Smithsonian Learning Lab

As Einstein Fellows, not only does each fellow have an opportunity to create a professional development plan, but we also participate in program-developed each month. In October, we visited Smithsonian Learning Labs.

During our day at Smithsonian Learning Labs, we explored activities that are available for educators to download and use in their classrooms.  Have you ever thought about what makes an item innovative? What if you had to rank items based on their level of innovation? Where would you place an arrowhead in the ranking? What about a clock?  It's not as easy as it might seem.

After explorations and discussions, we visited the rooftop for some awesome photos!

We also learned about some simulations that are available.  The fellows had a lot of fun with the Wright Flyer simulation.  Just have to say, I landed it without crashing. 

One of the features I liked best was being able to collect and house online resources under my own free account.  Resources could be 2D images of objects, lesson plans, secondary sources, and more. We were barely able to scratch the surface of the available resources, but I plan to continue to explore and collect resources.