Smithsonian’s “Let’s Do History Tour” Program Partners with the Rhode Island Historical Society and the International Tennis Hall of Fame to Energize Social Studies Teaching
As Rhode Island’s only Smithsonian Affiliate institutions, the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the Rhode Island Historical Society have joined with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History to strengthen and invigorate history teaching through the “Let’s Do History Tour.”
The project seeks to support K–12 social studies teachers by introducing them to museum objects such as the Star-Spangled Banner, and by providing effective techniques, powerful online tools and standards-based content that can be used in classrooms.
The tour brings the best of the National Museum of American History resources and teaching strategies to Rhode Island. The museum will share its interdisciplinary “do history” approach to teaching with a focus on everyday objects, people-centered stories and dialogue.
The “Let’s Do History Tour” is part of the A. James Clark Excellence in History Teaching Program. It is made possible through a gift from the late A. James Clark, former chairman of the board and CEO of Clark Enterprises Inc.
The program is a day-long intensive workshop taught in two parts.
The first part consists of three-hour, highly interactive sessions for teachers hosted by the staff of the National Museum of American History to introduce teachers to its resources and methods.
In the second part, Smithsonian educators work with teachers to provide in-depth training on object-based learning and primary source analysis and learn how to integrate museum resources and methods into lesson plans for their classroom.
All participating teachers will be compensated for their time, and will receive USB flash drives containing free classroom materials, and links to online resources as well as other teaching tools.
This workshop is being offered two times in Rhode Island this June; at the Rhode Island Historical Society’s Museum of Work & Culture in Woonsocket on June 17th from 9:00-4:00 and at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport on June 18th, also from 9:00-4:00.
Lunch will be provided.
https://tinyurl.com/letsdohistoryRIHS
to attend the June 17thworkshop at the Museum of Work & Culture.
Please register at
https://tinyurl.com/letsdohistorytennishalloffame
to attend the June 18th workshop at the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
“Our program combines the best of what the museum has to offer with best practices in 21st-century education and will reach thousands of K–12 teachers nationwide,” said John Gray, Director of the National Museum of American History. “While we can’t change the amount of time teachers have to teach American history, we can help them make every minute count.”
“The Let’s Do History Tour is a terrific collaboration among the Smithsonian, museums, and educators to breathe new life into the ways students can learn about history.
The Museum at the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the many museums throughout Rhode Island have immense collections that can be used to teach curriculum-based programs in all subjects.
As a Smithsonian Affiliate, we are thrilled to be able to bring this national program to the state to explore these opportunities further with Rhode Island teachers,” said Doug Stark, Museum Director for the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
“Our affiliation with Smithsonian is allowing us to bring this highly-dynamic and engaging object-based workshop to Rhode Island’s teachers. We are excited for this opportunity to work with primary materials from the National Museum of American History and to showcase how objects in the museums right here in Rhode Island can be further explored for classroom lessons,” said Geralyn Ducady, Director of the Goff Center for Education and Public Programs at the Rhode Island Historical Society.
Through incomparable collections, rigorous research and dynamic public outreach, the National Museum of American History explores the infinite richness and complexity of American history.
It helps people understand the past in order to make sense of the present and shape a more humane future.
The museum is continuing to renovate its west exhibition wing, developing galleries on democracy, immigration and migration and culture.
For more information, visit http://americanhistory.si.edu. The museum is located on Constitution Avenue, between 12th and 14th streets N.W., and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). Admission is free. For Smithsonian information, the public may call (202) 633-1000.
About the Rhode Island Historical Society
Founded in 1822, the RIHS, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is the fourth-oldest historical society in the United States and is Rhode Island’s largest and oldest historical organization. In Providence, the RIHS owns and operates the John Brown House Museum, a designated National Historic Landmark, built in 1788; the Aldrich House, built in 1822 and used for administration and public programs; and the Mary Elizabeth Robinson Research Center, where archival, book and image collections are housed. In Woonsocket, the RIHS manages the Museum of Work and Culture, a community museum examining the industrial history of northern Rhode Island and of the workers and settlers, especially French-Canadians, who made it one of the state’s most distinctive areas.
About the International Tennis Hall of Fame
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is a non-profit organization that preserves and promotes the history of tennis and celebrates its champions, thereby serving as a vital partner in the growth of tennis globally. The Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island in the United States, but Hall of Famers hail from 23 nations around the world. The Hall of Fame honors these legends and chronicles the sport’s history in a comprehensive interactive museum in Newport and programming to celebrate the sport around the world. For information on the International Tennis Hall of Fame and its programs, visit www.tennisfame.com.