The Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center is offering an innovative training program for museum professionals and early childhood educators interested in using objects to teach young children. Participants will learn how a host of museum objects—including paintings, sculptures, an African headrest, and an old-time chestnut roaster—can help children, as young as two or three, understand their world. The program, featuring hands-on exercises with museum objects, lectures, discussions, and gallery experiences, is designed to help museum educators forge more creative encounters with young museum-goers, and to introduce early childhood educators to the magic of museums. Participants will be encouraged to think expansively about using children's literature, art, and objects to create explorations of thematic topics. By tapping resources in their own communities—resources such as objects in local museums and community centers, statues, public art, bridges, buildings, and more, participants learn to bring the world of museums to young children in their communities.

The Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center offers a morning seminar to examine how educators can enrich infant and toddler programs with art and objects. Very young children thrive in an environment that is rich in exposure to everyday objects, stories, and visual images. Age-appropriate books, art prints and objects can appeal to infants and toddlers and help them to understand the world around them. Participants in this seminar will learn how to develop this innate curiosity by creating an environment that supports arts-rich learning in the classroom as they nurture the growth of each child. They will learn how to choose exhibits, have successful outings, and build a classroom community that parents, teachers, and children will love.

Google Earth lets students see the world around them in brand-new ways: travel to the Great Pyramids, analyze live current events, compare before and after images of deforestation, and integrate literature and social studies. But how best can teachers use it to improve learning? This workshop spends a day adapting existing Google Earth tours and creating new ones.

These seminars are offered to encourage teachers to seriously examine significant events in American history in light of the principles of the American founding, and also to encourage the use of primary source materials in the classroom. The seminars, which include both lecture and discussion, are taught by leading scholars in their field from throughout the nation.

These seminars are offered to encourage teachers to seriously examine significant events in American history in light of the principles of the American founding, and also to encourage the use of primary source materials in the classroom. The seminars, which include both lecture and discussion, are taught by leading scholars in their field from throughout the nation.

Participants in this workshop will learn how to use artworks as primary sources in their classrooms to teach American history and critical thinking. This workshop brings together the best of the Young America and Westward Expansion eras featured in SAAM's school programs. Both activity ideas as preparation for a tour or as stand-alone classroom lessons will be covered.

This workshop will provide educators with resources and ideas for Heritage Month programming. It will explore works by African-American artists such as Joshua Johnson, Jacob Lawrence, and Sam Gilliam. Each teacher will also receive an African-American Artists: Affirmation Today kit for their classroom.