 150…

In 1985, the leaders of the Smithsonian Institution and the National Academies established the National Science Resources Center (NSRC) to address the critical problem identified by the "A Nation at Risk" report. Through its Curriculum Development Center and in partnership with its publisher, Carolina Biological Supply Company, the NSRC developed…

To re-engage students with literacy, teachers need an entry point that recognizes and honors students' out-of-school identities. This book looks at how artifacts (everyday objects) access the daily, sensory world in which students live. Exploring how artifacts can generate literacy learning, the book shows teachers how to use a family photo,…

In this unique collaboration, the authors bring to life the theory of mediated learning. Through numerous examples and scenarios from classrooms and museums, they show how mediated learning helps children to become more effective learners. Readers learn the steps in the process, including analyzing the child's problem, teaching the child to focus…

Looking for social studies adventures to help students find connections to democratic citizenship? Look no further! This book provides just the answer teachers need for engaging students in field trips as researching learners with emphasis on interdisciplinary social studies plus skills in collecting and reporting data gathered from field…

Discusses the history of the Indiana Medical History Museum, the nation's oldest pathology laboratory building which was used until the 1960s. (YDS)

Introduces the National Museum of Wales, Amgueddfa Genelaethol Cymru, which exhibits fine and applied art collections and science collections exploring the evolution of Wales, natural history, and the environment. (YDS)

This column shares a host of websites that feature resources about women in history, famous women, and women's contributions. These websites can be used all year long, as well as in conjunction with Women's History Month in March,

Describes how high school students in Virginia helped construct a Chesapeake Bay deadrise oyster boat in order to help gain an appreciation for the culture and history of their area. (JDH)

Presents an analysis of data from a research project involving 110 exhibitions across the U.S. in a variety of different museums. Discusses the amount of time visitors spent in exhibitions and the number of stops made at different elements. Reports on a study to see if professional interpreters could accurately imagine how visitors might use an…

This special section comprises a cluster of three related articles: "Museum Outreach: Kits and Curricula"; "Museum Outreach: Traveling Exhibits"; and "Museum Outreach: Van pPrograms." Characterizes outreach activities as being central to the mission of many informal learning institutions and presents several examples of each type of outreach…

Indicates that museums and visitor centers must prepare to accommodate younger visitors and their parents by providing a range of developmentally appropriate learning experiences. (CCM)